HAMILTON - Husband, father, grandpa, great grandpa, heavy highway road construction general foreman, one hard worker and feisty to the end, Richard E. Falk passed away July 10, 2020. He was 87. He was born in Valentine, Nebraska August 3, 1932 to Elmer and Dolly Falk, the fifth of seven children.
The family moved to Montana and by the time he was twelve, Richard was working, driving a team of horses in the Big Hole, earning his own money.
He was a really good dad and grandpa and great grandpa; he had a nickname for many of us. Dad showed you a task once; then left you alone to do it, giving you the independence to be on your own. Never a shirker and never one to sit idly by, he offered help, ideas and encouragement. With a work ethic of his own dad tired many of his fellow workers, with energy left over for weekend tasks and fishing and hunting.
A time of great pride was his military service during the Korean War, in which he was awarded many medals; his most acclaimed, The Silver Star, third highest medal awarded by the United States Armed Forces for bravery. He took lives to save lives. An uncle told the story that Richard didn’t have to go to Korea and could have completed his enlistment in Germany, but to get a ten day pass to come home to be married, he volunteered for Korea. This began a teamwork with Mary Ann Kane that lasted 67 years, with banter, support and love. Dad carried a picture of his bride with him, often displaying a picture of her on the visor of his pickup.
Richard is survived by his wife, Mary Ann; sons, Wes (Kristi) and Jayson (Sherri); a brother, David (Ina); grandchildren, Ward Falk (Nicole), Tyson Falk, and Marysa Stevens(Alex); and great-grandchildren, Wyatt (Wolf), Cameron (Coyote), Zoey(Zebra), and Josephine Stevens.
Graveside services will be held Friday, July 17 at 3 PM at Riverview Cemetery in Hamilton with full Military Honors. A reception will follow in the Daly-Leach Chapel community room. Condolences may be left for the family at www.dalyleachchapel.com.
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