Clark Fontaine, 73

Clark Fontaine, 73, passed away on Friday, Aug. 14, 2009, at his residence in Kalispell.

Clark was born in Great Falls on Feb. 21, 1936. He was the oldest son of Margaret (Johnson) Fontaine and Clark Fontaine. He attended school in Great Falls and graduated from Cascade in 1954. He grew up with his aunt and uncle and cousins, Ruth and Lester Johnson of St. Mary, Hugo, DeeDee, Randy, Margy and Kristen.

Clark served two years in the Army, and was in the 101st Airborne. He worked various jobs around Montana, until he moved to Alaska in 1969. There he became an air traffic controller until he retired in 1994. While in Alaska, he met Carol, his wife of 30 years.

At his retirement he moved his family back home to Montana where he enjoyed 15 more years of family and doing what he loved doing. He even graduated from Montana State University-Billings with his son, Christopher, in 2004.

Clark was a very active person. He loved to ski; he loved to hike - especially in Glacier Park; he was a hunter with his cousin Hugo; and he loved to travel.

Clark has a large and loving circle of family and friends. He loved deeply and is loved deeply in return.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his uncle, Lester; cousins, DeeDee and Randy; and his sister, Debra Mahoney.

He is survived by his wife, Carol, of Kalispell; son, Christopher Fontaine, of Missoula; daughter, Mary Arrowsmith, of Anchorage, Alaska; his brother, Leonard Fontaine of Surprise, Ariz.; his brother Tracey Fontaine, sister Joie and sister Sundae, all of Butte.

Services will be held at 11 a.m. on Thursday at Epworth United Methodist Church in Kalispell. There will be a family celebration for Clark and his uncle Lester at 3:30 p.m. Saturday in St. Mary.

Buffalo Hill Funeral Home is caring for the family. Friends are encouraged to visit the Website, www.buffalohillfh.com to post condolences.