Richard Dick Trinastich, 79

The cutthroat trout of the Hungry Horse reservoir can rest a little easier now that Dick Trinastich has passed away. Dick was born July 10, 1931, to Pete and Florence Trinastich in Great Falls. He graduated from Great Falls High School where he was a standout on the Bison basketball team. Dick received a scholarship to play basketball for the University of Montana. After two years at the University of Montana he enlisted in the U.S. Army and was stationed in Korea and Japan. Upon his return, he married his high school sweetheart, Carol Lindsay, at a ceremony in Massachusetts. They returned to Montana and he enrolled at Northern Montana College where he finished his final two years of basketball eligibility and earned a bachelor s degree in physical education. Dick and Carol moved their family to Columbia Falls when he accepted a job offer from the Columbia Falls School District in 1959. This is where they raised their four children, Bob, Cheryl, Randy and Richard. Dick taught physical education for grades K-8 for the next 25 years. During that time he coached football, basketball and track. His love for basketball (and a way to make some extra money) drew him to refereeing high school games. He officiated many state tournaments for both boys and girls. Dick and Carol moved to Helena in the early 1980s and lived there for many years. Dick loved his home on the top of Rimini Road and took great pride in his beautiful flower gardens there. After Carol s death in 1993, Dick returned to Columbia Falls to be closer to three of his children and their families. Time with family is the thing Dick treasured most. He loved watching the sporting and extra-curricular events of his children, and then eventually his grandchildren. The outdoors is where Dick felt most at home. He was an avid fly fisherman since his youth and spent much of his free time on the water. As the years caught up to him, his focus switched to trolling for trout. Dick spent every summer since his return to the area camping on the east side of the Hungry Horse Reservoir. He was there so much that the Forest Service finally gave him a new job these last few years as a camp host at the Riverside boat launch. Here he met many new people and spent time catching up with old friends. Many hours were spent with family and friends around the campfire, telling stories and jokes. Dick had a great sense of humor and was definitely the life of the party. He could hardly wait every year for the snow to melt so he could get back up to camp, and then he would stay until the bitter fall weather finally forced him to call it a season. He simply loved it there. So, it was quite appropriate that when he passed away on Sept. 12, 2010, he was up at camp. Dick is preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Carol; and his son, Bob. He is survived by his daughter, Cheryl Schweigert and her husband, Val; son, Randy; son, Richard and his wife, Shannon; grandchildren, Kari Peters and her husband, Tyler, Katie Schweigert, Jordan and Tyler Trinastich, and Nathan and Jared Trinastich. He is also survived by his brother, Ron and his wife, Kat; brother, Bob and his wife, Nora Beth; sister, Janet Squires and her husband, Larry; daughter-in-law, Connie Trinastich; and several nieces and nephews. Visitation will be from 1 to 6 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 22, at the Columbia Mortuary in Columbia Falls. Funeral services will be at 10 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 23, also at the Columbia Mortuary. Memorials can be made in his name to the Wildcat Athletic Endowment Association, P.O. Box 2732, Columbia Falls, MT 59912.