Lewis (Lude) Duane Leavens

Lewis Duane Leavens (Lude) passed away August 27,2022 at his home in Conner, Montana. He was born on December 29,1937 in Hamilton, Montana to Lewis and Inez Leavens. He was the 6th of 12 siblings, whom he loved dearly.

Lude lived on the West Fork of the Bitterroot River in Conner on the family homestead for all but a few minutes of his life. When he was not at work, he was at home helping on the family farm with all of his brothers and sisters.

Lude spent a considerable amount of his life cheating death, and acquiring many adventure stories along the way.

In 1966 he met and married the love of his life, Barbara Ann French. They took tender loving care of each other for more than 55 years.

In 1972 Barb and Lude adopted their daughter Michelle, and spent their entire lives loving and doting on her. Together with her husband Cody Wood, Michelle gave Barb and Lude five amazing grandkids.

Lude’s early work years were spent working at everything from mink farms to mining, but mostly logging. He started out as a sawyer, and eventually began running all manner of heavy equipment. He worked in the woods his entire life. Over the years he worked for Sergeant and McKinney, Leland Thompson logging, and Champion. He was self-employed for a short while and eventually ended up retiring from the United States Forest Service in 2005. Many summers were spent wildland firefighting. He loved to work, and was a force of nature in every position. He brought an intense work ethic, and a mischievous sense of humor to every environment. He loved his work buddies, and they relished in his shenanigans.

There was a beloved son, brother, cousin, husband, father, uncle, and to everyone who knew him he was a friend. He loved and adored all of his 29 nieces and nephews, and cheered for them in all of their accomplishments. He loved all of his brothers and sisters in-laws with his big genuine heart. As it turns out, being a grandpa was his calling in life. It seems that is what he was born to do, and he did it so well.

In the past eight years as Lude battled through seemingly endless physical hardships, he was blessed with amazing friends, family, and medical professionals who looked out for him in every way. Barb could not have kept up were it not for all the loving hands. As his ever loving companion, she never stopped taking care of him for a second, which is an admirable feat considering how often he attempted to escape on wayward adventures.

He loved the Bitterroot Valley,  and was an honorable and true depiction of the goodness that grows here. He loved to hike, hunt, fish, backpack, camp, snowmobile, and all things related to the mountains. There was never a kinder, more gentle soul with all of his beloved, if slightly over fed, animals. The cattle on the homestead constantly tipped the scales under his and his brother's nurturing care.

He was preceded in death by his parents Inez and Lewis Leavens, and siblings Susan Leavens, Bob Leavens, Florence Hyatt (Dean), Lila Gullette (Jim), Bill Leavens (Lorraine), Linda Ellis (Ron), and Chuck Leavens.

He is survived by his wife Barbara, daughter Michelle, son-in-law Cody Wood, grandchildren; Carson Wood, Maci Wood, Caleb Wood, Madeline Wood, and Mercy Wood, Siblings; Loma Meyers (Oscar), Don C. Leavens (Suzanne), Connie Nordin (Ed), and Patsy Drye (Steve).

A funeral service will be held at 11:00 a.m. Wednesday, August 31, 2022 at the Darby Ward of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.  Interment will follow at Lone Pine Cemetery in Darby.