Gary L. Habedank

Gary L. Habedank, 69, passed away with his wife by his side on Sunday, Sept. 22, 2013, at St. Patrick Hospital in Missoula. Gary was born on Feb. 17, 1944, in Glendive to Otto and Arleen Habedank and attended high school in Sidney. In his early years he was active in the Pella Lutheran Church youth group and became an Eagle Scout. He always spoke fondly of traveling as a young scout to Atlantic City where he heard Martin Luther King Jr. speak, and of attending the National Jamboree of the Boy Scouts of America at Valley Forge.

Gary attended and graduated from Pacific Lutheran University with a bachelor of business degree in 1966. In 1990, he was honored as an outstanding alumnus of the University during the Centennial Alumni Recognition Ceremony. While at PLU he met Kathryn Czyhold, a music major, and they were married in Walla Walla, Wash., in 1967. Together they raised their two daughters, Silke and Annie.

Throughout his life Gary was involved in community leadership in the Tacoma, Seattle and Stevensville areas. He served as a board member of the Annie Wright School, Tacoma Philharmonic, Tacoma Art Museum and the Gainsborough Condominium Assoc. He was influential in the formative years of Northwest Sinfonietta and a founding member of the City Club of Tacoma. He served in numerous other capacities at Christ Episcopal Church (Tacoma), Trinity Lutheran Church (Parkland), St. Marks Cathedral (Seattle), and St. Stephens Episcopal Church (Stevensville).

Gary retired in 2010 as senior vice president for Morgan Stanley Smith Barney after 40 years in client services. He was a gifted finance counselor and loved the people he worked with through those many years.

Gary was an extremely contented person of strong Christian faith. He farmed in Montana, tended to his library of Montana history books and maintained close contact with family and friends. He read avidly enjoying a variety of topics such as history, urban development and world affairs. His main love was to be with family, to attend arts events and to connect with past acquaintances and business associates.

Gary is survived by his wife Kathryn; his children Silke (Brandon) Olsen and Annie (Aaron) Vaughn; his brother, Ken (Karen) Habedank; two sisters, Darleen (Bob) Shawl and Barbara Habedank; adopted sister Sally Beck; and four grandchildren, Isabella, Otto, Amaiyah and Lexie Grace.

Memorial services will be held at St. Stephens Church in Stevensville, on Saturday, Sept. 28, at 2 p.m. and at Christ Episcopal Church in Tacoma, Wash., on Oct. 12 at 2 p.m. Memorial gifts in honor of Gary can be made to: Pantry Partners, P.O. Box 806, Stevensville, MT 59870, or to the Gary L. Habedank Scholarship Fund, Development Office, Pacific Lutheran University, Tacoma, WA 98477.

Arrangements are under the care of Sunset Memorial Gardens Funeral Home.

Read Gary Habedank's Obituary and Guestbook on www.missoulafuneralhomes.com.