Howard R. Spidel
ST. IGNATIUS – Howard R. Spidel, 76, passed away in Missoula on March 22 from lung cancer.
He was born Dec. 4 1934 to Otto and Caroline Spidel in Circle, Mont., where he graduated from Circle High School in 1953. After high school he worked two years in the Aleutian Islands in Alaska as an electric lineman.
In 1958, he was drafted into the US Army serving until 1960. He spent those two years in Germany where he found his soul mate, Ingrid Limmer. On Sept. 22, 1960 they were married in Glendive, Mont.
They spent the first five years in Brockway farming with his dad. While there they had their first daughter, Jackie, in 1961. In 1965 they moved to St. Ignatius, moving to their ranch in 1967, where they still reside.
Howard also started to work for the Bureau of Reclamation as a lineman in 1965. Then in 1975 their son Erich was born. He retired in 1985 from the power company. However, from 1965 until his death, ranching was his life.
He was preceded in death by his mother Caroline and father Otto.
Survivors include his wife of fifty years, Ingrid of St. Ignatius; his son Erich and daughter Jackie (Charlie) Morigeau all of St. Ignatius; his brother Leroy (Suzanne) Spidel of Lewistown, Mont.; seven grandkids Charles, Jeremiah (Annie), Levi, Fish, Tyler and Layne of St. Ignatius and three great grandkids.
A memorial service was held Tuesday, March 29 at 11 a.m. at the Zion Lutheran Church in St. Ignatius. Services and cremation is under the direction of Foster Funeral Home of St. Ignatius.
