James 'Jim' Bruce Haupt, 83

James "Jim" Bruce Haupt, 83, passed away July 10, 2024, in Kalispell.

He was born April 22, 1941, to Henry and Kay Haupt in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He spent his formative years in Chicago, Illinois, and Scottsdale, Arizona. He moved to Montana in 1970 and was a resident of Flathead County for the remainder of his life. 

In his youth, he wanted to be a cowboy and a police officer. He took a great deal of pride in his entire work career and resulting adventures and spoke of them often. From 1963-1970, he worked for United Airlines at the Seattle/Tacoma airport in various positions and enjoyed telling stories about the people he had met.

From 1970-1974, he worked as a part-time cowboy and freelance photographer, fulfilling his goal of being a cowboy, and spent a year living on a ranch within Glacier Park in Polebridge. He worked as a still photographer for the movies "Winterhawk" and "The Winds of Autumn." He also worked for the Flathead County Sheriff's Office from 1975-2004 as a sheriff's deputy, communications officer, and supervisor of communication, as well as a coroner from 1983-2004. 

He was preceded in death by his stepdaughter, Tanya Ford; stepson, Jerry Donald Luckey; parents, Henry and Kay Haupt; and half-brother, Dudly Ryan (Judy). 

He is survived by his wife, Sandra Haupt; stepson, Larry Luckey (Nancy); granddaughters, Alexis Ford (Swayne Slaven), Taylor Luckey, Teagan Luckey; great-grandsons, August Slaven, Talon Bolstad, and Jeton Bolstad; and sister, Barbara Nacol. 

A memorial service will be held in his honor at Buffalo Hill Funeral Home, 1890 U.S. 93, Kalispell, on Saturday, July 27, at 10 a.m.

Friends are encouraged to visit the website at www.buffalohillfh.com to leave notes of condolences for the family. Buffalo Hill Funeral Home and Crematory caring for the family.