Victor J. Proulx, 75
Victor J. Proulx of Kalispell passed away of a quickly advanced lymphoma May 16, 2008, at Kalispell Regional Medical Center. A third generation Montanan, he was born Dec. 17, 1932, to Victor Sr. and Bertha Proulx in Choteau.
His school years were in Helena at St. Mary's grade school and Helena High.
Victor joined the U.S. Navy, serving in the Korean War; his ship participated in the Pusan landing. Upon his honorable discharge he returned to Helena, attended Carroll College, and married Julie Holmes, and to this union four children were born. They later were divorced, but he maintained a cordial relationship with her and her family.
His life work was a combination of careers, first as an entrepreneur operating restaurants, bars, and supper clubs in California and Montana, and then in his naval training of heating, sheet metal, and refrigeration trades. He worked in the San Francisco Bay area and in Valdez, Alaska, on commercial sheet-metal jobs. He retired from the Sheet Metal Workers Union after he was injured in a job-related accident. After his recovery, he finished his schooling as an optician and worked at that until his retirement.
It was in the Bay area where he met and married Loretta Nesbitt.
Upon retiring, he and Loretta moved to Kalispell, where they enjoyed meeting and making many new friends. Vic's engaging personality quickly endeared him to many — 'strangers are people you haven't met yet.' His generosity, many stories, jokes, and unsolicited advice will be sorely missed by his friends and family.
He is survived by his daughters, Victoria and Steve Lohman of Carmel, Calif., and Elizabeth and Frank DeMaree of West Port, Wash.; son, Daniel, of Spokane; stepson, Frank Fumano of California; grandchildren, Jaela, Juliette, Paris, Joselyn, Harrison and Joseph; sisters, Blanche of Anaconda, and Roberta Warf of Conway, Pa.; brothers, Ron and wife, Nadean, of Swan Lake, and Richard and wife, Pat, of Helena; numerous nieces and nephews, including his closest, Dawn and Curtis Lembke, of Kalispell; as well as many loving cousins and friends.
He was preceded in death by a son, Joseph; wives, Loretta and Julie; brother, Robert; and his mother and father.
Vic was a member of St. Matthews, the Elks and the International Sheet Metal Workers Union. A funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Tuesday at St. Matthews Catholic Church, with a reception afterward. Urn burial will be in Helena at the Resurrection Cemetery.
The family wishes to thank the nurses and staff of Kalispell Regional Medical Center and Hospice for their professional and compassionate care. Memorials may be made to the giver's choice.
Johnson-Gloschat Funeral Home is caring for Victor's family.