Keith Alan Weasel Tail, 53

Keith Alan Weasel Tail ended his long and hard-fought battle with cancer on July 7, 2014, in the loving arms of his wife Jeanie.

Keith was born on June 25, 1961, in Browning to Margaret Weasel Tail. When Margaret passed away in 1964, Keith and his siblings entered foster care. After years in different foster homes, Keith was rescued by his “mom,” Darlene Byers, and was raised in the Whitefish area where he attended Whitefish High School and was active in baseball and boxing, for which he earned several trophies. Keith then entered the United States Army and was stationed in Germany until his honorary discharge in 1986.  

In 1987, son Nathan Matthew Weasel Tail was born. Then in 1991, Keith met the love of his life, Jeanie Parker, and they were married in Bigfork on June 26, 1993. Keith and Jeanie moved to Yakima, Wash., where Keith attended Perry Technical Institute. Two more sons followed to make their family complete, Jake Ronald, born Jan. 26, 1995, and Zachary Keith, born Feb. 5, 1997. The family then moved to East Helena where Keith worked for Getronics as a computer technician and then later at XL Cable, and he was last employed as a filer for RY Timber.

Keith was diagnosed with cancer in 2011. For three years he had fought courageously for more time with his family and more time doing the things he loved — fishing (with Zach, Ron and Uncle Dwaine), camping, hunting (with Zach, Andrew and Nick), woodworking, playing his guitars and hanging out with good friends at the Glass Slipper. He looked forward to the yearly camping trip to Lake Alva where all the family came together and made amazing memories. He also enjoyed watching his boys play football, first for Bob's Valley Market and then at Capital High School.  

Keith enjoyed the time he spent helping lifelong friend Duran Caffero with his boxing club. Keith coached Jake to win in his last boxing match in Missoula.

Keith was a great fan of the Seattle Seahawks. He loved his two “girls,” Penny and Phoebe, golden retrievers who loved him and comforted him always. When he was able, he enjoyed taking them on walks on this country road. After a rough beginning to his life, Keith was very proud to have such a loving and close-knit family who made his life very special. His humor and his smile will be greatly missed. He was a fun guy who always made life interesting.

Keith is survived by his devoted wife, Jeanie Weasel Tail; sons, Nathan (granddaughter, Aurora), Jake and Zach; his mom, Darlene Byers, of Stryker; his mother and father-in-law, Ron and Jane Parker, of Columbia Falls; his sisters and brothers-in-law; Marilyn and Senon Trevino of Helena, Sherry and Todd Brester and nephews Andrew and Nick of Kalispell, and Tamy and Dana Wagner and nieces Taylor and Haley of Missoula; birth siblings, Larry and Fern Weasel Tail of Browning, Marvin Weasel Tail of Browning, Sharon Weasel Tail of Idaho, and Maggie Weasel Tail, formerly of Whitefish; siblings, Jeff Hersey, James Hersey, Pete Hersey, Keewatin Brandenberg and Diana McKinley; as well as many other family members and friends.

The family would like to recognize the caring professionals who took such good care of Keith during his illness — the ever-patient staff at the Cancer Treatment Center, Dr. Thomas Weiner, and all the “angels” on the second floor of St. Pete’s, especially, Tegan, Nichole, Melissa, Catie, Mary, Todd and Luke for always going above and beyond every day, and to Stephanie, for her amazing comfort and care those last few hours.  You will always have a special place in our hearts. And a special thank you to all our family and friends everywhere that helped make this battle so much easier to fight.

A funeral service will be held at 1:30 p.m. Friday, July 11, at Anderson Stevenson Wilke Funeral Home, 3750 N. Montana Ave., in Helena, with a potluck reception to follow the funeral service in the social hall of the funeral home. Burial with military honors will take place at 11 a.m. Saturday, July 12, at Woodlawn Cemetery in Columbia Falls.

Please visit www.aswfuneralhome.com to offer the family a condolence or to share a memory of Keith.