Lucille Leona (Garbe) Malson, 86, went on ahead Friday, Nov. 25, 2011, in Tempe, Ariz. Calvin Earl Malson, 87, soon followed on Thursday, Dec. 1, 2011, apart from each other only six days.
Calvin was born March 25, 1924, in Rockyford, Alberta, Canada, the middle of seven children born to Emerson and Pearle Malson. He had one sister, Kathryn (Louie Dietrich, deceased), of Lakeside; and five brothers: Harold (Vivian) of Kalispell, Wm. "Eddie" (Mabel) of Ontario, Ray (Rose) of Evergreen, Gene and Cecil (Carolyn) of Lakeside.
Lucille, born November 2, 1925, in Churchbridge, Saskatchewan, Canada, was the oldest of five children born to Herbert and Rose Garbe. She had one sister, Vivian, who married Calvin's brother Harold (deceased); and three brothers, Ivan, of British Columbia, and Lyle and Bruce, both deceased.
Calvin and Lucille were married Jan. 18, 1944, and from then on, throughout 67 years of marriage, were always together.
In 1948, with their only child, Mona, they headed south from Canada to Ontario, Calif., where they lived for the next 20 years.
In 1966 they headed back up north to settle on their 25 acres near Kalispell. During the next 40 years, Calvin worked around Kalispell and the Valley with Liberty Drilling and Palicz Contracting.
Being generous with their time they became active in many community activities. Calvin was a member of the Somers Fire Department and Lucille joined the Ladies Auxiliary. Calvin was a member of the Kalispell Lions and Eagles. They both were members of Good Sam's Rocky Mountain Rollers RV Club and Sunshine Singers, entertaining at assisted living facilities in Kalispell. Calvin enjoyed singing and whistling with the country band at the old Syke's Market. Lucille loved to quilt by hand and won first place year after year for best quilt in the Flathead County Fair.
They enjoyed their winter home in Mesa for the last few years of their life. Calvin had wanderlust so they traveled to many parts of the world: Europe, New Zealand, Costa Rica, Central America and through the Panama Canal, to mention a few.
Calvin and Lucille are survived by their daughter, Mona Gray (Steve), of Tempe; two grandsons, Charles Gray (Melissa) of Mesa, Ariz., and Douglas Gray (Melissa), of Chandler, Ariz.; two great-grandsons, Josh Blackburn (Melissa) of Mesa, and Maxwell Gray of Chandler; and one great-great-grandson, Brandon Blackburn of Mesa.
A dual funeral service for Calvin and Lucille will be held Thursday, Dec. 8, 2011, at 11 a.m. at Buffalo Hill Funeral Home. Burial will follow at Glacier Memorial Gardens.
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Calvin was born March 25, 1924, in Rockyford, Alberta, Canada, the middle of seven children born to Emerson and Pearle Malson. He had one sister, Kathryn (Louie Dietrich, deceased), of Lakeside; and five brothers: Harold (Vivian) of Kalispell, Wm. "Eddie" (Mabel) of Ontario, Ray (Rose) of Evergreen, Gene and Cecil (Carolyn) of Lakeside.
Lucille, born November 2, 1925, in Churchbridge, Saskatchewan, Canada, was the oldest of five children born to Herbert and Rose Garbe. She had one sister, Vivian, who married Calvin's brother Harold (deceased); and three brothers, Ivan, of British Columbia, and Lyle and Bruce, both deceased.
Calvin and Lucille were married Jan. 18, 1944, and from then on, throughout 67 years of marriage, were always together.
In 1948, with their only child, Mona, they headed south from Canada to Ontario, Calif., where they lived for the next 20 years.
In 1966 they headed back up north to settle on their 25 acres near Kalispell. During the next 40 years, Calvin worked around Kalispell and the Valley with Liberty Drilling and Palicz Contracting.
Being generous with their time they became active in many community activities. Calvin was a member of the Somers Fire Department and Lucille joined the Ladies Auxiliary. Calvin was a member of the Kalispell Lions and Eagles. They both were members of Good Sam's Rocky Mountain Rollers RV Club and Sunshine Singers, entertaining at assisted living facilities in Kalispell. Calvin enjoyed singing and whistling with the country band at the old Syke's Market. Lucille loved to quilt by hand and won first place year after year for best quilt in the Flathead County Fair.
They enjoyed their winter home in Mesa for the last few years of their life. Calvin had wanderlust so they traveled to many parts of the world: Europe, New Zealand, Costa Rica, Central America and through the Panama Canal, to mention a few.
Calvin and Lucille are survived by their daughter, Mona Gray (Steve), of Tempe; two grandsons, Charles Gray (Melissa) of Mesa, Ariz., and Douglas Gray (Melissa), of Chandler, Ariz.; two great-grandsons, Josh Blackburn (Melissa) of Mesa, and Maxwell Gray of Chandler; and one great-great-grandson, Brandon Blackburn of Mesa.
A dual funeral service for Calvin and Lucille will be held Thursday, Dec. 8, 2011, at 11 a.m. at Buffalo Hill Funeral Home. Burial will follow at Glacier Memorial Gardens.