Dick died peacefully at home on Thursday, Feb. 20, 2014, surrounded by loving family.
Dick was born in Shevlin, Minn., on Sept. 18, 1930, to Alvin and Esther Williams LaSalle. He moved to Montana as a toddler and grew up in the Hoagland area. His mother taught school in many one-room schools; he attended 13 of them growing up. He graduated from Harlem High School in 1948.
In 1950 he enlisted in the Air Force. He was a left waist gunner on a B-29, flew 35 combat missions and five spy missions along the Chinese and Russian coasts, was discharged in 1953, then worked in Texas on off-shore oil rigs.
In 1958 he returned to Montana and went to work for the U.S. Forest Service in Helena, where he met future wife, Carrie Myhre, at Our Redeemer Lutheran Church. They were married on Dec. 30,1959.
He spent 27 years with the Forest Service on the Helena and Flathead Forests in Helena, Kalispell, Condon, Whitefish, and back to Kalispell, retiring in 1983. He was too much of a people person to stand retirement, so he tried real estate, a few other jobs, and in 1985 went to work for Montana Power. He retired for the last time in 2005. He and Carrie traveled extensively in their home on wheels.
Dick was a man of deep faith. He was a charter member of Faith Lutheran Church in Condon, spent many hours helping build the church, led adult Bible studies, etc. In 1969 they joined Trinity Lutheran in Kalispell. He was Trinity school board chairman for 16 years and on the camp board even longer. He earned his Silver Beaver and was a Boy Scout leader for many years, helping over a dozen boys achieve Eagle Scouts, including his three sons and one grandson. He was a referee and assistant coach for AAU wrestling for many years. He dearly loved the little children and working with the youth.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Esther and August Beck, beloved uncle, Erling Thorson; and brother, Eugene Beck.
He is survived by his wife, Carrie LaSalle, of 54 years; his three sons, Erling Richard II and wife Margie of Austin, Texas, and Eric Douglas and Kurt Wayne, both of Kalispell; his brothers, Donald LaSalle of McGregor, Minn., Arlo Beck and wife Wanda of Calgary, Alvin LaSalle and wife Judy, and Jeane and wife Katie of Cathedral City, Calif.; sister, Ellen Svendson, of Missoula; sister-in-law, Sandy Beck, of Hoagland; seven grandchildren, Erling Richard III, Joshua and Nichole LaSalle of Austin, Arrika LaSalle of Bozeman, Sharise Smith of Great Falls, and Ryan and Zachary LaSalle of Ellensburg, Wash.; and many nieces, nephews, and cousins. There are too many to list that considered him to be a second dad or grandpa.
Memorial services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday, March 1, at Trinity Lutheran Church, 400 W. California St., Kalispell.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to Trinity Lutheran Church, School, or Camp, or a charity of your choosing.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Erling Lasalle, please visit our flower store.
Dick was born in Shevlin, Minn., on Sept. 18, 1930, to Alvin and Esther Williams LaSalle. He moved to Montana as a toddler and grew up in the Hoagland area. His mother taught school in many one-room schools; he attended 13 of them growing up. He graduated from Harlem High School in 1948.
In 1950 he enlisted in the Air Force. He was a left waist gunner on a B-29, flew 35 combat missions and five spy missions along the Chinese and Russian coasts, was discharged in 1953, then worked in Texas on off-shore oil rigs.
In 1958 he returned to Montana and went to work for the U.S. Forest Service in Helena, where he met future wife, Carrie Myhre, at Our Redeemer Lutheran Church. They were married on Dec. 30,1959.
He spent 27 years with the Forest Service on the Helena and Flathead Forests in Helena, Kalispell, Condon, Whitefish, and back to Kalispell, retiring in 1983. He was too much of a people person to stand retirement, so he tried real estate, a few other jobs, and in 1985 went to work for Montana Power. He retired for the last time in 2005. He and Carrie traveled extensively in their home on wheels.
Dick was a man of deep faith. He was a charter member of Faith Lutheran Church in Condon, spent many hours helping build the church, led adult Bible studies, etc. In 1969 they joined Trinity Lutheran in Kalispell. He was Trinity school board chairman for 16 years and on the camp board even longer. He earned his Silver Beaver and was a Boy Scout leader for many years, helping over a dozen boys achieve Eagle Scouts, including his three sons and one grandson. He was a referee and assistant coach for AAU wrestling for many years. He dearly loved the little children and working with the youth.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Esther and August Beck, beloved uncle, Erling Thorson; and brother, Eugene Beck.
He is survived by his wife, Carrie LaSalle, of 54 years; his three sons, Erling Richard II and wife Margie of Austin, Texas, and Eric Douglas and Kurt Wayne, both of Kalispell; his brothers, Donald LaSalle of McGregor, Minn., Arlo Beck and wife Wanda of Calgary, Alvin LaSalle and wife Judy, and Jeane and wife Katie of Cathedral City, Calif.; sister, Ellen Svendson, of Missoula; sister-in-law, Sandy Beck, of Hoagland; seven grandchildren, Erling Richard III, Joshua and Nichole LaSalle of Austin, Arrika LaSalle of Bozeman, Sharise Smith of Great Falls, and Ryan and Zachary LaSalle of Ellensburg, Wash.; and many nieces, nephews, and cousins. There are too many to list that considered him to be a second dad or grandpa.
Memorial services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday, March 1, at Trinity Lutheran Church, 400 W. California St., Kalispell.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to Trinity Lutheran Church, School, or Camp, or a charity of your choosing.