Norman Skiftun, 91

Norman Skiftun s soul was received by his maker on May 25, 2010. A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m., June 5, at Bethany Lutheran Church. He was born Nov. 2, 1918, to Ole and Mabel Skiftun on the family farm near Parshall, N.D. There he grew up, attending the Spring Valley grade school and three years of high school. His family moved to the Flathead Valley in 1937, where he completed his high school education, graduating from Flathead County High in 1939. Farming with his father in the Lower Valley until 1942, the family then moved to the Swan River community. During this time he met Louise Lynch, and they began a courting relationship until their ultimate marriage on Oct. 3, 1943, in Somers. They made their first home in a small farm house with no electricity or running water. Being an outdoorsman at heart, he continued farming, custom-combining and grain hauling. Winter coming on, harvests complete, supplemental income was made by cutting and hauling Christmas trees. Having an avid interest in electronics, his course of study turned to radio and the new advent of television, for installation and repair. Bitney s hired him as a sales and repair person. In those early days, many areas in the Flathead were hard-pressed to find a signal for the newly acquired TVs. This became a challenge for Norm, as he fought the signal challenge, and when attained, many a family were jubilant with picture and sound. The family made their first trip to Alaska in 1957 where he did some long-shoring and masonry work, also finding that Seward had no TV. It was his goal to attempt to figure a way to obtain the proper signal. Returning to Seward during the next summer he again was unable to find a TV signal; it just wasn t there. In 1959 the family moved to Sitka, Alaska, where he worked as an electrical contractor wiring a housing project for a year. They then returned to Bigfork where he continued to work for Dewy Martin as an electrician. Time evolved and Norm ventured on his own to continue his electrical work, well into his 80s. Norm and Louise loved to travel, venturing about Alaska and Canada, Hawaii and much of America. Being a gifted musician, Norm played numerous instruments, singing in the Bethany Lutheran church s choir for 60-plus years and in several quartets for the majority of his life. Norm was preceded in death by Louise, his wife of 64 years; his parents; and sisters, Opal Skiftun, Benida Brosten and Lil Baker. Surviving Norm are daughters, Aneda and Ray Wykoff of Great Falls, Cathy Anderson of Douglas, Alaska, and Carol Carter of Juneau, Alaska; grandsons, Steve and Kristen Childers of Coeur d Alene, Idaho, and Morgan and Diana Carter of Juneau; granddaughters, Lori and Jeff Cormier of Kalispell, and Megan Carter of New York; great-grandchildren, Cody Childers, Jordan Carter, Tristan Carter, Andrew Perez and Garrett Cormier; sisters; Arlene Kjos of Kalispell, Margie McClure of Boise, Idaho, and Fern and Bill Hartford of Honolulu; and numerous nieces and nephews. Being a gentle-mannered person, Norm always said he never met a man he didn t like, and was very proud of his Norwegian and North Dakotan heritage. As his soul now traverses into eternity, we bid Norman Skiftun farewell. He will be sorely missed. Memorials may be made to Wings, P.O. Box 7852, Kalispell, MT 59904; Bethany Lutheran Church, Bigfork, MT; or a favorite charity. To send condolences to the family, please go to www.buffalohillfh.com Buffalo Hill Funeral Home caring for the family