Norman Myers, 79

Longtime Kalispell resident Norman Myers passed away peacefully at home among family, Oct. 16, 2010, at the age of 79, after a lengthy illness. A memorial service and celebration of Norman s life will be held 1 p.m. Friday, Oct. 22, at Buffalo Hill Funeral Home Norman was born on March 22, 1931, in Eston, Saskatchewan, and was the only child of Thomas and Elizabeth Myers. Although Norm grew up and worked on the family farm, farm life would not be in his future as he developed both asthma and a passion for everything mechanical at an early age. Norm attended the small Montrose Country School as he was growing up, and at the age of 17 left to pursue his passion by taking mechanical courses at the Technical Collegiate, and the University of Saskatchewan, School of Agriculture. This pursuit would lead to his lifelong career as a mechanic, and eventually to his hobby of restoring old tractors and stationary engines. In 1950, at the age of 19, Norman volunteered and joined the Royal Canadian Air Force. Norm remained in the RCAF for three years during the Korean conflict, working as an aircraft engine mechanic. During his service time, Norm was stationed first in Ontario, Manitoba, and later in Saskatoon Saskatchewan. It was during his time in Saskatoon, at a local dance, that he met his future wife, lifetime friend and companion, Marion Hope. They married in 1954 in Saskatoon. In 1956, Norm and Marion made the decision to immigrate to the U.S. They moved to Libby where Norm worked for a local lumber mill, and their first child, Dianne, was born. They remained in Libby a few months until 1957, when Norm obtained a job at the John Deere Dealership in Kalispell. Their second child, David, was born in 1958 in Kalispell. Norm subsequently worked as shop foreman for Day Equipment, Pack & Company, and ended his career at Townsend Repair, all in Kalispell. Norman had an excellent work ethic and a reputation as a man and a mechanic who could get the job done. Norm retired in 1997 and did some on his time repair jobs from his own shop, Norm s Repair. Norm enjoyed traveling to auctions and tractor shows and went full bore into restoring old tractors and engines. He was a charter member of the Northwest Antique Power Association and enjoyed assisting with the annual fall tractor shows put on for the community. He also had a passion for aviation stemming from his Air Force days and became a private pilot in 1982. He purchased an old plane which he enjoyed restoring and flew for a few years. Norm s retirement plans were disrupted in 2000 when he suffered two strokes. The years that followed were steadily more difficult, but he still enjoyed talking tractors, weekly breakfasts with friends, visits to Canada to see friends and relatives, and visits to and from his children who reside in Wyoming. His favorite outings during his last few years were his almost daily trips to Cislo s for the best food in town, where he felt the owner and waitresses were the next best thing to family. Although Norman was a Canadian at heart and loved the rolling prairies of Saskatchewan, he also loved the mountainous beauty of his U.S. home and his life in Kalispell. He proudly became a citizen of the U.S. in 2003 after living and working in Montana for over 47 years. Norman is survived by his wife and best friend of 56 years, Marion; daughter, Dianne, and John Stearns of Casper, Wyo.; son, David Myers, of Riverton, Wyo.; and two grandchildren, Justin and Christopher Stearns. Norman is also survived by numerous cousins in England from where his parents had immigrated. Norman asked that donations be made to Hospice or the Evergreen Volunteer Fire Department.