Phillip Iversen

Phillip R. Iversen age 96, passed away on April 7, 2020 at his home in Kalispell with his family by his side. Phil was born on February 23, 1924 in Eugene, Oregon to Rev. Henry and Christine (Nielsen) Iversen. Phil's brother Raymond was 15 years old at the time and his sister Edith was 13 years old. When he was a small child he moved to McBride, Michigan where he started elementary school. While still in first or second grade the family moved to Cushing, WI. where he spent most of his childhood and attended the first 2 years of high school in Saint Croix, Wisconsin. In about 1940 his dad was called to a church near Viborg, South Dakota and he spent  his junior and senior years of high school at Augustana Academy in Canton SD. WWII broke out during his senior year of high school and after graduation he  enlisted in the United States Navy and spent most of the next three years in the Pacific theater of the war visiting many of the South sea Islands, Ulithi, Formosa, Marshall Island, Saipan, Korea, China, Philippines, Japan and places in between.

In 1950 he married Patricia Anne  Swain of McNabb, Illinois and they were blessed with three wonderful children.

After the war Phil attended Dana College and Iowa State University working for a degree in architectural engineering. During the summer months he worked as a seasonal park ranger at Zion National Park, Utah and this experience changed his career plans. Phil was eventually successful in obtaining a permanent job with the National Park Service in Carlsbad Caverns National Park in New Mexico. Other job locations include Grand Canyon National Park (Twice), Phil was the first park ranger assigned to the newly established C&O Canal National Historic Park in Maryland, Petrified Forest National Park, Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado, Arches, Canyonlands National Park and Natural Bridges National Monuments near Moab, Utah, Dinosaur National Monument near Vernal, Utah, Assistant Regional Director of the Midwest Region in Omaha, Nebraska, State Director of the National Parks in the State of Utah and he finished his career as Superintendent of Glacier National Park in Montana.

During retirement Phil served as chairman of Our Savior Lutheran Church in Columbia Falls, MT two terms on the School board School District 6 (Columbia Falls,) President of the Kalispell Rotary Club, President of Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park, he also volunteered for Flathead National Forest and Glacier National Park. Phil authored 3 books. First was “Ripples On The Water” a history of the Iversen  family including the genealogy,  the Second book was his reflection on the Christian religion titled “An Elusive God”. His third book was an effort to preserve a record of some interesting people he had met and some of the historic events he witnessed during his career in the National Park Service the title of this book is “The Centennial of a Great Idea”. For more then 20 years we spent the winter months in Fountain Hill, Arizona.

In parting Phil urges all of you to heed the words of an ancient prophet Mica “ And what does the Lord require of you, To do justice, to love kindness and walk humbly with you God.”

Phil is survived by his wife Patricia , children Paul and his wife (Kathleen Ann Yeager) Iversen of Whitefish, MT, Patrick and wife ( Laurie Jean Robinson) Iversen, of Grand Junction, Colorado and Pamala and husband

(Gordon )Bates of Kalispell, MT. Grandchildren: Ami Maxine and husband (Douglas) McDonald, Holly Ann Patricia and husband (Robert) Klein,  Abbigail, and Phillip. Great grandchildren: Michael Cole, Kylie Tiel, Kaitlyn Reese, Cooper Reid, Carter Dexter and Grant Carson. Services will be held at a later date.

Friends are encouraged to visit our website at www.buffalohillfh.com to leave notes of condolences for the family. Buffalo Hill Funeral Home and Crematory caring for the family.