Alvin George Tronstad, 91, passed away at his farm home on the evening of Aug. 28, 2012, after a lengthy period of poor health.

He was born Aug. 10, 1921, to Hans and Albina Tronstad on the homestead south of Baker, where he attended the local rural school. His siblings were six in number and as the oldest of four boys, he took daytime employment with local farmers in the area to help support the family during the years of the Great Depression. The family home had burned to the ground in July of 1930 and his mother died the following September when he was nine. By necessity, he helped his older sisters with the many family responsibilities. Later, as a young man he was employed part-time doing mechanical work, farm labor and the driving of a fuel transport truck.

It was there that he met a teacher working in the school system in Fallon County. She was Mavis Thompson. They were married on July 24, 1943, and lived for a time in the Baker area. Subsequently they rented a farm near Reader, N.D. for a season before moving to Billings where Al drove a gasoline transport truck over routes to Lovell, Wyo., and Baker. While in Billings, just two days after Al's immigrant father Hans died, they welcomed their first son, Robert.

Since his first love was for farming and ranching, Al and Mavis moved to their farm north of Kalispell in March of 1948, where they remained to the present day. It was here in Kalispell that their second son Mike was born in 1951.

Al was a member of Bethlehem Lutheran Church and has served both as a deacon and a trustee, as well as being president of the congregation. Over the years, Al was secretary-treasurer of Pine Grove rural school district and a member of the ASCS County Committee. He served as a director for Equity Supply and for Flathead Farm Mutual Insurance Company as well.

He leaves behind his devoted wife Mavis of 69 years, as well as their two sons, Robert and Michael, their wives, Shelley and Vicky, and their families. Four grandchildren include Lindsey Hartley of Hudson Oaks, Texas, Hans Tronstad of Kalispell, Bryan Tronstad of Laramie, Wyo., and Michelle Hodge of Kalispell. The recent years have produced eight great-grandchildren who were a joy to him, Kasen and Kole Hartley of Hudson Oaks, Kylee and Shelby Tronstad of Kalispell, Tresize and Everett Tronstad of Laramie, and Spencer and Riley Hodge of Kalispell. He is survived by sisters, Beatrice Knutson of Billings and Gladys Wicker of Evansville, Wyo.; and by brothers, Richard Tronstad of Fort Shaw and Floyd Tronstad of Billings. He is also survived by the many loving Tronstad family descendants, Mavis' one remaining sibling, Donna Bower of Port Angeles, Wash., and many members of the Thompson family.

Al was predeceased by a sister, Evelyn; and a brother, Harold.

We will miss his presence so much. Over the years, he highly treasured the many friends and family who remain as well as those who have preceded him in death.

Memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Monday, Sept. 10 at Bethlehem Lutheran Church, following a family interment ceremony at C.E. Conrad Memorial Cemetery.

2012 Daily Interlake