Gary Allan Malkuch, 70

Gary Allan Malkuch, 70, of Kalispell, passed away on Saturday, March 5, 2022, at Logan Health in Kalispell.

Gary was born in Glendive on Oct. 21, 1951, to Gen and Elmer Malkuch. The oldest of three siblings, Gary would often spend his days teasing his brother, Steve, and sister, Marjean. The family would move around Montana and Washington until settling in Somers when Gary was in seventh grade. He grew up enjoying drawing, history and geography and graduated from Flathead in 1970. After graduating, Gary enlisted in the Marines but was medically discharged due to a bleeding ulcer. He then spent most of his adult life as a truck driver for various companies.

Gary married Donna Prentice and together had the world’s most perfect son, Mitch. Gary was always most proud of Mitch’s amazing athletic ability. He remarried Cathy Wood, and they had an even more amazing child, Breanne. He loved having Mitch spend summers with him in his semi, making sure Breanne knew all of the state capitals and torturing them both with “tickle time.”

Gary loved talking on the phone every night with his mom, reading fun-fact and history books, and making up stories, a Malkuch-family trait. He enjoyed spending his time laying in his chair with Fefu (“Snuffles”) and Ranger on his lap while he watched Fox news and drank a beer.

Gary is survived by his wife, Cathy: son, Mitch Malkuch and his wife, Libby: daughter, Breanne Malkuch; stepson, David Kelley: stepdaughter, Brandi Holcomb and his husband, Jim; grandchildren, Maddy, Isabelle and Allie Malkuch, Lin-Manuel and Calypso Malkuch, Thessa Clarke, McKayla Christianson, River and Brayden Holcomb, Athena Steffler, and Dennis and Conner Kelley as well as many great-grandchildren. He is also survived by his beautiful mom, Gen, his brother Steve Malkuch, sister Marjean Gutzwiler and their families, not to mention many, many other family members.

A celebration of life will be held from 4 to 7 p.m. today, March 11, at 1500 Airport Road, Kalispell.