October 5, 2022

Donald Robert Beck
​ November 16, 1945 - September 23, 2022

Donald Robert Beck, 76, died Sept. 23, 2022, at his home in Gold Creek surrounded by family and friends. He was born in Deer Lodge on Nov. 16, 1945, to Don “Bud” and Irene Beck, the oldest of eight children.
Don graduated from Powell County High School in 1964. He then attended Montana State University where he studied math for 2 years. Don was exceptional at math and would always help his kids with their homework whether it was at the high school or college level. He then went to flying school in Billings for six months before returning home to work on the family ranch at Galen. The next fall he went to Great Falls and instructed at a flight school. Don loved flying and owned a small plane that he did some unorthodox maneuvers in over the years. He had no problem landing on the highway to stop at the ranch to pick up his kids, shooting coyotes only a few feet above the ground or spotting elk for local
hunters. A lot of his passengers were pretty white knuckled when 
they landed, but he always put her down “shiny side up.”
Don attended the Northrop Institute of Technology in Inglewood, Calif., and studied aerospace engineering before again returning home to help on the ranch. He was drafted into the Air Force on Aug. 15, 1968, and was stationed at Atwater, Calif., tasked to the civil engineering squadron. While Don was away, his father was in a serious vehicle collision, and Don applied for and was granted a hardship discharge so he could go home and help his family on the ranch.
He married Jeannie M. Nelson on Sept. 9, 1972, and moved to the ranch at Garrison. It was there that they raised their four children: Dana, Maggie, Brandy and Don Jr. Don took his kids with him to work on the ranch and on many adventures over the years. They learned a lot of valuable lessons through the school of hard knocks. Jeannie died in 1995, and Don was looking forward to being reunited with her again after his death.
Don was a true outdoorsman and sportsman, and enjoyed hunting and hiking mountain peaks. He guided for Tom Villeneuve from 1970-1979 in the Pintler Mountain range and helped harvest many elk, deer, bear, big horn sheep and moose over the years. Don had a firearms license and was like a little kid in a candy store when he got to help any of his customers find the perfect gun. He also had an explosives license, giving him the ability to buy dynamite…I think he may be part of the reason why the screening is so tough to get a license today. Don blew up a lot of beaver dams and could send a tire hundreds of feet in the air just to show off.
Don later moved to the ranch at Gold Creek and continued ranching and raising cattle. He made a lot of good friends over the years and rarely missed break time with his good friend Dave Yoder and crew.
Don employed a lot of young men to work alongside him through the years, and they all left with gratitude for Don and some valuable life lessons. Don enjoyed work and was eager to teach his young hired men a good work ethic that they could carry with them through their lives.
He enjoyed boxing in his younger years and won a lot of his bouts. Don would go to the prison to spar with the inmates and teach them the art of boxing. They too learned a lot from Don; not just about boxing but also about hard work and putting in a solid effort if they wanted to succeed.
Don served on the Garrison School Board and was an active member of the Garrison Fire Department. Don would help anyone in need whether it was to lend advice, borrow money or pull them out of the ditch…if you asked, Don would be there. Don kept a list of many of his friends and family’s birthdays and would give each person a call every year to say happy birthday and check in on them.
Don is survived by his four children: Dana Beck (Ron McDonald), Maggie Beck, Brandy (Jim) Davis and Don (Melanie) Beck. He has two grandchildren that were the highlight of his life: Gizelle Irene and Donald Henry (Ole). He has seven siblings: Nancy Jean, Sharon Louise, Peg, Ted (Julie), Pam (Rick) Hirsch, Jann (Kris) Kerpa and Dave. Don also has many nieces, nephews and cousins.
Don was preceded in death by his wife, Jeannie; his parents, Bud and Irene Beck; his grandparents; and his nephews, Zane Beck, Johnny Delaughder and Doug D’Arcy.
Graveside services were Saturday, Oct. 1, at Hillcrest Cemetery in Deer Lodge, followed by a celebration of life in Garrison.
Memorial donations can be made to the Garrison or Gold Creek fire departments, Rocky Mountain Stockgrowers Association or to the donor’s choice.
“No hurries, no worries” Don Beck

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Rodney Gene Brown
​ February 7, 1958 - October 1, 2022

Rodney Gene Brown, 64, died peacefully at his home in Deer Lodge, surrounded by his loving family on Oct. 1, 2022.
Rod was born on Feb. 7, 1958, in Deadwood, S.D., to Ralph and Verna Brown. The family moved to Deer Lodge when Rod was in second grade.
He married the love of his life, Mary Pat Morris, on May 26, 1979. They shared 43 years of marriage before his passing.
Rod and Mary Pat were blessed with three wonderful children: Tricia, Mike and Krissy. Rod had many jobs throughout his life, but the career that chose him was logging, which he did for over 43 years. He was often referred to as “Super Saw,” a nickname that was truly fitting for this amazing man.
Rod was a member of the Knights of Columbus. He was a very proud and faithful member of the Catholic Church that he joined nine years ago. He also loved to golf and spend time at his favorite place, “The Cabin,” with his family gathering firewood, sitting around the campfire, four-wheeling and riding snow machines. Building the cabin at Georgetown was a true labor of love for his family.
Family was Rod’s true passion, and he loved them fiercely. There wasn’t a better husband, dad and pa out there. He attended all of his children’s extracurricular activities as well as his grandchildren’s. He was a friend to many and would have given the shirt off his back to anyone. The world was a better place with Rod in it, and he will be truly missed.
Rod is survived by his wife, Mary Pat Brown; his children, Tricia Witt (Darrell), Mike Brown of Deer Lodge, and Krissy Petersen (Jeremiah) of Missoula; his brothers, Randy Brown (Marie), Ron Brown; sisters, Teresa Launderville (Joe), Karen Knutson, all of Deer Lodge; Pam Duffy (Roy) of Anaconda, and Janice Brown of Elliston; and his brother-in-law, Gene Morris.
Grandchildren: Brett and Taryn Witt; Jacob, Michael and Kobe Brown; Kaylee McQueary, Joe Lowery and Maysa Petersen. He is also survived by many nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Ralph and Verna Brown; his sister, Virginia Gilcrest; and his in-laws, Mike and Barbara Morris.
Words cannot express how much Pa will be missed; we love you so much!
Recitation of the Rosary will be held at 6:15 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 5, at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, 605 Clark St., Deer Lodge. A Vigil will immediately follow at 7 p.m. at the church. A funeral mass will be held at 11 a.m., Thursday, Oct. 6, at Immaculate Conception Church, with a luncheon to follow at St. Mary’s Center, 301 St. Mary’s Ave., in Deer Lodge.
In lieu of flowers, memorials in honor of Rod are suggested to the Deer Lodge Food Pantry, 101 Milwaukee Ave., Deer Lodge, MT 59711, or to Toys for Tots (Powell County), 1115 Claggett St, Deer Lodge, MT 59722, or to a foundation of the donor’s choice.
Please visit www.longfellowfuneralhome.com to offer the family a condolence or to share a memory of Rod. ​

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​Funeral notice

​Mary G. Hoppe died of natural causes on Sept. 26, 2022, at the Deer Lodge Medical Center. Her funeral will be held at 11 a.m., Saturday, Oct. 29, at the Immaculate Conception Church in Deer Lodge, with Father Joe Fleming officiating.