David Towle Markette

David Towle Markette

December 27, 1956 - February 20, 2025

David was born in Boston, Massachusetts on December 27, 1956 to James “Mark” and Margaret Markette, joining big sister Katherine Markette. The family was temporarily living in Boston while Mark completed medical school.

A few short years later, the family settled in Cut Bank, Montana. Cut Bank provided David with a childhood of western exploration.  He enjoyed bird hunting with his dad Mark, snowmobiling in East Glacier, and spending hours on nearby creeks and rivers throughout the seasons.  The family owned a cabin on Whitefish Lake, and David’s best memories from his youth involve the cabin.  From the cabin, he skied at Big Mountain, golfed all summer, and enjoyed everything Whitefish Lake had to offer.  David especially loved to leap from the boat and swim to the sandbar in the middle of the lake.   A people person and natural athlete, life was an adventure, and he surrounded himself with friends to enjoy it with.

David attended Cut Bank High School and graduated in 1975.  He spent a year at Montana State University in Bozeman where he self-admittedly had a little too much fun.  Upon completion of his freshman year, he made one of the best decisions of his life and transferred to Claremont McKenna College in California.  At Claremont, David made lifelong friends, played college football and rugby, and was even featured in a Datson advertisement with his rugby team.  David graduated from Claremont in 1979 with a BA in economics.

Next, David attended law school at the University of Oklahoma School of Law intending to practice oil and gas law.  He was drawn to oil and gas, because during high school and college, he worked for oil companies on the Highline in Northern Montana. David loved law school.  He excelled in legal writing, again made lifelong friends, and ended up litigating despite his early intentions to avoid the courtroom.

Following law school, David relocated to Amarillo, Texas.  He enjoyed traveling around the southwest, working for his various oil and gas clients, and meeting new people along the way.  While in Amarillo, David became a father and welcomed his children Alison and Jeffrey.

Despite liking Texas, David missed Montana.  After careful consideration, he selected the Bitterroot Valley as his new home, and in 1994, David packed up his family and moved back to Montana.  David opened his own practice in Hamilton, Montana and bought some cows.  He traded oil wells for rivers, streams, and ditches and switched his practice from oil and gas to water rights. For the next decade, David happily ranched on the weekends and practiced law during the week.  David balanced work and family, carefully caring for his herd of Black Angus pairs, traveling all over Montana as first a Soccer Dad for Alison and then a Rodeo Dad for Jeffrey, and developing a well-respected law practice.

In the last 20 years, David rekindled his interest in horses, which brought him closer to his sister Kathy and her husband John.  David loved competing in cutting horse shows and enjoyed riding team roping horses as a header.  Regardless of his success in the arena, he cherished the camaraderie.  David again made lifelong friends in both the team roping and cutting horse communities.

David deeply loved his partner of a decade Tracey Turek.  Because the pair had a long-standing professional association before diving into their romantic adventure, their relationship failed the traditional mold.  But, for those that knew them as a couple, that’s exactly how they preferred it. David and Tracey’s relationship was one of respect, admiration and affection; it was the type of mature relationship that people search for their entire lives. The two shared many interests and many winters down in the Arizona sun at horse camp, even though Tracey had never ridden a horse before she met him. Their relationship was like that, each encouraging the other to accept new challenges and discover new interests. The pair truly loved each other completely, without reservation or fear. David, always the caregiver, loved nothing more than taking care of others, including Tracey. He expressed this care with romantic gifts like a new lawn mower or a bicycle; Tracey the practical partner and David the sentimental, one complimenting the other. Highlighting this most, was David and Tracey’s picture-perfect evening: sitting on the front deck of their home, David with a glass of Maker’s Mark and Tracey with a Miller Lite, simply enjoying the other’s presence.

Throughout his life, David loved new experiences and spending time with friends both old and new.  No matter where he was, he always managed to run into someone he knew. David was a scuba diver, skier, cowboy and horseman, cook, lawyer, reader, and family man. Whether it was a ski trip, smoking brisket or cooking halibut cheeks, discussing a book or water rights, or enjoying a drink together at the arena or on the deck, David loved to share his joy for life with the people he cared about.

To all who knew him, David was an attentive listener and gave thoughtful advice.  He was a loving partner, son, brother, dad, grandfather, and friend. David was dearly loved and is missed by many. He is survived by his partner Tracey, his sister Kathy (John), his daughter Alison (Scott), his son Jeffrey (Whitney), Tracey’s son Kyle (Kaylee), and grandchildren Matilda, Odin, Arthur, and Rhiannon. He is also survived by his close friend and ex-wife Deidra.

A memorial celebrating David’s life will be held on May 31, 2025 at 2 pm at the Flying Horse (1211 Summerdale Road, Corvallis, MT 59828).   Condolences may be left for the family at www.dalyleachchapel.com.