David Russell Bennett, 59

David Russell Bennett was born in Tarentum, Pa., on July 28, 1952, to Betty and Robert Bennett. “He went home to Jesus” on June 20, 2012, after his courageous battle with cancer came to an end.

David grew up in Jamestown, N.Y., where he graduated from high school in 1970. In 1977, after graduating from SUNY at Oswego with a degree in biology, David packed up his life and moved out to Montana, fulfilling a lifelong dream of living in the West. It was at this time that David began working for the U.S. Forest Service as a forest firefighter, which eventually landed him on an IR hotshot crew.

While back in Jamestown on a winter break, David met Deonne “Becki” Rebekah Walker, and they married on May 24, 1980. Shortly after the honeymoon, the newlyweds moved to Kalispell, where they lived for the next 32 years. Not long after starting their new life out West, Dave and Becki were blessed with two children who were both born and raised in Kalispell.

From his earliest recollections, David had a passion for nature and the outdoors. These passions led him to pursue photography from an early age, buying his first camera when he was 12 years old. For more than 30 years, David perfected his craft of landscape and wildlife photography throughout Montana. However, regardless of where his art took him, Glacier National Park and the Bob Marshall Wilderness always remained close to his heart. David had photographs published in Montana Magazine and Calendar, Montana Outdoors and Bugle Magazine.  

“My desire through my photography is to share the beauty and wonder of God’s creation with the people who, for whatever reason, cannot access the wild places.” — David R. Bennett

Along with photography, David also loved his horses, and was an avid outdoorsman. Whether it was taking his horses into the mountains for hunting, or allowing others to come over and ride them, it was David’s desire to bless people with those horses in the same way God had blessed him as the guardian. Scooter, Kya and Bella always held a special place in his heart. David loved riding with his close friends and family.

David was preceded in death by his father, Robert Claire Bennett.

David is survived by his wife, Becki; son, Bryce; daughter, Brooke, and Keith Gallagher; grandchildren, Matthew David, Natalie Grace and Emma Joy Gallagher; mother, Betty Bennett, of Jamestown; and sisters, Cheryl and Joe Mattern of Newark, Del., and Susan and Lowell Wilcox of Randolph, N.Y.

Memorial services for David will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, June 30, at Crossroads Christian Fellowship, with Pastor Bob Ross officiating.

The family suggests memorial donations can be made in David’s name to Village of Hope Uganda, P.O. Box 700126, Dallas, TX 75370-0126, or at villageofhopeuganda.com.

Johnson-Gloschat Funeral Home is caring for David’s family. You are invited to go to www.jgfuneralhome.com to offer condolences and sign David’s guest book.