Rodney W. Triplett, 78

Rod Triplett, 78, 'went to meet Jesus' Nov. 4, 2007, at Kalispell Regional Medical Center. He fought hard to overcome pulmonary and congestive heart failure. Rod was born in San Francisco on Nov. 17, 1928. He graduated from Albany High School in Albany, Calif., in 1946.

While is California, he joined the U.S. Air Force where he worked as a jet mechanic. Here he was a champion cross-country and slalom racer and won many races.

He also worked for Ma Bell telephone Co., the Forest Service, and was a professional ski patrolman and avalanche buster at the 1960 Winter Olympic games in Squaw Valley, Calif. This is where he met his wife, Rusty.

They then moved to Dillon, Colo. He again worked for the Forest Service as a professional ski patrolman and avalanche buster at Arapaho Basin and Breckenridge Ski areas.

Rod built many upper-end Colorado mountain homes and became involved in law enforcement. He was an undersheriff of Summit County for 10 years. Rod and his family then moved to Kalispell, in 1970, due to the construction of the Keystone Ski Resort.

Rod had made it a point to contribute to the Flathead County Sheriff's Department each year in support of their work and efforts.

Rod was a true leader in all that he did. He was a generous man and an avid outdoorsman. He loved to fish, hunt, camp and play golf.

Rod was preceded in death by his brother, Edward Triplett; his mother, Faye Triplett; and his father, Frank Triplett.

He is survived by his wife of 47 years, Margaret 'Rusty'; his daughter, Linda Herset, and son-in-law Sylvan, and their children, Wesley and Julie Herset; and his son, Tom Triplett, and daughter-in-law, Dawn Triplett, and their children Logan, Gauge and Laura Triplett, all of Kalispell.

A memorial service is pending at this time.