Joseph Eslick, 93

Joseph Eslick, 93, was born on Oct. 25, 1927, in the upstairs middle room at the farm north of Bigfork.

He passed away on April 30, 2021, at Rising Mountain Assisted Living in Bigfork.

Joe attended Bigfork Public Schools and graduated in 1946. He went on to get his bachelor’s and master’s degrees at Montana State University of Missoula.

Joe married Florence Madsen in June of 1950. They moved to St. Ignatius where Joe taught and coached at St. Ignatius High School. In 1956, they moved home to Bigfork where he continued to teach and coach for one year. He then became superintendent until his retirement in 1983.

During that time, they had three children, JoAnn, Jay and Lee.

Florence passed away in 1994. Joe married Betty Hagestad in 1997. Betty passed away in 2006.

Also preceding him in death were his brother Merle, sister Mary and her husband John Britton, son Lee, and son-in-law Skip Christensen.

He is survived by JoAnn Eslick, Jay and Barb Eslick, Mick and Patty Hagestad, Kathie and Randy Heim, Marsha Hagestad, 10 grandchildren and 21 great-grandchildren.

Joe was a collector of guns, coins, stamps, antiques and books, but most of all, friends.

A celebration of life will be held on Thursday, May 6, at 1 p.m. at Johnson-Gloschat Funeral Home in Kalispell.