David Lee Waldo

Jan. 26, 1958 - Jan. 14, 2015

David Lee Waldo, 56, of Hamilton, Montana, passed away Wednesday, Jan. 14, due to an acute cardiac event at Marcus Daly Memorial Hospital.

He was born in Hamilton the son of Thomas and Edythe Waldo.

Dave graduated from Crescent Valley High School in Corvallis in 1976 and then attended Linn-Benton Community College to pursue writing. In 1978 he began working in a sawmill and on tree farms in Oregon. Dave moved back to Hamilton in 1985 with his family and began working in the Hamilton Cenex Tire Shop. In 1987 his family purchased the Rainbows End Health Food Store in Hamilton. He married Diana Lee Thomas in Hamilton in 1990. He continued to work with his parents at the store until his parents retired in 2007. At this time Dave and Diana bought Rainbows End and currently own and operate it.

Dave joined the Hamilton Volunteer Fire Department in 1992. Over the years he served as an officer, president and assistant chief before retiring in 2012. He was also credentialed as a Strike Team Leader though the U.S. Forest Service and the DNRC, and spent many summers fighting wild land fires. Dave was a member of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, the NRA, Hamilton Softball Organization and continued to serve others through Sight Life and Northwest Tissue Organ Donation.

Dave loved being outdoors. He enjoyed fishing and crabbing, hunting, bowling, boating, basketball, camping, reading, ATV riding and especially hiking with his beloved 4 legged pet, "Cricket".

Dave was preceded in death by his grandparents and father Tom Waldo.

He is survived by his wife, Diana Waldo of Hamilton; mother Edythe Waldo of Hamilton; sister Adel Coone and husband Don of Hamilton; two brothers, Jim Waldo and wife Jeanne of Willow Creek, Montana, and Dan Waldo and wife Ginny of Victor, Montana; four daughters, Teresa Reynolds of Hamilton, Jody Sorenson and husband Scott of Hamilton, Deanna Beatty and husband Roger of Missoula, Montana, and Leslie Zahn and husband Travis of Florence, Montana; 10 grandchildren, two great-grandchildren, two nephews, one niece and all of his brothers in the Hamilton Volunteer Fire Department.

A service will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 20, at the Daly-Leach Chapel with a reception following at the Hamilton Fire Station, 175 S. Third Street, Hamilton.

The family suggests that memorials be made in Dave's name to the Hamilton Volunteer Fire Department, P.O. Box 562, Hamilton, MT 59840. Condolences may be left for the family at www.dalyleachchapel.com.

David was a devoted member of our community, he will be dearly missed. We love you Papa!