BILLINGS - George David Lix, Sr., "Chaps", passed away at his home June 15, 2024. He was born August 13, 1936, in Sheridan, WY to George Martin Lix and Alida Pattyn Lix. He was the oldest of five children, beating his identical twin brother Jude into the world by five minutes.

Chaps grew up in Lodge Grass and attended school at the St. Xavier Mission with his siblings, Jude, Arnold, Agnes and Pauline from 1942 to 1950. He graduated from Lodge Grass High School in 1954.

He did odd jobs after graduation until enlisting in the Army in May of 1957. He served two years in Kaiserslautern, Germany and was honorably discharged in April of 1959. While he was in Germany, he was able to see parts of the country as well as travel to France, Switzerland, Austria and Holland in the Netherlands. He photographed many of the places he visited and the people he met along the way. Something that he did for most of his life, leaving memories on film.

After being discharged from the Army, he met June Isaacs, and they were married 1961. Chaps and June had three children and made their home in Lodge Grass while he worked for Big Horn County grading and working on roads and bridges from 1967 to 1977. The family moved to Hardin in 1977 when Chaps went to work for Morrison-Knudsen at the Sarpy Creek Mine as a mechanic-welder until 1986. At that time, June and Chaps divorced, and he moved to the Billings Heights where he bought a house and a couple acres and made his forever home until his death.

During his life he was a member of the Jaycees, Elks, City Council, was a local Police Judge and a very civic minded man. He rebuilt the park in Lodge Grass and a new public building, made street signs for the town, converted an Army truck into a Fire truck, built the dock for swimmers at Willow Creek Dam and many other contributions over his life. He helped everyone who needed a hand when he could, serving as a mechanic, welder, builder, on and on.

No project was beyond his ambition - everything from home-built farmhands to an automatic can crusher. The fellowship that occurred in each of his shops (Lodge Grass, Hardin, and Billings) was central in how he connected to his friends and family. Many of us have a memory or two of how many of the world's problems got solved in Chap's shop.

He planted a huge garden every year, enjoyed tending to it and then giving away all that he raised to his friends and family and people at the bank. He liked getting together with friends whenever he could and having birthday barbecues at his house. He taught his sons and son-in-law how to mechanic and weld and in turn carry on his legacy to future generations.

Dad was a huge animal lover too, dogs, guinea pigs, squirrels, you name it. Once a month for the last 10 years he would stop at the day-old bread store and get a cart full of bread for his daughter's chickens, always worrying that they had enough to eat. They don't make them like Dad anymore. He was one of a kind. If you asked him how he was, he always replied, "Happier Than a Run Over Dog".

Chaps was preceded in death by his parents, George and Alida Lix, brothers: Jude Lix, Arnold Lix, sister, Agnes Weinzetl and is survived by his sister, Pauline Nile, half-sisters: Jean Stimpson (Byron) and Janice Lix, sons: George David Lix, Jr. (Amy), Thomas Allyn Lix (Lisa) and daughter, Jennifer Lynn Robinson (Stacey), as well as grandchildren: Morgan, Noah, Kimberly, Carter, Chance and Cassidy and former wife, June Isaacs Graham, all of Billings.

Per his wishes, there will not be a service - his ashes will be spread privately by his children. An open house and luncheon will be held at 1:00 PM on July 13, 2024 at the Fraternal Order of the Eagles, 526 Laurie Ln. in the Billings Heights. Family and friends are welcome to come and have a beer on Chaps and share some memories.

His arrangements have been entrusted to Heights Family Funeral Home.