Richard 'Rick' Allen Halverson, 71

Richard “Rick” Allen Halverson passed away on Oct. 15, 2021, following a stroke. He was a long time resident of Kalispell and a celebration of his life will be held at the Arts and Technology Building at Flathead Valley Community College (noon to 2 p.m.) on July 16.

Rick was born July 16, 1950, in Wenatchee, Washington, to Perry Virgil Halverson and Hildegarde Lucille (Miller) Halverson. He was their only child but he had eight half siblings from his parents previous marriages. Rick was raised in Great Falls from infancy through his sophomore year of high school. The family then moved back to Washington where Rick graduated high school, in 1968, and became the youngest journeyman barber to license in Washington.

Rick enlisted in the Navy in August 1970 (avoiding the Draft) and, ironically, was promptly sent to Vietnam as a “Brown Water Sailor” in the Mekong Delta. He served two years.

In 1971, he met and later married Diana Zimmerman. Together they raised three boys. He was very proud of his sons and his grandchildren. He loved them deeply!

Rick completed a bachelor’s degree at Carroll College and a master’s degree from Montana State University in Dillon. He worked for many years at the Montana State School, in Boulder, for the developmentally disabled. He became a licensed clinical professional counselor (LCPC) and then focused his work in mental health and substance abuse counseling

Following his divorce, Rick moved to the Flathead in 1985. He opened a private practice, Tamarack Counseling. He did contract services with the Veterans Home in Columbia Falls, taught adjunct at Flathead Valley Community College (FVCC) and Salish Kootenai College, and had a thriving counseling practice, in Kalispell, as a contractor with the Missoula Vet Center. In 1989 he met his wife, Mary Jane “MJ” Fox and married in 1990.

He was hired full time at FVCC and taught in the Humanities & Social Sciences Division for over 20 years. He retired in 2015. He loved his work at the college and was a passionate professor!

He was predeceased, in September 2020, by his youngest son, Kevin Halverson.

He is survived by his wife, MJ Fox; his sons and wives, Aron and Carrie Smetana, Galen Pippa Halverson and Alayne Moody; his grandchildren, Sadie and Emma Smetana, Leo and Audrey Halverson; his former spouse, Diana Zimmerman; and many grieving friends in Montana and California.

Please join us July 16 to celebrate his life! A light lunch will be served.