Walter Earl Whirry, 89, died Jan. 21, 2017, at the Montana Veterans Home in Columbia Falls.
He was born in Missoula on March 10, 1927, to Willard and Julia Whirry. Walt graduated Shelby High School and served in the Coast Guard during World War II.
On Aug. 28, 1947, he married Helen Christian in Shelby. After receiving a degree in agricultural economics from Montana State College-Bozeman in 1948, he worked in banking and construction.
While living in Shelby, Walt and Helen raised five of their seven children, as well as developing several small businesses. The family began their own cattle ranch north of Browning in 1959 before moving to a larger operation on the east end of the Bear Paw Mountains in 1961. They resided in Havre where two additional children were born into the family, while being highly involved in the St. Jude Catholic community.
In 1968, the family moved to West Glacier where Walt and Helen developed and operated the West Glacier golf course. The golf course was sold in 1974. In semi-retirement Walt and Helen enjoyed their new house overlooking Glacier and traveling in the Southwest. They returned to the original family ranch on the South Fork of the Milk River north of Browning in 1990 for summers. After 33 years living in West Glacier, they built a retirement home in Kalispell.
Walt is survived by daughters, Jane Mues and Dawn Diskin; sons, Gordon Whirry (Janet), Brian Whirry (Sherry Abel), and William Whirry; nine grandchildren, nine great-grandchildren and one great-great grandchild.
He was preceded in death by his parents, sister Barbara Baroch, brother John, wife Helen, son Burt and daughter Judy.
Family graveside services will be held at C.E. Conrad Memorial Cemetery, with a celebration of life to be held later in the year.
To send a note of condolence to the family, please go to www.buffalohillfh.com. Buffalo Hill Funeral Home is caring for the family.