Reginald MacDonald
Reginald MacDonald, 85, passed away peacefully and surrounded by family Feb. 7, 2010.
Reg was born March 12, 1924, in Whitefish to Frank and Annie MacDonald. He graduated from Whitefish High School in 1943 and joined the Marine Corps. He was sent to the Pacific Theater where, as a member of the amphibious reconnaissance unit, he took part in the battles of Saipan, Tinian and Okinawa.
After the war, Reg returned to Montana and attended Montana State University-Bozeman and the University of Montana-Missoula. He was one of the original employees of Winter Sports Inc. and worked as a brake inspector for the Great Northern Railroad.
Reg married Peggy Lindsay in 1948. They had six children. In 1960, he moved to Bremerton, Wash., and worked as a sheet-metal worker at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard. He returned to Whitefish and worked as lift manager at Big Mountain, then opened a sheet metal contracting business.
Before there was a ski resort on Big Mountain, Reg often hiked to the top of the mountain to ski down. He later introduced his sister Marguerite to Ed Schenck and liked to claim credit that the match led to the founding of the ski resort.
He was preceded in death by his wife Peggy, infant son Malcolm and brothers Francis and Ralph.
He is survived by his sister Marguerite Schenck; brother Mike MacDonald; stepbrother Don MacDonald; children Tim MacDonald, Anne Wood, Joe MacDonald, Mary Ellen Goble, Martha Dayries and John MacDonald; 11 grandchildren; and one great grandchild.
Rosary and parish vigil will take place at at St. Charles Boromeo Catholic Church, in Whitefish, on Friday, Feb. 12, at 7 p.m. Mass of the Resurrection will be celebrated at St. Charles on Saturday, Feb. 13, at 11 a.m.
John Collins
John Leland Collins, 85, of Whitefish, joined his loving wife Phyllis after battling lung disease for several years.
Jack was born July 4, 1924, in Orange, Calif., the eighth of nine children, to John Andrew and Mattie Jane (Gill) Collins. His childhood years were spent in western Colorado, particularly in Montrose, Delta and Telluride.
The family moved to Oregon in 1941 after his father's death. In December 1941, John enlisted in the Navy and served on the oiler Brazos and the destroyers Brown and Porter. After his discharge in Oct. 1945, Jack went to Portland and began the process of his lifelong career in sheet metal. He was a member of Sheet Metal Workers International Local 16.
In Portland, he met the love of his life, Phyllis Jeanne Wegener. They were married July 17, 1949, and raised their four children in Portland. Jack retired in 1986, and he and Phyllis moved to Whitefish in 1987 to be closer to family.
In 2007, Jack made the move to The Springs Assisted Living Apartments, where he enjoyed doing what he did best — 'storytelling." He was kind and courteous to all he met, and he faced his challenges in life with courage and conviction.
Jack was preceded in death by his wife, son Michael Leroy Collins, parents and all of his siblings, Roy, Ila, Dorothy, Dean, Lucille, Hazel, Bob and Helen.
He is survived by his son Patrick and partner Lyle Law, of San Francisco; son Randall and wife Gayle, of Kalispell; daughter Marcie Collins, of John Day, Ore; and granddaughter Kerra Jean Collins, of Kalispell.
The family suggests any memorials be made to the AIDS Foundation, Diabetes Foundation, the Montana Veterans Home, or Veterans Food Bank.
Archie Smith
Archie Earl Smith lost his battle with cancer on Feb. 2, 2010.
He was born in Lincolnton, N.C., on Oct. 3, 1943, and grew up in Tucson, Ariz., where he graduated from Amphitheatre High School and the University of Arizona with a teaching degree in physical education.
He worked in Glacier National Park during the summers in his college years. He loved the life in Montana and made his home in Whitefish.
Archie loved traveling, hunting, country music, sports, family and friends. His passion for his work in construction can be seen throughout the valley in the many homes and businesses that he poured his heart and soul into making sure the job was done to perfection
He is survived by his mother Edna Smith, of Tucson; wife Kay, of Whitefish; brothers Marlin and Garland Smith, of Tucson; daughter Shelly Smith, of Phoenix; son Scott Smith and wife Elizabeth, of Columbia Falls, daughter Stephanie Coyne, based with the Navy in Great Lakes, Ill., and her husband Greg, of Phoenix; and granddaughters Bailey and Hannah, of Columbia Falls.
Services took place at Austin Funeral Home, in Whitefish, on Feb. 7. A celebration of Archie's life followed the service.