George Darrow, 90, “concluded his long journey here on earth,” on Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2015.
George was born in Osage, Wyoming, to George W. and Marjorie Ord Darrow, on Friday, Aug. 13, 1924. The family moved to Lewistown for a short time following the oil fields, then to Rochester, New York, where he attended high school. The family spent many summers traveling back and forth to the family ranch in Lusk, Wyoming. The Ord Ranch remained in the family for over 100 years, and was a venue for many enjoyable annual family get-togethers.
George attended the University of Michigan, first receiving a degree in economics. He played football and was on the wrestling team there.
After graduating, he worked a short time for an export company, but determined that an indoor job was not for him and took a job as a rough neck in the oil field close to the family ranch in Wyoming. Gaining an interest in the oil field industry, he returned to UM to major in geology. During this time, he received officer's training as an ROTC and enlisted in the Navy as an officer during World War II. In fact, he had completed specialized radar training and was preparing to ship out on a destroyer from port in San Diego when the bomb was dropped on Hiroshima in 1945, effectively ending World War II. After his honorable discharge, he returned to UM to complete his geology degree.
His first geology job was with Amerada Hess, in Casper, Wyoming, later transferring to Billings. After a few years, he became an independent geologist.
In 1953, George married Eileen Riedl, at the Crossbow Ranch, a dude ranch that they jointly operated during summers in the Beartooth Mountains, near Yellowstone National Park. To this marriage of 16 years, four children, Roy, Karen, Reed and John were born. They later divorced and George married Elna Eshom at Paladin farms in Bigfork, in 1976. George and Elna enjoyed 32 years together before she passed away in 2009. As a Bigfork resident, George was involved in diverse business ventures. He and Elna mutually owned and operated Kootenai Gallery in downtown Bigfork for over 15 years. As the owner of Paladin Farms, George actively managed lentil, barley, mint and hay crops. He oversaw ranching operations for sheep, cattle and even owned and bred Percheron draft horses. At no time, did George, ever “retire.” He and Elna took regular winter sun-breaks for many years, mostly in the Southwest.
After Elna’s passing, George's children did their best to fill the void by visiting often, inviting him for holidays and joining him in attending functions. He spent the last months of his life in his “winter apartment” at Prestige Assisted Living, in Kalispell, where family and his dog, Ginger, visited often. There, he enjoyed friendships and dining with the other residents, and was very well taken care of by loving and caring staff.
George made a great many contributions to the state of Montana and the community of Bigfork. He served in the Montana legislature from 1967 to 1974, serving in both the House of Representatives and the Senate. One of the chief legislations George authored was the Montana Environmental Policy Act, an Act that was successfully passed and still exists today, protecting and preserving environmental and water quality for all Montanans. Throughout his lifetime, he actively participated in environmental organizations and stayed politically active, successfully influencing environmental legislation. On a local level, he spearheaded and served on various committees, one being an effort to conserve Cougar Canyon, a tract of state land on the mountainside above Woods Bay, as accessible public property.
George contributed to the Bigfork community through being a founding member of the Bigfork Center for Performing Arts and Sliter Park, and being a member of the Bigfork Chamber of Commerce. He served on the University of Montana President's Advisory Council for more than eight years. George indeed left many footprints during his time here on earth, both in the hearts of many and on the natural environment.
George was preceded in death by his son, John Robin Darrow, in 2010.
He is survived by his daughter, Karen Darrow, of Whitefish; and sons, Roy Darrow and wife Jeanne, with their two daughters, Pam and Megan, of Powell, Wyoming, and Reed Darrow and wife Cathie, with their five children, Makayla, Jace, Lane, Rayna and Kamryn of Kalispell; along with his brother, Bob Darrow, of Denver, and his first cousin, Harry Sager, of Houston, along with their families.
George's ashes will be scattered on the family farm on Red Tail Ridge by family.
In lieu of flowers, please give to a charity of your choice.