Dennis Paul Ostroot, 72

Dennis Paul Ostroot, 72, of Bigfork, died June 27, 2016, at the Montana Veterans Home in Columbia Falls.

Dennis was born Jan. 27, 1944, in Boise, Idaho, to Norval and Ruth Ostroot. He grew up in Eagle, Idaho, where his father was a rural mail carrier. Eagle was a small town then, and Dennis knew every resident because of his paper route.

He attended Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma, Washington, where he met Beverly Ramsfield of Bigfork. They married in 1967. He also received his Bachelor of Arts in Music that year, and, after graduating, enlisted in the U.S. Navy, where he served as a musician, playing trombone in Navy bands. While in the Navy, he was stationed in Norfolk, Virginia, and San Francisco and was deployed to the Mediterranean.

Dennis and Bev moved to Bigfork in 1972. Their son, Johann, was born in 1974.

Dennis worked in Glacier National Park for 17 years, first in the maintenance department and then in the sign shop. He was the back country chalet utilities manager in the early years, riding into Granite Park with the pack train on Monday, hiking out on Friday, riding into Sperry the next Monday, etc.

His passion was classical music, especially pipe organ music. In 1971-’72, he worked for John Brombaugh and Company, pipe organ builders in Ohio. He served as substitute organist at Bethany Lutheran Church of Bigfork and occasionally played at Christ Church Episcopal in Kalispell and at Community United Methodist Church in Bigfork. He was instrumental in obtaining Bethany’s Rodgers organ in 2000 and subsequently performed several concerts there. He shared his musical talent in many ways, including singing baritone in the Glacier Chorale for 24 years.

Dennis was active in Bethany Lutheran Church, serving on the council, on various committees, and participating in Bible studies. He was a member of the fellowship of friends of Bill W. for more than 30 years. He traveled throughout the Midwest, Texas and Arkansas researching family history and meeting members of his extended family. He also enjoyed attending and hosting family reunions.

We were blessed by Dennis’ sense of humor, his love of telling stories and sharing memories, his eagerness to show off his beloved Montana to visitors, his love of family and interest in staying in touch with family and friends, his cooking talents, his concern for people, his abiding Christian faith. Even when he could no longer communicate easily, that half-smile and twinkle in his eyes hinted at a smart remark or story that he would have liked to share.

Dennis’ health had been failing for about 10 years, first because of lung cancer that spread to his brain and then because of a traumatic brain injury due to a fall. He was a resident of Lake View Care Center in Bigfork for about 2 1/2 years, until moving to the Veterans Home more recently.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Norval and Ruth.

He is survived by his wife, Beverly, of Bigfork, and by his son Johann, daughter-in-law Jocelyn; and grandchildren, Calen, Cameron, Anja, and Connor, all of Santa Clarita, California; his sisters Corinne (and Tom) McKean of Redmond, Oregon, and Nancy (and Gary) Moss of St. Maries, Idaho, and nephew Justin (and Vanessa Steinroetter) Moss of Topeka, Kansas.

Visitation will be from 1 to 2 p.m. Saturday, July 9, with services to follow at 2 p.m. at Bethany Lutheran Church in Bigfork. Burial will take place after services at Bethany Lutheran Cemetery.

Memorial contributions may be made to Bethany Lutheran Church, P.O. Box 398, Bigfork, MT 59911 or to a charity of the donor’s choice. Condolences may be sent to P.O. Box 214, Bigfork, MT 59911.

Johnson-Gloschat Funeral Home is caring for the family.