Daniel A. Gies
courtesy photo
Daniel A. Gies
MISSOULA – Daniel A. Gies, 66, passed away Wednesday, Oct. 3, 2012, at his home surrounded by his family. He fought a long battle with metastatic bone cancer.
Born March 24, 1946 in St. Ignatius to Alfred John “Al” Gies and Helen Barbara Tucker Gies, he lived with his family at Post Creek until the death of his father in 1956. His family then moved to Arlee where he went to school. At age 10, (during the summers), he began his life of work on local farms. Later, in high school in St. Ignatius, he boarded at various dairies throughout the Mission Valley where he milked cows before and after school. He graduated from St. Ignatius in 1964 and then worked various jobs. He sprayed weeds for Lake County, was a gas station attendant in St. Ignatius and at the Wye in Missoula and for Mountain Supply. He began his career in the lumber industry at White Pine and Sash. He was drafted into the U.S. Army and served from 1965 to 1967, including a tour in Germany at an evacuation hospital. Upon his discharge, he returned to White Pine, but later went to Van Evan. When that mill closed in 1975, he was hired by the Anaconda Co. Mill at Bonner, that became Champion and later Stimson Lumber. He worked there until 2007 when the mill was shutdown. Dan then retrained for building maintenance at the Missoula Vo-tech. He was diagnosed with COPD and put on oxygen. He completed his maintenance-training course and earned his certificate. In May 2008 he retired.
Dan met and married Mary Lou Strane Lightfield in 1975, gaining a son, Todd Lightfield. Together Daniel and Mary had a daughter, Cynthia Gies, in 1978.
He was preceded in death by his brother Bradley Michael Gies in 1953; father Alfred Gies in 1956; mother Helen Gies of Hamilton in 2000; sister Katherine “Kay” Obenland and her husband Richard Obenland of Spokane; his oldest brother William “Bill” Gies of South San Francisco; brother-in-law Ray Tennison of Mesa, Ariz.; and brother-in-law Dave Swanson of Spokane.
Survivors include his wife of 36 years Mary; son Todd Lightfield (Cara) of Lolo; daughter Cynthia Gies of Missoula; sister Shirley Tennison of Mesa; brother Jim Gies (Sharon) of Colville, Wash.; brother Stan Gies of Winnett; brother Charley Gies (Sharon) of Minden, Neb.; brother Randy Gies (Ruby) of Shawnee, Okla.; brother John Gies (Wie) of Blaine, Wash.; sister Linda Gies of Fort Yukon, Alaska; sister Jeannie Swanson of Spokane; sister Mary Ellen Gies of Spokane; sister-in-law Yolanda Gies of South San Francisco; two very special granddaughters, Mackenzie Rene Lightfield and Madison Lee Lightfield; and many nieces and nephews.
Dan enjoyed camping, hunting and fishing at the lakes around western Montana. We know he will be holding all the littlest angels in heaven, as he loved all babies. A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Friday, Oct. 12 at Garden City Funeral Home.
