Allen David Buffington

Allen David Buffington, 57, of 410 46th St. S., a boiler and building maintenance worker, died Tuesday at Front Range Aviation on Gore Hill, of injuries he received in a maintenance accident.
His funeral is 11 a.m. Monday at Croxford Funeral Home, with burial in Highland Cemetery. A reception for friends and family will be held at V.F.W. Post 1087 after the burial.
Allen is survived by his wife of 36 years, Janet Palmer Buffington; daughter Karen Maddox (John) of Rock Springs, Wyo.; a son, Donald Buffington of Lolo; a very special granddaughter, Samantha of Lolo; his brother-in-law and sister-in-law Tom and Judy Hendricks of Great Falls; brothers John Buffington of Tacoma, Wash., Kris Mueller of Redding, Calif., and Leo Mueller of Port Orchard, Wash.; a stepbrother, Kevin Keith of Bremerton, Wash.; sisters Barb Knapstad of Port Orchard, Connie Lovelace of Belfair, Wash., Kathy Stamm of Santa Maria, Calif., and Gracie Smith-Parker of Bremerton; and numerous nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents, George and Lois Mueller Buffington.
Allen was born July 14, 1952, in Bremerton, Wash., and graduated from South Kitsap High School in Washington.
Allen and Janet met while working at the Deaconess Hospital in the early 1970s; and were married June 1, 1973, in Great Falls, Mont. Allen owned and operated Sim World, and also owned a business that built and sold pontoon boats, both of which have closed.
Allen's work consisted of many jobs, working as a boiler man in the old Columbus Hospital building, working for Buchanan Enterprises in property management, and his current work was with the University of Great Falls and contract work with the U.S. Forest Service, which he enjoyed very much.
His community activities included helping out at the fair years back, making sure the airplane and other modeling displays went as advertised. Allen worked and helped in the Boy Scouts of America in many positions, including scoutmaster for the troop at the Eagles Manor.
Allen was very much a family man and loved to go camping and hiking from spring through the fall. Some of his favorite places were Monarch, Lindberg Lake and Holland Lake. Other interests were working with his computer and, of course, aviation. There wasn't a time you would not see him at an aviation event, be it in Great Falls or Reno, Nev. If an old plane and especially World War II planes would pass through Great Falls, he would be there to check them out. Allen always wanted to fly but never got the opportunity.
He enjoyed riding Harley Davidson motorcycles around the state whenever he got the chance. Allen always had several ideas of things that he wanted to do; he was not one to sit still, which would drive his wife crazy. He had many plans and most came as a surprise to his family of things he wanted to do with them. His plans always included his wife. All his friends and relatives could always count on him to take the time to help them in whatever they needed to get done.
Allen will be missed by his family and everyone else's hearts he touched.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to Janet Buffington, c/o Croxford Funeral Home, 1307 Central Ave., Great Falls, MT 59401.
Condolences may be posted online at www.croxfordfuneralhome.com and/or www.gftribune.com/obituaries.