Dennis L. Nault
courtesy photo
Dennis Nault
ARLEE — Dennis “Denny” Nault, 76, of Arlee, died peacefully at home on Oct. 14, 2015, surrounded by his loved ones. He was born into a Metis family on July 3, 1939, in Havre, to the late Andrew and Jean (Kinholt) Nault. After serving in the Marine Corps he returned to Montana making Arlee his home with Celina (Lumpry). Both were devoted to their children and all children of the Jocko Valley. Many fondly recall spending time at the family home feeling like part of the family.
From his earliest years and throughout his life Denny loved athletics and the arts. As a teenager, Denny earned a Golden Gloves award and eventually coached boxing. Karate captivated his interest long enough to earn his brown belt. Denny then devoted his time and energy to coaching women’s softball for many years sharing his love of softball with his daughters Shelly and Cassandra. A self-taught teenage artist he earned many ribbons and awards for his carvings. His friends’ Levi jackets became canvases for his drawings.
He shared a love of Harleys with his son Robin. His membership in the Hermanos motorcycle club and the times he shared with his brothers was a deep pleasure and source of fellowship in his retirement from Stone Container where he worked for 32 years and developed lifelong friendships. His love for his sister Sandra and her children was never far from his mind. His long and loving relationship with his Uncle Russ brought him deep joy and a sense of belonging.
Committed to the Jocko Valley community Denny purchased the Log Cabin Bar in 1991 four years after it was gutted by fire. He worked on restoring the building from 1991 until it opened as Hangin’ Art Gallery and Cafe in July of 2003. He created the building as a community development offering and over the next twelve years turned it into a vibrant community arts venue and gathering place with his partner and then wife Donna. The arts center gave Denny a time in his retirement to revisit his deep love of the arts. After a hiatus of forty-five years he began to draw again and took lessons in painting and watercolor. He joined the community-school poetry group and spent six years creating wonderful poetry and developing the confidence to participate in public readings of his work. He took great pleasure in the many evenings of music by local area musicians and readings of plays by Native playwrights.
His deepest reward was the role the center has played in providing arts and creative opportunities for the children of the Jocko Valley. His sister Sandra visited the Gallery when she was here and said “Denny and I would have loved to have a place like this in Havre when we were children.”
Denny is survived by his wife, Donna; his sister, Sandra (Wayne) Munch; his uncle, Russell (Elizabeth) Nault; his son, Robin Nault; daughters, Shelly (Von) Richter and Cassandra (Tim) Wolff as well as his grandchildren Desirae, Michelle, Bobbie, Sierra, Brittany, Jordan, Britton, Dayne, Jaci and Justin. Denny’s wife Celina and his brothers David and Dale Nault precede him in death.
Denny was a founding member of the Arlee Community Development Corporation and worked tirelessly on its behalf over the years. In lieu of flowers you can make a donation in his memory to the Arlee CDC at PO Box 452, Arlee, MT, 59821 or on its website at www.arleecdc.org.
Denny will be sorely missed by his loved ones and all those whose lives he touched with his lifelong friendship and generosity.
A memorial will be held for Denny at the Hangin’ Art Gallery on Highway 93 in downtown Arlee on Sunday, Nov. 8, at 1 p.m.
