Robert F. Muth, 87

On March 12, 2026, Bob Muth, 87, left this earth and went "where heaven and home forget their distance," a line from one of his poems.

He was born Dec. 16, 1938, in Louisville, Kentucky, and spent his childhood there. He attended Catholic high school and then Bellarmine College in Louisville. Later, he moved to Colorado, studying at Trinidad and at the University of Colorado Boulder. 

In Boulder, Bob met and married his wife, Laurie, in 1962. Together, they shared the next 63 years together. They moved to Montana, purchasing a small farm in Mountain Brook at the base of the Swan Range near Kalispell. There, they raised their three children alongside a lively mix of animals-cows, horses, chickens, sheep, and 4-H pigs. Bob leaned into the rhythms of farm life, including milking the cows and selling raw milk, all while working for Buttrey Foods to support his family. 

After their children were grown, Bob returned to college and earned his teaching degree from Northern Montana College. At age 50, he began a second career in education, teaching in the Columbia Falls school system, including at Canyon Elementary. For the next 20 years, he poured his heart into his students, leaving a lasting impact on many young lives. 

Bob had a deep love for the outdoors, which he shared generously with both his family and his students. He enjoyed backpacking, hiking and cross-country skiing, and he especially treasured hikes with the "Over the Hill" gang in Glacier National Park. A passionate environmentalist, Bob advocated for community-based conservation and wrote a column on environmental issues in Montana for the Daily Inter Lake. 

In retirement, Bob continued his connection to Glacier National Park as a volunteer backcountry ranger. He took great joy in sharing his knowledge of the natural world, with a particular gift for identifying wildflowers and birds. 

Bob and Laurie attended Mountain View Mennonite Church in the Creston area, where they found deep meaning in a community rooted in love and peace. During his retirement years, Bob also delivered Meals on Wheels, continuing his quiet service to others. 

Bob felt deeply and lived with quiet contentment. He loved God, nature, peace, family, as well as his beloved dog, Rainy and the many other dogs who were part of his life. He was also a thoughtful writer, expressing himself through poetry. At age 81, he published a book of his work, and many of his poems were selected for publication elsewhere. 

He was preceded in death by his parents, his sister and his youngest child, Denise. 

He is survived by his wife, Laurie; his daughter, Mindy; his son, Bob; nine grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. 

A memorial for Bob will be held at 2 p.m. July 11 at the Mountain View Mennonite Church in Creston. Everyone is welcome.