Elmer Allen 'Spick' Fauske, 84

Elmer Allen "Spick" Fauske was born July 26, 1924, to Peter and Cecelia Fauske in Tokio, N.D. Along with an older brother, Robert, and sister Luella, the Fauskes moved to Whitefish when Spick was 14 months old. The family added two more children after moving to Whitefish, Jessie and Peter. He went to the Lakeside School until he was 15 years old.

During the Depression, when Spick was young, he cut wood with his father which would be traded to Markus' Grocery for food. He also herded cattle and delivered coal. At the age of 16, he went to work for the Great Northern Railroad in the round house. In July of 1943 he joined the Army, had training in Camp Colin, Calif., and landed in Bon, Germany, as an anti-aircraft rifleman and machine gunner in the infantry.

After returning home in 1946, he went back to work at the Great Northern Railroad with the welding crew, then at the B & B. While working on gang, "he became the luckiest man on the face of the earth" when he met Loretta Hudson at Pinnical (close to Essex). They were married July 21, 1951, and lived in Whitefish.

Spick then went to work for Western Fruit Company. They had their first two children, Diana and Rodney, then he transferred to Klamath Falls, Ore., for three years, where Janice was born. They moved back to Whitefish and Spick went back to work for the Great Northern Railroad in 1959 in the yard office checking cars. This is where their fourth child, Susan, was born.

In 1964, Spick went to work for Bitney's Furniture where he delivered furniture to many of the homes in the Flathead Valley. After about seven years, he and Loretta started Spick's Cleaning Service, cleaning those same homes. He worked cleaning until his retirement in 2006.

He lived in the lap of luxury. His wealth was not monetary. It is the wealth of love he had for his family, friends and acquaintances. He loved people and he proved that every day by helping, comforting, and serving them. No matter who you are, Spick always had a kind word to say to you. He was always inviting you to his home or his second home, "The Lake." His wife and partner of 50 years never had a problem with the invitations. There was, and is, always room for another person at our table (no matter how small it was).

Spick was a member and a volunteer at the Golden Agers, where he cheerfully delivered Meals on Wheels to the "old people" (most of them younger than he). He was a member of the Moose Lodge and VFW.

He became ill in 2007 and went to the Montana Veterans Home where he enjoyed teasing the 'staff of angels." "He left us with a shower of fireworks on July 4, 2009."

He was preceded in death by his parents; his brother, Robert; sister, Luella Lemon; and grandsons, Chad and Bo Motichka.

Spick is survived by his loving wife, Loretta, of 57 years; son, Rod, and his wife, Donna, of Columbia Falls; daughters, Dee Motichka and her husband, Carl, of Columbia Falls, Jan Judd and her husband, Ron, of Olympia, Wash., and Sue Anderson of Columbia Falls; 10 grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; brother, Peter Fauske, and his wife, Ardella, of Columbia Falls; sister, Jessie Fauske, of Whitefish; and many nieces and nephews.

Memorial services will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, July 18, at the Christ Lutheran Church, with Pastor John Bent officiating. A reception will follow at the Golden Agers in Whitefish.

The family suggests that memorials be made to the Montana Veterans Home.