Frank Guay passed away peacefully early May 29 at Kalispell Regional Medical Center. He was comforted through his final hours by his wife, daughter, son, five grandchildren, and several of his great-grandchildren.
Frank was born in Whitefish on August 5, 1927 to Wilma (Lent) Guay and Frank Guay. He had one sibling, his older sister Betty.
Frank left school during the ninth grade, preferring to get out on his own and start working. He started as a farm hand in the Big Fork area at age 13, hitchhiking between Whitefish and Bigfork to get to work. For a period of time he worked in the railroad round house switching the tracks to direct the train cars. He spent most of the rest of his life working hard to provide for himself and, later in life, for those he cared for.
His resume was long and varied. As a young man he learned carpentry skills from his grandfather, Milo Lent. Milo taught him how to use tools, pay attention to detail, think ahead, and just do good work as they built homes in and around Whitefish. He drove taxies in Kalispell, was a carpenter on the Hungry Horse dam construction project, managed a service station, was a mechanic and service manager at a car dealership, sold cars, worked in automotive body shops, then went back to carpentry as his own boss building and remodeling any structure made of wood. He served a term as a Flathead County Commissioner in the late 1970’s, spent some time as a realtor, and went back to construction. He even took a shot at harvesting lodge pole pine for fence posts.
Frank taught hunter’s safety classes in Kalispell for many years, and was an active member of the Jay Cees for several years. He also served on the board of the Evergreen Water District.
In 1950 Frank married Cora Beth Grainger. A year later they greeted their daughter Jean, and a son, Larry followed. Nothing meant more to Frank than his responsibilities to those he cared about. He never stopped teaching and offering guidance, often accompanied by some folksy saying and, maybe, just a touch of sarcasm. His grandchildren can spend hours fondly telling “Grandpa” stories.
Frank was preceded in death by his parents and sister.
He is survived by his wife at the family home, his daughter Jean Kelly and her husband Terry, son Larry and his wife Rhonda, grandchildren Brett Kelly and his wife Amy, April (Kelly) Snell and husband Jerry, Jessica (Guay) Pullman and husband Tyler, Alyssa Guay, Alexandra Guay and husband Vince, and nine great-grandchildren.
Services will take place Wednesday, June 3 rd , at 2:00 p.m. at Buffalo Hill Funeral Home. Friends are encouraged to visit our website www.buffalohillfh.com to send notes of condolences. Buffalo Hill Funeral Home is caring for the family.