Sam McGough, 79

Samuel Edward McGough of Kalispell, Montana passed away peacefully at home on Dec. 21, 2023. Sam was born on Dec. 5, 1944, in Kansas, Alabama; but his mother and four siblings moved to Phoenix, Arizona when he was 10 years old. He graduated from Mesa High School in 1963, where he was a track and field state record holder for the mile, which earned him a spot on the Mesa Arizona Hall of Fame, where he held the record for many years. He married Donna J McGough on June 30, 1965. 

He was a skilled heavy equipment operator which later led him to develop an Adobe block machine that turned mud into bricks under high pressure; along with an onsite concrete machine he used to build homes for people in need. Sam even invented a furnace, which was the first of its time to incorporate an electric fan to distribute the heat. Clearly, he was a talented engineer. 

After gaining experience at a gold mine, Sam became an entrepreneur in the jewelry business, creating Tomahawk Trading Company, where he had multiple factories and multiple jewelry stores. In 1980 Sam and Donna bought a cabin and property in Whitefish, Montana and moved to Whitefish full-time in 1986 with their family. Sam and Donna opened Tomahawk Trading Company in the Flathead Valley, now known as McGough & Co, and retired after over 30 years and kept the store in the family. 

Sam never met a stranger and was the king of greeting you with a “one-liner.” He had the biggest heart and was always eager and happy to help everyone. He will be greatly missed, but his love, kindness and humor will live on through his family and friends. 

He is survived by his loving wife of 58 years Donna McGough, his daughters and his grandchildren. His services will be held at Easthaven Baptist Church in Kalispell on Friday, Dec. 29 at 12:30 p.m. Please join us to celebrate the life of this amazing man!

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Wounded Warrior Project in Sam McGough’s name as he felt very strongly about this organization.