Larry Claude Branning

HAMILTON - Larry Claude Branning, 96, passed away on August 25, 2016 at Valley View Estates.  He was born in a small log house in Corvallis, Montana on July 25, 1920 to Budd and Dorothy Branning.  He lived his entire life in the Bitterroot Valley, including time in Corvallis, Grantsdale, Hamilton and the Hamilton Heights.

Larry's family struggled through the Depression Era enduring the many common privations and challenges of food, employment and in his case a family split.  He went to grade school in Grantsdale and Hamilton but his schooling was frequently interrupted by spring, summer and fall work with his dad.  Larry herded sheep in the summers with his father up Fish Cr. and Cache Cr., working for Mr. Simons beginning in 1929 at the age of nine.  He traveled to North Dakota in 1933, during the height of the Depression with his father and older brother seeking work and returning the following spring.  Larry worked various short term jobs in the Bitterroot Valley in his youth including the Stock Farm in 1934 and 1935, fighting fire with the Forest Service in 1936 (Harrington Ridge in the Selway) and sawmill work in 1937 and 1938.  At his brother's urging, Larry enrolled in the CCC's in 1938 and that provided employment for him at a Flathead camp and some monitory support for his struggling mother and younger sister.

Upon his discharge from the CCC's and after working and saving frugally, Larry had enough money in 1941 to purchase 10 acres on the Hamilton Heights for $200, payments of $28.40 every September until paid off.  He started off the first year on the property in a wall tent with a wooden floor and constructed a tiny two room house.  It was an oddly low house because he apparently got a deal on fourteen foot lumber and cut it in half for short studs to save money.  A privy, garage and woodshed were added developments.  Larry lived in his little house for close to 40 years with a wood range for cooking and heating, no electricity early and never any running water.  He farmed the 10 acres, working together with his neighbor and good friends, the Harvey's on their adjacent property.

In addition to farming, over the years Larry worked in the woods some, and a host of odd jobs and self-employed endeavors.  He worked with sheep and cattle and cut hay and cleared out old apple orchards around the valley, selling the wood for firewood.  Later he cut posts and poles on at least one Forest Service small sale.

Larry went to work for the Bitterroot Irrigation District in 1945, starting out building wooden head gates for irrigation ditches.  He progressed up to a heavy equipment operator on the Big Ditch.  He was a skilled dozer operator and worked on ditch maintenance, cleaning, reservoir work and improvements in the off season as well as emergency repairs during the irrigation season.  Larry retired in the 1980's and then went back to work as a seasonal ditch rider in his later years, going out first thing every day in the summer, frequently with his wife Fern and driving his assigned ditch route to monitor for problems, failures and correct water usage.

Larry enjoyed fishing and hunting and even labored at the Monitor Silver mine for a short period of time in his late 60's running dozer and cooking.

Larry married Genevieve Kranzt in the late 40's, but that union ended in divorce after some years.  Later, he met Fern Antinoch Brown and they married in 1977.  He moved to town from his farm on the Hamilton Heights and Larry and Fern enjoyed life and companionship together for almost 30 years until she passed away in 2006.  He continued to live at their home until a month ago when he was admitted to Valley View Estates.  Larry had no children.

Larry’s wish to stay at home was made possible by in-home caregivers the last six years of his life and for that valuable assistance his family is grateful.  Special thanks to Denise Jones for five years of consistent support.

Larry worked hard his whole life.  He was an independent self-made man by necessity and circumstances with a strong work ethic and industrious by nature, but did receive help from many during his life.  He could be a little ornery and rude at times in his elder years as dementia took its terrible toll, but was generous and helped many along the way over the years throughout his life.  His circle of friends and acquaintances were large and extensive here in the Bitterroot Valley.  His work is over now and he is at rest.

Larry was preceded in death by his parents, Budd and Dorothy; his wife, Fern; older brother, Granger; and younger sister, Iola; and also sister, Wanda; and brother, Wayne who both died in infancy in 1917 and 1918.  He is survived by a half brother, Gary Pelfrey of Green Valley, Arizona; in addition to a step-daughter, a sister-in-law and a number of nieces and nephews.

Graveside services will be held on Wednesday, August 31, 2016 at 11 a.m. at the Corvallis Cemetery.  In lieu of flowers the family suggests that memorials be made in Larry's name to the Ravalli County Council on Aging.