Donald "Don" Chesley Guest

Donald “Don” Chesley Guest

Donald C. Guest passed away on Wednesday, July 27 at his residence at BeeHive Assisted Living surrounded by his loving children and family and the caring staff at BeeHive Homes.

Don was born in Missoula, Montana on November 3, 1940 to Donald Dale Guest and Margaret Chesley Guest. He was their firstborn and forever big brother to his siblings. Donnie attended Central School for three years and then Willard Elementary through eighth grade. He attended Missoula County High School being in the first class to transition to the new high school (now known as Sentinel), graduating in 1958. During high school he worked at Rae and May Grocery and Don’s Food Market, both in his Westside neighborhood, as part of the DECA program.

From 1958 to 1962, he served in the U.S. Marine Corp first at 29 Palms, California, and then on to Pensacola, Florida for flight training where he was in the Marine Corp’s Band. Depth perception problems prevented him from attaining his wings, which was one of his life’s greatest disappointments. He was stationed at Cherry Point, North Carolina as an air traffic control officer. He married Nancy Vietta Toner, also of Missoula, on August 19, 1961 in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. They resided near the Cherry Point base until Don was honorably discharged with a Good Conduct Medal as an E-4 Corporal.

Don and Nancy returned to Missoula to work, study, and raise their family in the Rainbow Drive neighborhood. Don worked at Liberty Loan, then ten years at Western Montana National Bank. Throughout that time he was attending the University of Montana where he received his Bachelor’s Degree in Business. Kimberly was born in 1963. Michael in 1966, and Ronni in 1968. They spent many weekends with family where Don was known as the witty prankster “borrowing” many items from his sibling’s homes to see if they would notice.

In 1974, they moved to Duluth, Minnesota where Don was comptroller of Northern City National Bank. In 1979, they moved to Eagle River, Alaska and Don was comptroller of Alaska State bank in Anchorage. In 1980 Don suffered a massive heart attack and stroke at age 38. As he recovered he worked in various jobs: Municipality of Anchorage, Catholic Social Services, Anchorage Inventory Service, Marston Property Mgmt, IRS Volunteer Service Program Vocational Rehabilitation. In 1983, he and Nancy divorced.


Soon after, Don moved to the Seattle area living in Federal Way while working for the IRS from 1987 to 1992. He later lived in Amboy and Ryderwood Washington. Don moved to Missoula in 2003 and volunteered for the Senior Citizens Center and WIC Program. Throughout his time in Missoula he was the family historian creating numerous picture albums of his beloved family.

Don was preceded in death by his parents and adopted father Richard Ostergren as well as his step-sister Bette Rogers. His siblings survive him: Joyce Wegner (Garry) of Condon, Patty Jacobs (John) of Helena, Bob (Jane) Guest and Jim (Nycki) Guest all of Missoula, as well as step-sister Adelle Thompson in Boise, Idaho. Don’s three children in Alaska survive him: Kim Shaw (Louie) and Ronni Schmidt (Doug) both of Chugiak, and Mike Guest (Arlena) of Anchorage. His Grandchildren are Kim’s children - Marie Beth Gall, Melissa Henry, Matthew Nelson; Mike’s children Teagen and Katana; and Ronni’s children Jessica Munford, Sonja and Luke Schmidt as well as 13 great-grandchildren. Don leaves numerous nephews and nieces and their families.

Garden City Funeral Home of Missoula will be handling Don’s cremation. The family will be holding private services in Missoula. Memorials may be made to charities of your choice. He did so love his Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) of Missoula.