Paul K. Driesbach

Paul Kilbourn Driesbach passed away peacefully Dec. 14, 2014, after 89 years of adventure on planet Earth.

He was born Sept. 26, 1925, in Rockford, Illinois. After earning medals in World War II as an Army radio engineer, he attended Beloit College, graduating with a double degree in biology and forestry. He met his wife Barbara when they were counselors at a youth camp for disadvantaged kids. They were married in 1951.

He was employed by the U.S. Forest Service for 33 years, working in Alaska, Washington, Idaho and Montana. In addition to his role as father to Chris (Cindi), Anne, David and Mardee, he had many hobbies. He was a ham radio operator, a community theater actor, a potter, a painter, a wind surfer, a sailor, and at age 78 took up the piano. After Barbara, his wife of 58 years, died in May of 2009, he learned to kayak and cross-country ski.

In 2010 he met Joyce Koostra with whom he shared his last years. He moved to Missoula to be with her and they had many happy times together. He will be greatly missed by his four children; four grandchildren, Crystal (Clinton), Chad (Cady), Tianah and Paulina; three great-grandchildren, Dashiell, Vancouver and Thorin); and by his loving companion, Joyce.

A private memorial was held at the Koostra residence. He expressed his philosophy in the poem he wrote in 2013:

Friendly Star

Friendly Star, not too close, not too far,

lucky we are to be where we are!

Light years from here others too

may be as lucky as we

facing their own friendly star.

The lowly amoeba shares DNA with us if only 5 percent.

Long before we came to be many organisms burst forth on our family tree.

Plants, animals came and went

fish and backbones with appendages were tried

and succeeded splendidly.

Hands and feet were not our invention.

Thanks and respect are due for eons of trial and error so long ago.

All of life is powered by our Friendly Star.

Our earth's hot interior powers a different sort of strange life forms.

So, do we now know all there is to be discovered?

No, I don't think we ever will…

Perhaps someday we will be the UFO on a distant planet.
Read Paul Driesbach's Obituary and Guestbook on www.missoulafuneralhomes.com.