Paul Joseph Beccari, 75

Paul Joseph Beccari, of Bonner, passed away on Wednesday, Aug. 18, 2010, at St. Patrick Hospital in Missoula following complications from surgery. He was born on Sept. 6, 1934, in Libby, to Julius Beccari and Madelena Rinaldi Beccari. He was raised in Libby and graduated from Libby High School, where he lettered in three sports. After high school he moved to Missoula and attended the University of Montana, where he played freshman football, and more importantly, met his wife Jean. They were married in Missoula on Nov. 10, 1956, and lived in Missoula, Libby and Spokane, before returning to Missoula in 1969. The family moved to a home they built on 10 acres in the Potomac area in 1972. Paul and Jean raised their family there and Paul spent years working on his yard, gardens and fences, so that the home was a showplace when he passed. Paul loved the outdoors, loved to hunt and fish and take drives all over the valley with his wife. In later years he became interested in bird watching. He was an avid sports fan and loved the Grizzlies, Los Angeles Dodgers and Green Bay Packers. He had season tickets to Grizzly basketball and was a shareholder (one share) in the Packers. He was an independent businessman in Missoula. He owned and operated Paul s Southside Chevron Service Station for 30 years. When he retired in 1999, it was one of the last remaining full-service gas stations in Missoula. He had many loyal customers with whom he had kept in contact with. He said that he always felt lucky to have made so many friends at his job. Paul was preceded in death by his wife, Jean; his mother and father; and three sisters, Elizabeth Moderie, Marchita Funke and Joy Moreau. Survivors include son, Dirk, his wife, Kathleen and grandchildren, Dominic, Sarah and Jimmy, all of Missoula; daughter, Sue, her husband, Jay Erickson and grandchildren, John, Jeff and Julie, all of Missoula; daughter, Paula, her husband, Dan Bock and grandchild, Nathan, of Simi Valley, Calif.; son, Chris, his wife, Shana and grandchildren, Kylee and Tommy, of Kalispell; son, Nic of St. Paul, Minn.; two sisters, Virginia Beaulieu and Gloria Shrewsberry, both of Libby; sister, Julie, her husband, Joe Smith of St. Helens, Ore.; brothers and sisters-in-law, Lew and Allene Morris, and Ron and Lee Hansen; and numerous nieces, nephews, grandnieces, grandnephews and cousins. A memorial mass will be celebrated at 4 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 26, at St. Anthony Catholic Church, with a reception to follow in the Parish Center. Cremation and Burial Society of the Rockies Funeral Home is assisting the family with the arrangements.