Sylvester Seidensticker

TWIN BRIDGES - Lifelong Twin Bridges resident, Sylvester "Siv" Seidensticker, age 92, died at his home Thursday, Aug. 14, 2008.

He was born July 31, 1916, at Twin Bridges to John C. and Agnes (Woosley) Seidensticker. When he was seven his mother died, and he was raised by his mom Veronica G. Seiden-sticker. He graduated salut- atorian of the Twin Bridges Class of 1935. His class held its 72nd class reunion last year.

In 1939, he earned his bachelor's degree in Range Management from the College of Forestry from the University of Montana at Missoula. Siv then worked for the BLM from 1939 to 1941 as a range surveyor in Eastern Montana.

In 1941, he returned to the ranch until 1989 when he sold to Allen Hamilton. He was always very proud of the fact that the ranch would continue to be a working ranch after the sale. From 1990 to 2006 he sprayed weeds and did dozer work for the Hamilton ranch.

In November 1939, Siv and Fern were married. They later divorced. In November 1977, he married Chris Taylor.

Siv was always very involved in his community. He belonged to numerous groups including Rotary, the Masons, the Elks and Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation. He started the Twin Bridges Historical Association. He served on the Twin Bridges Cemetery Board for 25 years, and also on the Twin Bridges School Board. He was a member of the Montana Hereford Association and the Ruby Valley Conservation District from 1968 to 1988.

He was very proud of authoring Senate Bill 310 - Streambed Protection Act. He was on the Ruby Valley Conservation Advisory Board for 20 years and the Landowner/Sportsman Advisory Committee for the Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks from 1977 to 1980.

He also served on the BLM Butte District Advisory Council and as State President in 1977 of the Montana Association of Conservation Districts. He belonged to the Ruby Valley Chapter Order of DeMolay. Siv was a charter member of the Montana Farm Bureau and he was honored as the Weed Fighter of the Year in 2001 by the Montana Weed Control Association.

The joys of his life included his family, his ranch, elk hunting, hunting camps, the mountains, showing people the big ridge, sage brush burning, clearing brush with his dozer, building roads and community dirt work.

He enjoyed traveling around the world visiting five continents. Siv was a historian, writing three books and collecting numerous Indian artifacts. He enjoyed his garden, flowers and lawn. He was a range conservationist working his entire life to improve his ranch through extensive soil, grass and water improvement projects.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Chris; daughter, Carol Pederson; brother, Lowell S.; dad, Jack S.; mother, Agnes; mom, Veronica; infant daughter, Marjorie, stepsons, Jerry Engle and Joe Glick.

Survivors include his brother, Dr. John C. and Elaine Seidensticker III of Missoula; sister, Jane and Jim Grant of Butte; grandchildren, Mark and Julie Pederson of Twin Bridges, Ramie Pederson of Lolo, Peder Pederson of Ennis, and Laura Hajny of Seattle; stepchildren, Ron and Judy Engle of Townsend, Dolly Glick of Twin Falls, Idaho, Sharon Engle of Waterloo; six stepgrand- children, 19 great-grand-children, numerous nieces, nephews and cousins, and many great friends.

Memorials: Twin Bridges Museum, Twin Bridges Fire Department, Twin Bridges Cemetery or the charity of the donor's choice.

Funeral services will be held Thursday, Aug. 21, at 11 a.m. from the Twin Bridges Elementary Gym with Tom Rummel officiating. Interment will follow in the Twin Bridges Cemetery. A potluck reception will be held at the Madison County Fairgrounds Round Building following the interment.

K&L Mortuaries of Twin Bridges in charge of arrangements.