Donald M. L. Dahlseide Passes Away
Don Dahlseide, 68, passed away at St. Peter's Hospital on Oct. 13, 2005, after courageously battling cancer for the past several years. His wife, Tina, and daughters, Andrea and Mona, were with him at the time of his death and helped him make it through his last difficult night.
Don was born on Jan. 27, 1937, in Cold Lake, Alberta, to Alvin and Sophie Dahlseide. In December 1946 he moved to the United States and became a citizen. He proudly served in the United States Air Force from 1955 to 1963, including a tour of duty in Japan.
In 1960, he married Jo Killenbeck in Scoby. Together they had three beautiful children, Blaine (Carol) Dahlseide of Dhahran, Saudi Arabia; Mona (Clint) Erb of Helena; and Andrea (Dave) Chambers of Billings. They later divorced.
In 1989, he married Tina Minster in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. They lived in Spokane a short while and returned to Helena where they have made their home for the past 16 years.
Don graduated from Montana State University in Bozeman with a B.S. degree in commerce (finance and marketing) in 1975. He retired from the Small Business Administration office in Helena in July 2004 and previously held a number of positions with Columbia Paint Company between 1975 and 1988.
He was preceded in death by his parents; sisters, Irene and Sharon and brother, Ken.
Survivors include his wife, Tina; children, Blaine, Mona and Andrea; stepdaughters, Shannon (Bob) Alexander and Casey Gilder of Helena; brothers, John (Dorothy) of Pierceland, SK and Arnie (Delores) of Hinton, AB; sisters, Evie Eaton of Rapid View, SK and Shirley Owens of Oxnard, Calif.; stepmother, Elsie Dahlseide of Pierceland, SK; sister-in-law, Gladys Dahlseide of Pierceland, SK; half brothers, Ron and Don Dahlseide of Canada; half sister, Margie Paton of Simi Valley, Calif.; and grandchildren, Dillon and Ashley Ewals, Jordan Erb, John and Darren Alexander and Nicole Jacques, all of Helena; Evan and Cole Chambers of Billings; and Alec and Katie Jo Dahlseide of Saudi Arabia.
Don enjoyed life very much, he was a very fair and honest individual, was gentle, kind and loving. He had a great sense of humor and a strong work ethic. He was a good friend and found the best in everyone. All of you who knew him recognized that there was so much more to this man than can be shared in this short space.
A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 18, at St. John's Lutheran Church, 1000 Helena Ave., Helena. Burial of his cremated remains with military honors will follow at 12:30 p.m. at the Montana State Veterans Cemetery at Fort Harrison. Memorials are suggested to the St. Peter's Cancer Treatment Center, 2475 E. Broadway; Helena, MT 59601. Service arrangements are under the direction of Retz Funeral Home, Helena.