Mervin A. Nagy, 71

Mervin A. Nagy, 71, a longtime farmer from Sweet Grass, passed away Saturday at his retirement home in Bigfork due to natural causes.

Visitation is today, April 5, after 1 p.m. at the Whitted Funeral Chapel in Shelby where a vigil will be held at 7 pm. Funeral Mass will be 11 a.m. Wednesday at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church in Sunburst with burial with military honors to follow in the Sunburst Cemetery.

Condolences can be sent to the family at www.whittedfuneralchapel.com.

Survivors include his wife, Dorothy, of Bigfork; daughter, Janice and Myron Heitzman of Missoula; sons, Don and Page Nagy of Sunburst, Jim and Jeanne Nagy of Sweet Grass, Bob and Dianne Nagy of Billings, and Greg and John Oss Nagy of Spokane; as well as eight grandchildren.

He was born April 1, 1934, in Melville, Saskatchewan to Louis and Irene (Solomon) Nagy where he grew up and was educated. He came to Montana at the age of 17 and worked as a farm hand in the Coutts, Warner, and Sweet Grass areas for several years. He served in the U.S. Army from 1956 to 1958.

Mervin married Dorothy Wolanski Aug. 2, 1958, in Sunburst. He became a naturalized citizen May 17, 1964.

He farmed with the Wolanski family for many years before taking over the operation in 1972. In 1995, he semi-retired and moved to Bigfork. He never lost his passion for farming and was always there when needed to help his sons with seeding and harvesting.

Mervin was a member of St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church and the Eagle Bend Golf Club. He enjoyed playing golf, working in his yard in Bigfork, watching hockey, and socializing with his many "best" friends. But his greatest joys were his wife, Dorothy, spending time with his family, and working on the farm.

The family suggests memorials to the North Toole County Fire Department and ambulance crews or the Bigfork Quick Response Unit.