Charles Leo Hargrave, 87
Charles Leo Hargrave, 87, died Saturday, July 11, 2009, at his home in Laclede, Kan.
Leo was a man of many talents honed from a humble upbringing during the Great Depression and World War II. Born to Nellie Belle Blue Murrow and Victor Louis Hargrave in Denver on Sept. 11, 1921. Later, Leo remarked, "I may be small, but I'm wound tight." His father, Victor, was an orphan train child whose original name was Laustrup. Nellie Belle Blue Murrow, third cousin to Edward R. Murrow, was born in Hiteman, Iowa.
Leo attended Valverde Grade school in Denver, he hoed pinto beans in eastern Colorado fields near Byers, and he pumped his legs 10 miles on his bicycle on two paper routes.
He was the first in his family to graduate from high school, South Denver High.
He married Bettie Bernice Thompson in Denver in 1941. Gary Leo Hargrave was born in April 1943. Michael Roy Hargrave was born in June 1944. Neal Thomas Hargrave was born in November 1947.
Leo served in the U.S. Air Force from 1944-45 as a bombardier stationed out of Framlingham, England. He survived three planes being shot out from under him and at 23 was the oldest man on his crew. As staff sergeant, Leo, was nicknamed "Fireball Charlie" for his red hair. He returned home on the troop ship Queen Mary.
Working in a machinist shop and at the Federal Reserve Bank taught Leo that he wanted to work for himself. He apprenticed as a plumber and earned his master plumber's license. Over the next 20 years, he built his plumbing contractor's business, which culminated in Leo securing bids to do most of the major plumbing contracts in the new start-up ski village of Vail, Colo.
Leo always wanted a cattle ranch. Following in his father's footsteps, he bought a ranch near Eagle, Colo., and began raising cattle and sheep.
He married Barbara Dutro Brown in 1966, and they moved their ranching operation to Montana after purchasing the Edward H. Palm ranch in the Thompson River Valley west of Kalispell.
Leo raised his stepsons, Gordon Cotton Brown and Charlie Michael Brown, in a world of horses, haying and cattle work. Leo and Barbara built one of the first North American Charolais cattle operations. Leo was active on his sons' Marion school board and always generous in his bidding at local pie auctions.
Leo married Ellen White of Laclede, Kan., June 10, 1978. He built their Charolais operation and surrounding lease lands to the point that he was recognized for his model of sustainable environmental grazing practices.
The couple simultaneously built a dude business on the cattle ranch. Guests from around the world joined them for the next 20 years in "Living the Legend" of a Montana cowboy.
Leo donated his time on the Flathead County planning board for five years. He helped organize and then rode as a drover, representing Flathead County in the 1989 Great Cattle Drive commemorating Montana's 100th birthday.
Leo spent six years helping to guide the Dude Rancher Association as a board member and was honored with induction to the DRA Hall of Fame in 2007.
Leo flew small aircraft for 52 years, sometimes for business to remote cattle auctions, sometimes to spot maverick bulls on the grazing range and always for fun.
For more than four decades, Leo delighted in saving and moving historical buildings. He moved and converted a railroad depot into a residence in Eagle-Vail. The guest ranch business gave him a good reason to move historic log buildings to the ranch and renovate them into guest cabins. On yearly visits back to the Laclede area to visit family, he renovated the 100-year-old Tannerville School into a residence. After completing the schoolhouse, he was proud to bring the stone building on the south end of Wamego, Kan., Main Street to life with his renovation. All of Leo's building projects over 20 years contained lumber he harvested as trees and milled on his home mill.
Leo retired from ranching in 2002. He spent the next years building a home near Kalispell.
Leo and Ellen traveled and in later years enjoyed exposing their nieces and nephews to cultures around the globe.
Survivors include his wife, Ellen, of Laclede and Kalispell; his children, Gary Leo Hargrave, Colorado Springs, Colo., and Neal Thomas Hargrave and his wife, Barbara, of Cannon City, Colo.; stepsons, Gordon Brown and his wife, Laurie, of Los Angeles, and Charles Michael Brown of Boulder, Colo.; daughter-in-law, Carolyn Kay Hargrave of Cannon City, Colo.; grandson, Robert; granddaughter, Renee; great-grandchildren; and three brothers, Kenneth, John and Donald.
"He will be welcomed to the great roundup" by his father and mother; brother, Buddy; son, Michael; and granddaughter, Chanelle.
A memorial gathering will be held from 2 to 6 p.m. Aug. 1 at Centennial Farms in Kalispell.
Memorial contributions are suggested to the Leo Hargrave Educational Scholarship for agricultural studies for the next generation of food producers, or to the organization of the donor's choice, and may be left in care of the Stewart Funeral Home of Wamego, P.O. Box 48, Wamego, KS, 66547.
It's easy to mourn his passing, but it's easier to celebrate his extraordinary passion for life. Online condolences may be left at www.stewartfuneralhomes.com.