Donald C. Harring Sr., 87

On Sept. 13, 2011, Donald C. Harring Sr., 87, passed away peacefully with his loving wife, Giselle “Jessie” at his side at the Montana Veterans Home in Columbia Falls.

Don spent his formative years just outside of Chicago in Lake Geneva, Wis. He proudly served our country for three years during World War II in the Navy Air Corps.

Following his military service, Don graduated from Beloit College where he met and married Jessie. He later started a sailboat building business to build a faster E-Scow. He was commodore of the Lake Geneva Yacht Club and enjoyed skiing at the local ski area, Majestic Hills.

Skiing on man-made snow on a man-made hill just wasn't good enough, so the family moved west to Whitefish in 1970. Daughter Jessie and sons Don Jr. and Charlie were avid skiers and sailors in the Flathead, following in their parents’ footsteps.

Don helped form the North Flathead Yacht Club and was instrumental in building the current yacht club and grounds in Somers. He was an active sailor and enjoyed much success in the many races held by the club.

He also worked side by side with his wife, Jessie, supporting the various local ski racing programs their children participated in. They remained active in the Whitefish ski-racing world for many years after their children grew up. Don's smiling face was seen for years greeting ski racers with a stick of red licorice at the score board at the bottom of all Big Mountain races.

In his professional life, Don was a life insurance salesman for Aetna and owned the art gallery called The Gallery, located south of town on U.S. 93. He was active in the Lions Club, Rotary, Winter Carnival “congenials,” North Flathead Yacht Club and Big Mountain Ski Club.

Don was preceded in death by his daughter, Jessie Anne Deats; her husband, Dicky Deats; and his brother, Robert R. Harring.

He is survived by his wife, Giselle “Jessie” of Whitefish; his sister, Patricia of Austin, Texas; and two sons, Donald Harring Jr. of Vancouver, Wash., and Charles Harring of Burbank, Calif.; as well as seven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Family and friends will gather at 4 p.m. Oct. 1 at their home in Whitefish to celebrate Don's life.

Arrangements are entrusted to Austin Funeral Home. You are invited to go to www.austinfh.com to view Don's tribute wall, offer condolences and share memories.