Val P. Tibbetts

HAMILTON -   Val P. Tibbetts, 78, of Hamilton passed away Monday, September 25, 2017 at the Marcus Daly Hospice and Palliative Care Center.  He was born September 12, 1939 in Butte, MT the youngest son of the late Evan and Myrtle (Rabey) Tibbetts.

Val attended St. Ann Grade School and Christian Brothers High School in Butte.  He served 2 years in the U.S. Army, 15 months of that in Germany.  After his honorable discharge, Val married his high school sweetheart, Alice Sologub in 1964 and together they had 4 children.  She was his greatest admirer and constant caregiver as he journeyed through his Alzheimer’s disease.

Val received his B.S. in Animal Production from Montana State University in Bozeman in 1966.  After graduation he went to the Farmer’s Home Administration to acquire a loan for a cattle ranch.  He was instead offered and accepted a job with them.  Over the next 30 years he worked in Great Falls, Whitehall, Hamilton and Missoula.  Val and his family moved to Juneau, Alaska in 1988.  He finished his career as the Area Loan Specialist for Southeast Alaska.  This was his “Dream Job”.  Val then took a Coast Guard Course in Seamanship and for 5 years he was a charter boat operator for fishing and whale watching in Juneau and Sitka, Alaska.  He took his jobs seriously and tried hard to please his clients.  Except for the 12 years in Alaska, Val has lived in the Bitterroot since 1967.

Val was an avid outdoor enthusiast.  He enjoyed hunting, fishing, boating, camping and back country horse riding with family and friends.  He was a collector and had many varied interests.  Val was a lifetime member of the NRA and a member of St. Francis Catholic Church in Hamilton.

Val was preceded in death by his oldest son, Todd Tibbetts of Missoula; and 2 brothers, Ronald Tibbetts of Colorado Springs, CO and Donald Tibbetts of Spokane, WA.  He is survived by his wife Alice of Hamilton; his son, Grant Tibbetts of Missoula, 2 daughters, Tracy Tibbetts of Missoula and Julie Tibbetts of Avalon, CA; and numerous nieces, nephews and other relatives.

Vigil and Rosary services will be held on Friday, Sept. 29, 2017 at 5:30 pm at the Daly-Leach Chapel.  Visitation will be held on Friday from 6:00 until 8:00 pm at the Daly-Leach Chapel.  Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Saturday, Sept. 30, 2017 at 11:00 am at St. Francis Catholic Church with burial to follow at Riverview Cemetery in Hamilton.  There will be a reception following the burial in the Pastoral Life Center next to the church.

The family suggests that memorials be made in Val’s name to Marcus Daly Hospice (1200 Westwood Dr., Hamilton, MT  59840) or to Alzheimer’s Disease Research (22512 Gateway Center Dr., Clarksburg, MD  20871).  Condolences may be left for the family at www.dalyleachchapel.com.