Kelly W. Kvigne, 67

We are sad to announce the death of Lt. Col. (Ret.) USMC Kelly Kvigne at his home in Kalispell on June 16, 2021, from complications of an auto accident in 2019.

He was born to Kermit S. Kvigne and Dorothy (Thoring) Kvigne in Crosby, North Dakota, on June 27, 1953.

He was preceded in death by his father Kermit, ex-wife Judy Loucks, and brother-in-law Larry Trusty.

He is survived by his mother Dorothy Kvigne, brother Kerry Kvigne and sister Cindy Trusty, son Thomas Kvigne, daughter Chelsey Kvigne, nieces and nephews Kelley (Trusty) Kennedy, Kevin Trusty, Steve Kvigne and Tracy (Kvigne) Kelly, great-nieces Mikenzie Trusty, Hallie Kennedy, and great-nephew Braden Kennedy.

Family and friends were especially important to Kelly; he had great relationships with everyone, and he will be greatly missed. Kelly was a big tease and a big flirt. He liked to compliment everyone to make their day better. Kelly loved sports and excelled in baseball, basketball and football. He played on the Whitefish High School basketball team and helped lead the Bulldogs to a state championship victory in 1970. After high school, he went to Eastern Montana College in Billings on a baseball scholarship before transferring to Western Washington University where he earned a bachelor’s degree. He later went on to earn a master’s degree from San Diego University. He continued to run and ran in several marathons. While stationed in Okinawa, Japan, he logged 2,000 miles.

Kelly was commissioned as an officer in the United States Marine Corps in 1976. During his career he served proudly around the world and was deployed to combat on multiple occasions, including Desert Storm, the Liberation of Kuwait, Somalia (commonly known as the Black Hawk Down Incident or the Battle of Mogadishu), and later in Iraq as a civilian private contractor. He received several decorations, medals, badges, citations and campaign ribbons, including the Kuwait Liberation Medal. While working as a civilian defense contractor, he guarded Saddam Hussein, Chemical Ali, and Anthrax Annie.

Kelly loved the Marine Corps and, after serving 22 years, Kelly retired in 1998 as lieutenant colonel in the United States Marine Corps. USMC-11. Despite suffering from PTSD, he made several lifelong friends and loved meeting new people.

A celebration of life will be held at the Whitefish VFW on July 9 at 1 p.m. with full military honor guard.