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Bernard Wilson “Bernie” Alt Veteran

Birth
Letcher, Sanborn County, South Dakota, USA
Death
30 Oct 2009 (aged 85)
Columbia Falls, Flathead County, Montana, USA
Burial
Cremated, Location of ashes is unknown Add to Map
Memorial ID
View Source
Obituary from The Montana Standard 11/08/2009:

Bernard Wilson Alt died Friday, Oct. 30, 2009, at the Montana Veterans Home, Columbia Falls.

Bernie was born May 29, 1924, in Letcher, S.D., where he grew up on the family farm/ranch. After completing high school, he enlisted in the United States Marine Corp and was with the first occupational force to land at Nagasaki, Japan, following the dropping of the bomb. After his honorable discharge from the Corp he married his high school English teacher and enrolled in the School of Forestry at University of Montana earning a bachelor's degree in 1950.

He started his professional career in Malta managing Land Utilization Act lands and then transferred to the U.S. Forest Service. He was the Ranger on the Sioux District, Camp Crook, S.D., where he was involved with the first wild turkey transplants in the Long Pines. Next, he became the Ranger on the Medora District, Dickenson, N.D., where he helped facilitate, with the Burkhardt family ranch and the State, the re-introduction of Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep into the Badlands of the Little Missouri. He then transferred to the Deer Lodge NF, Butte, where he was instrumental in acquiring, for the public trust, 120,000 acres of Anaconda Co. land, a portion of which became the Mount Haggin Wildlife Management Area. He retired from the USFS as their first coordinator for managing the Custer National Forest National Grasslands spanning North Dakota, Montana and South Dakota and Bismarck, N.D.

Upon retirement from the USFS, he immediately moved to Kalispell and began working for Glacier Park Company and Plum Creek Timber, managing all of their livestock grazing leases in the western 1/3 of Montana. Upon retiring again, he was hired by the Hubbart Grazing Association as a rider and grazing allotment coordinator. He retired for the third and final time at the age of 75.

He was given the honor of Distinguished Alumni by the U of M School of Forestry for his career accomplishments. He was a Royal Arch Mason and volunteered countless hours helping others, from manning Kalispell Crisis Line phones, Big Brothers and Sisters, Shriners, Lions, Optimists, to holding "BS" with Bernie Sessions at the Columbia Falls VA Home. He was an active member of the Epworth United Methodist Church, Kalispell. He was a Northern Great Plainsman at heart and a good man, Semper Fi!

He was preceded in death by his wife of 52 years, Lucile; brother, Wendell; and sisters, Marlys and Arlene. He is survived by his sister, Ellen (Bob) Yadesky, Connecticut; three sons, Lee (Debbie) and grandchildren, Lyndsay, Jake and Derek; and great-grandchildren Mickenzie, Lauren, Gannon, Butte; Miles (Jeannie) and grandsons Sean and Jordan and great-grandchildren, Danielle, Catlynn and Brittany, Rhode Island; and Kurt and grandson Seth, Bozeman.

A memorial service will be held Saturday, Nov. 21, 11 a.m., at Epworth United Methodist Church, Kalispell. The family is asking to have any memorials in Bernie's honor sent to the Montana Veterans Home, 400 Veterans Drive, Columbia Falls, MT, 59912.

Columbia Mortuary in Columbia Falls is assisting the family.
Obituary from The Montana Standard 11/08/2009:

Bernard Wilson Alt died Friday, Oct. 30, 2009, at the Montana Veterans Home, Columbia Falls.

Bernie was born May 29, 1924, in Letcher, S.D., where he grew up on the family farm/ranch. After completing high school, he enlisted in the United States Marine Corp and was with the first occupational force to land at Nagasaki, Japan, following the dropping of the bomb. After his honorable discharge from the Corp he married his high school English teacher and enrolled in the School of Forestry at University of Montana earning a bachelor's degree in 1950.

He started his professional career in Malta managing Land Utilization Act lands and then transferred to the U.S. Forest Service. He was the Ranger on the Sioux District, Camp Crook, S.D., where he was involved with the first wild turkey transplants in the Long Pines. Next, he became the Ranger on the Medora District, Dickenson, N.D., where he helped facilitate, with the Burkhardt family ranch and the State, the re-introduction of Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep into the Badlands of the Little Missouri. He then transferred to the Deer Lodge NF, Butte, where he was instrumental in acquiring, for the public trust, 120,000 acres of Anaconda Co. land, a portion of which became the Mount Haggin Wildlife Management Area. He retired from the USFS as their first coordinator for managing the Custer National Forest National Grasslands spanning North Dakota, Montana and South Dakota and Bismarck, N.D.

Upon retirement from the USFS, he immediately moved to Kalispell and began working for Glacier Park Company and Plum Creek Timber, managing all of their livestock grazing leases in the western 1/3 of Montana. Upon retiring again, he was hired by the Hubbart Grazing Association as a rider and grazing allotment coordinator. He retired for the third and final time at the age of 75.

He was given the honor of Distinguished Alumni by the U of M School of Forestry for his career accomplishments. He was a Royal Arch Mason and volunteered countless hours helping others, from manning Kalispell Crisis Line phones, Big Brothers and Sisters, Shriners, Lions, Optimists, to holding "BS" with Bernie Sessions at the Columbia Falls VA Home. He was an active member of the Epworth United Methodist Church, Kalispell. He was a Northern Great Plainsman at heart and a good man, Semper Fi!

He was preceded in death by his wife of 52 years, Lucile; brother, Wendell; and sisters, Marlys and Arlene. He is survived by his sister, Ellen (Bob) Yadesky, Connecticut; three sons, Lee (Debbie) and grandchildren, Lyndsay, Jake and Derek; and great-grandchildren Mickenzie, Lauren, Gannon, Butte; Miles (Jeannie) and grandsons Sean and Jordan and great-grandchildren, Danielle, Catlynn and Brittany, Rhode Island; and Kurt and grandson Seth, Bozeman.

A memorial service will be held Saturday, Nov. 21, 11 a.m., at Epworth United Methodist Church, Kalispell. The family is asking to have any memorials in Bernie's honor sent to the Montana Veterans Home, 400 Veterans Drive, Columbia Falls, MT, 59912.

Columbia Mortuary in Columbia Falls is assisting the family.


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