KEITH ELTON CALVERT

Keith Elton Calvert, 85, died on Thursday, December 14, 2017 at Mountain View Manor in Eureka. He was born on September, 22, 1932, in Great Falls, Montana.  He was the fifth child born to Bill (Buck) and Agnes Calvert.  He moved with his family at age 6 to the family farm in Trego, MT, where he lived until he died.

Keith attended school in the Edna Creek School, Trego Grade School and Lincoln County High School, and graduated in 1950.  He met his beloved wife Goldie Dix a few days before Thanksgiving of 1952 and they were married December 29, 1952.

Keith began his married life as a sawyer and worked for a few of the old time loggers of the era.  He was injured in 1963 operating a dozer.  He became an employee of USDA-Murphy Lake for 20 years after many months of healing.  He was a civil engineer without the benefit of any formal training.  He was a smart man and learned quickly.  He surveyed and designed many of the forest service roads in the beginning of his career, and then with great reluctance closed those same roads later in his career.  The bureaucracy in Washington, DC knew exactly how he felt. Montana’s members of the legislature were on his “speed dial.”  For 18 months in the middle of his forest service career, he talked Goldie into living a dream he’d had for a long time.  They became owners of the Trego Tavern.  He returned to the forest service at the urging of Goldie until he retired in 1985.

 Keith became a full time rancher, where he and Goldie created the legacy of the Calvert Ranch known and loved today.  He and Goldie raised their daughters on 90 acres of pure happiness over the next 45 years.  They welcomed the boys that married the farmer’s daughters, Sam Chaney and Ron Taurman.  Keith, with an open heart and open arms was instrumental in welcoming any and all that he met throughout his life to the “ranch family”.  That included many special people that helped the family make tens of thousands of Christmas tree wreaths over 35 years.

Keith was civic minded.  He belonged to the Eureka Masonic Lodge 93 AFAM for over 50 years. He was a school board member for Trego Grade School during the tumultuous tunnel days, when the student population exploded from 30 to 125.  He was a Boy Scout leader and a 4-H leader.  He didn’t like the local politics and ran for County Commissioner as a true blue Democrat in 1968.  He also served as a church elder for the Assembly of God Church in Columbia Falls.

Keith’s grandchildren were his greatest joy.  He was a huge influence in their lives.  Ol’ Papa supplied lots of candy.  He made sure he and Goldie attended most of their baseball and basketball games, wrestling matches, tennis matches, dance recitals, graduations and weddings.  His support of all things kid related even extended to many friends’ children as well.

Keith was saved, being baptized in 2004.  All of his loved ones take great joy in knowing he held the hand of Jesus into paradise and met with his Heavenly Father for his eternal life, and that he will be there waiting for us.

Keith was preceded in death by his son Loren, his parents, his brother Lorne, and a sister Courtney.

Survivors include his loving wife Goldie; a sister Wilberta; daughters Tanna (Sam) Chaney; Tina (Ron) Taurman; grandchildren Jory, Jaime, Benjy, Ellen, Shannon, Bryce, Shelby and Jamie; great grandchildren Allie, Cory, Katlyn, Allie and Cassidy.

Services will be at 1:00 p.m., Friday, December 29, 2017 at Kootenai Christian Fellowship. A luncheon will be held at 3:00 p.m. at the Trego Civic Center.   Arrangements are by Schnackenberg & Nelson Funeral Home in Eureka.  Online condolences and memories may be shared at www.schnackenbergfh.com.