Donald M. "Don" McGourty

ON DECEMBER 13, 2025 we said goodbye to our beloved Husband and Best Friend, Father, Grandpa, Great- Grandpa, Uncle and Friend to many.

DONALD MARVIN McGOURTY was born on October 7, 1930 on the farm his parents homesteaded in Round Butte, Montana. He was the fourth and youngest child of the late William Charles and Velma Mary McGourty.

Don began his education at the Round Butte Grade School. After losing his father at the age of seven, due to a farm accident, the family moved into Ronan. He completed second through fourth grades there. From the fifth through seventh grade he attended school in Buxton, Oregon, where his aunt, Carmelita McGourty, was his teacher. His high school years were spent in Vale, Portland and Lebanon, Oregon. He graduated from Lebanon High School in 1949. After high school Don proudly served with the Montana Army National Guard. After spending some time working as a logger in Oregon, he returned to Montana. He attended Montana State University in Bozeman from 1952-1955 and completed

Don began his banking career in December 1955 at the First Metals Bank in Butte, MT, where he was a unit manager in the installment loan department. From Butte he moved to Billings to work for the Montana Corporation as assistant manager at First Montana Finance Company. While in Billings he met and married his first wife, Durien.

On September 1, 1961, Don joined the loan department at Citizens State Bank in Hamilton. During these years he had a small farm on Hamilton Heights, where he raised cattle. He loved to fish and hunt and found many opportunities to pursue these passions. In 1973 he left CSB to follow a life-long dream of being his own boss as a full-time rancher in Round Butte. His love of raising cattle, hay and other crops never left him. He often reminisced about those years with very fond memories and stories. He talked often about the joy he found in raising his three children on the farm. In 1986 Don sold his farm and ranching interests and returned to Citizens State Bank, where he was Senior Vice President. He retired from active banking in January 1993, but remained on the Board of Directors until 2000.

On February 9, 1990, Don married his second wife, Shirley Hebert of Hamilton. After retiring from the bank in January 1993, the couple spent winters as snowbirds in Arizona. They spent many hours on golf courses and socializing with the many friends they made while living there. Summers spent in the Bitterroot included golfing and a return to fishing, a passion of Don's from a very young age.

In 2004 Don and Shirley sold their home in Arizona and returned full time to the Bitterroot Valley. They golfed for a time and continued fishing on many lakes and rivers in Western Montana. In January of 2007 Don spent five weeks fishing in Southern Chile. He called it the "trip of a lifetime". Don loved Chile - the people he met and the rivers he fished were memories he shared with everyone. He often said if he were younger he would live there. He traveled to the Bahamas to fish for bone fish and made several trips to Alaska to fish for Salmon.

When fishing became difficult, Don turned to another passion from his younger years - - playing pool. He added a room to his home to accommodate his own pool table and spent many hours playing the game with friends and family. His favorite saying while playing pool was "Don't complain, don't explain, just play the game". He continued to play pool until just a few short weeks before passing.

Don was active in several community organizations during his early years in Hamilton. He was a member of the Junior Chamber of Commerce (JC's) and served as executive secretary and treasurer of the state organization in 1966 a member of the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce, serving as president in 1971 and a member of the Sheriff's Posse. During his farming years in Ronan, Don served on the Lake County Conservation Board, was President for one term of the Round Butte Water Board, was a member of the Western Montana Livestock Association and served as a director of the Western Montana PCA. And during his second time in Hamilton, he served on the Board of Directors of Citizens State Bank and on the Board of Directors of the Hamilton Golf Course.

Don is survived by his wife, Shirley, his children Debbie Younggren (John), Denyne Loughery (Shawn), Donald R. McGourty (Jenny Howard), and step-children Mike Hebert (Jenna) and Michelle Steadman (Adam); grandchildren Jessica Christian (Kyle Ludlow), Jenna Bodle (Barry), John Wills (Megan), Carlene Wills, Chelsea Sanders (Zach), Marina McGourty (Colter Barnes), Jared McGourty (Lauren Kimzey), Michael Hebert, II (Marnie), Cheyenne Hebert, Sierra Hebert, Glacier Hebert, and Lane Steadman (Breana), and 21 Great-Grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, William Charles and Velma Mary McGourty, his brothers Mike and Jack, sister Hazel and grandson Cody Hebert. He was the last surviving family member of his generation.

Don was proud of his Irish Heritage and a true Libra, always striving for balance and harmony in everything he did. He had an amazing memory and loved to share history and stories. He loved his family passionately and was a very loyal friend. He is greatly missed.

At Don's request there will be no formal service. A reception will be held on January 10, 2026 at 1:00 at Daly Leach Memorial Chapel. Please join us and share a story or two. Don would have liked that.

1. A Traditional Irish Blessing May the road rise to meet you, 
2. May the wind be always at your back, 
3. May the sun shine warm upon your face, 
4. And the rains fall soft upon your fields, 
5. And until we meet again, 
6. May God hold you in the palm of His hand.