Arthur W. Art Juntunen, 66,

of Kalispell, went to be with the Lord on Feb. 21, 2010, at his home due to complications of diabetes and heart disease. Art was born on Jan. 17, 1944, in Duluth, Minn., to Arthur Juntunen Sr., and Violet Lung Juntunen. He grew up in Brimson, Minn., attending and graduating from high school in Two Harbors, Minn. After graduation he attended a trade school in Duluth, becoming a certified carpenter. Having grown up in a logging family and driving a log truck at an early age, he also worked for a time hauling pulpwood along the North Shore of Lake Superior. Art married Ardis Meyers in 1966. They had three children together, and went their separate ways in 1984. Having enlisted in the U.S. Navy, Art served two tours of duty in Vietnam with the Seabees. He remained in the Reserves for a time after returning home. When they came to the valley in 1968, Art said he knew he was home and would stay here forever. He worked for several trucking companies, a lumber company, and attended forestry classes at the community college, until he bought his own truck and started his own business. Throughout the years he has owned log trucks, grain trucks, and dump trucks. From 1975 to 1983, Art spent much of his time working in Alaska on the pipeline as a heavy equipment and truck mechanic, and also driving trucks; some for other people and some of his own. After returning to the Lower 48, he continued to operate his own trucking business, mostly hauling logs, which was always his favorite job. He met Arline Stiles in 1990 while working for Owens and Bray hauling chips. She worked for Missoula Cartage doing the same. Later, they both worked for Owens and Bray. They were married in Las Vegas on March 24, 1993. Up to the present time, Art and Arline have owned a successful trucking business. They both drove trucks and ran the business together. Art was very well known and loved in the community by those who knew him. He always had a smile on his face and a twinkle in his eye. He was a great listener and one of his best traits was that he always had time to stop and say hello. Everyone was family to Art. He wasn t one to rush around and said, if a turtle was slow, then he was in snail speed, and The faster I go, the further I get behind. Art was preceded in death by his parents, Arthur and Violet; sister, Judy; and several aunts and uncles. Art is survived by his wife, Arline; son, Clint, and wife, Mendi, and children Makayla, Haley and Derek; son, Jeremy, and wife, Jenni, and children, Takara, JJ, Seth, Maddox and Nevaeh; daughter, Shawnee, and husband, Scott Barge; stepdaughter, Ashley, and her husband, Chris; brother, Chuck, and wife, Mary; nephews, Cory and Jesse, and their wives and children; nieces, Violet and Desiree, and their families; aunt, Vicki, and uncle, Roy, plus several cousins and their families. A celebration of life for Art will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 27, at the Christian Center Assembly of God Church in Kalispell. The family suggests memorial contributions be made to the Art Juntunen Memorial Fund, P.O. Box 5178, Kalispell, MT 59901. Friends are encouraged to visit the Web site at www.buffalohillfh.com to leave notes of condolences for the family. Buffalo Hill Funeral Home is caring for the family.