Christian 'Chris' Levengood, 80

Christian “Chris” Levengood was born March 13, 1939 to Mike and Anna Mary Fahn in Balfour, N.D. Chris was the 12th of 13 children. After the passing of his mother when he was 7 years old, his father moved Chris and his youngest brother, Vern to Anaconda.

At the age of 13 Chris was adopted by two angels, Harold and Bess Levengood. Presbyterians themselves, Harold and Bess encouraged Chris to practice his Catholic faith. It’s that faith that sustained him throughout his life.

After graduating from Anaconda High school in 1959, Chris served at Fort Ord in California and remained in the Army Reserve for several years. He then cooked at the Marcus Daly Hotel in Anaconda and at the Club Cafeteria in Great Falls. He also worked for Gold Ring Meat Packing in L.A. Chris returned to Anaconda in 1961 where he met up with a girl he knew in high school, Arlene Curnow. They were married in Moses Lake, Washington in 1962.

Chris followed construction as a millwright moving his young family around for five years. In 1967 Chris and Arlene put roots down in Somers. In the same year Chris and Arlene purchased 13 acres at the intersection of U.S. 93 and Montana 82. It was there in 1968 that Chris followed his passion and opened The Flathead Gun and Trap Club. Five years and many shoots later, Chris added on to the trap club. He opened a dinner buffet upstairs and a bar and café downstairs. A fire destroyed the building but in true Chris fashion he rebuilt a larger building in its place and called it Levengood’s.

Chris took great pride in his six children and their ability to work. To this day patrons of Levengood’s remember the kids working in the hotel and restaurant. In 1983 Chris helped his son Scott open Scotty’s Bar. Not too long after he sold Levengood’s in 1986, Chris opened an antique and gun shop next door.

Somewhere along the way he decided he liked boats. The boats Chris built were big. His flagship, The Lady Arlene, burned but he built several other boats, two of which can still be seen in Somers Bay.

Chris leaves behind an unforgettable footprint on the Flathead Valley but his greatest legacy is his love for his family. He was a tough disciplinarian to his children but he will be remembered by his grandchildren as a tender-hearted man they all call Papa C.

Both of Chris’ sons Scott and Abe passed away at the age of 41 after battles with cancer. Chris succumbed to his own four-and-a-half year fight against Ocular Melanoma at home on June 20, 2019 surrounded by his family.

Chris is survived by his wife Arlene and four daughters, whom he lovingly called his “bosses,” and their husbands: Sandy (Randy) O’Connell, Christine (Steve) Blair, Debbie (Joe) Sidor and Laurie (Lowell) Panasuk. He is also survived by his daughters-in-law Karla Levengood-Swank and Heather Levengood, his brother Rich (Jan) Levengood as well as his grandkids Colt, Luke, Lindsay, Chris, Zane, Mandy, Kelly, Bob, Josh, Jenna and their spouses, Maggie, Sadie, L.J., Nikki and 27 great-grandchildren.

There will be a visitation held for Chris from 3-7 p.m. on Monday, June 24 at Johnson-Gloschat Funeral Home with a Mass of Christian Burial to be held at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, June 25 at St. John Paul II Catholic Church in Bigfork, officiated By Father Hanley. Following Mass, burial will take place at C.E. Conrad Memorial Cemetery. Reception will follow burial at Buffalo Hill Golf Course. Johnson-Gloschat Funeral Home and Crematory is caring for the family.

In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to a charity of your choice.