Gary Austin Hadlock, 80

Gary Austin Hadlock, 80 years old, died from cancer on April 26, 2023, in Billings at the Springs at Grand Park. Gary was born July 13, 1942, in Mesa, Arizona, to Paul Austin and Cleo (nee Ellsworth) Hadlock. He was the oldest of four siblings and lived in Arizona until he was 27.

Throughout his life, Gary enjoyed hunting and was a crack shot. He skipped classes in middle school to be a guide for adult hunters. In high school, he left school early to hunt deer he saw during lunch. He did not recommend this behavior to young people.

Gary went to summer church camp outside Phoenix where he unknowingly met his future wife, Judy. They wedded June 6, 1964, and married 46 years before her death in 2010. Gary's grandmother, Helen Hadlock, took him to church and shared the good news of Jesus Christ with him. He gleaned simple life lessons from her including how to care for chickens.

A graduate from Northern Arizona University with a bachelor of science in forestry, Gary moved first to Ute Park, New Mexico, then to Helena, working as a logging systems expert. While in Helena, his son, James, was born in 1973. He moved his family to Kalispell that same year. He and Judy had their daughter, Deborah, born in 1975. Kalispell remained home for the next 32 years where he worked for the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation.

Gary was well known in the region for his roads and bridges which gave Montanans access to the state's wilderness and timber resource. These roads and wilderness knowledge equipped him as fire boss for some of the largest fires in Montana's recorded history.

Home life centered at church where he served in various roles as Sunday school teacher, deacon and AWANA leader. Family trips included hunting on the Montana prairie, swim meets throughout Montana, attending University of Montana sporting events and visiting extended family in Arizona.

He retired and moved with his wife to Columbus to be near their daughter, a resident at Special K Ranch. He and Judy were members of Park City Baptist Church. After her death, Gary joined the Beartooth Bible Church in Columbus.

He spent his retirement years volunteering to invest in the lives of children at the ABC 123 University Pre-school, giving the children's sermons, teaching Sunday school, helping at AWANA, and volunteering at Special K Ranch and Special Olympics. Gary regularly visited his granddaughter in Florida and made special memories with her when she visited Montana during the summer. Gary's generosity was felt in the Columbus and Park City communities.

Gary is preceded in death by his beloved wife, Judith Louise (nee Getsinger); and sisters, Judy Barnhart (nee Hadlock) and Cathy Hadlock. He is survived by his sister and brother-in-law, Richard and Susan Peterson of Chino, AZ; his son and daughter-in-law, James (50) and Jill of Orlando, FL; daughter, Deborah Ruth (47); and granddaughter, Hannah (13).

He would want every reader to know he is in the presence of his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. A celebration of life memorial service is scheduled Thursday, June 1, 2023, at 4 p.m. at Beartooth Bible Church, Columbus, with a potluck to follow.

In lieu of flowers, consider giving to the ministry of Jim and Jill Hadlock, checks payable to The Jesus Film Project, Memo line: Account #0159170, 9305 Mustard Leaf Drive, Orlando, FL, 32827 (give.cru.org/0519170). Fifty percent of donations will be given to Gary's other favorite nonprofit ministries, Special K Ranch and Camp Promise at Big Sky Bible Camp, Bigfork.