Robin Street, 85

Robin Street passed away peacefully at home Feb. 14, 2019, after a 24-year battle with prostate cancer.

Robin was born Jan. 13, 1934 in his parent’s farmhouse on Whitefish Stage in Kalispell. He attended Pine Grove School through eighth grade and graduated from Flathead County High School with the class of 1951. In 1955 he married Joyce Keierleber. They were married 63 years at the time of Robin’s passing. Their three children, Steve, Debbie and Valerie, were born in 1957, 1958 and 1965, respectively.

Robin farmed from the time he was a kid to a couple of years before he died. During high school he worked at the Ford garage. In his early married life he worked fall and winters for the Bauer Brothers, Pete VanAken and Glen Brown, putting up potatoes, running a Christmas tree yard, and stacking ice in warehouses in Whitefish to be used for the old refrigerated rail cars.

Robin was a family man, a fisherman and a volunteer. Robin was very involved in the lives of Steve and wife Terri, Debbie, and his grandkids Jodi, Justin, Aaron, Ryan and Shelbi in Kalispell. He helped with so many of their projects and was always up for a fishing trip or other family event. Robin and Joyce would travel to Seattle to spend time with Valerie, her husband Brent and grandson Dylan. With Valerie, Brent and Dylan, Robin and Joyce traveled into Canada, Alaska and Hawaii, fishing and sightseeing.

Robin was a 4-H leader for 10 years and a Pine Grove school board member for many years. He was a director for the Flathead Conservation District for over 20 years, and a director for the Agricultural Conservation & Stabilization Agency. Robin was one of the original members of the Flathead Basin Commission. He helped set up the Flathead Land Trust. Robin received the Private Sector Initiative Com-mendation signed by Ronald Reagan for work with the Vocational Agricultural Center. He helped get the Pine Grove area annexed into the West Valley Fire District and was a fireman for 20 years, including time as assistant chief and chief. In 2012 he was awarded the Kalispell Chamber Great Chief award.

Throughout his life Robin helped his neighbors when they were in a spot, and received their help when he was in one.

Robin decided to build a community fishing pond. In 2010 he sold gravel from the family homestead on Rose Crossing to Ames Construction for use on the first part of the U.S. 93 bypass. The land and proceeds from the gravel were combined with donations of materials and equipment by local businesses and thousands of community member volunteer hours. The Pine Grove Pond was donated to Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks ready to fish. Opening day was April 30, 2011. At the pond, Robin was the guy on the four-wheeler visiting with the kids. The cancer that appeared to be about to take his life could not stop him from tearing down to the pond on his four-wheeler. However, one day a rut in the trail did stop him and threw him off the machine, breaking his collar bone. Shortly thereafter, his cancer inexplicably backed off, giving him several more years to enjoy visiting with the people fishing. The last couple years he had to park the four-wheeler and use his pickup.

Robin’s body finally gave out, but his smile and love of family, friends and good conversation lasted to his final day. A special thank you from Robin’s family to the people who visited Robin in his final weeks and to Jess and Doug who gave such loving care.

Robin is survived by his wife, Joyce Street; children, Steve (Terri) Street, Debbie Street and Valerie (Brent Baker) Street; grandchildren, Jodi (TJ) Lee, Justin Herbold, Aaron Street, Ryan Street, Shelbi Street and Dylan Baker; and great-grandchildren Kenadie Lee and Elijah Herbold.

Robin’s memorial service will be March 2 at 10 a.m. at the Johnson-Gloschat Funeral Home in Kalispell. The funeral home may not hold everyone. There will plenty of room at the celebration of life reception at Easthaven Baptist Church, 2010 Whitefish Stage Road following the memorial service.

Anyone wishing to donate to a cause in his name should consider the Kalispell chapter of Walleyes Unlimited or Flathead Wildlife — both organizations that support the Pine Grove Pond and kids fishing. Donations to either organization may be mailed to Flathead Wildlife, P.O. Box 4, Kalispell, MT 59903.