Glen W. Tibbitts

CUT BANK - Glen W. Tibbitts, 58, a Cut Bank native, Vietnam War veteran and former truck driver, died of complications from diabetes Saturday at a Great Falls hospital.
His memorial service is 1 p.m. Friday at Mountainview Baptist Church in Cut Bank, followed by a reception. Schnider Funeral Home of Great Falls is in charge of arrangements.
Glen died Sept. 26, 2009, surrounded by his family and a few close friends.
Born in Cut Bank on Aug. 23, 1951, to Molly (Dean) and Trevor "Red" Tibbitts, Glen was the second of three children. He attended schools in Cut Bank until his high school graduation in 1969.
Following graduation, he enlisted in the Navy at the height of the Vietnam War, serving from 1969-72, when he was honorably discharged.
He enrolled at Montana State University in Bozeman while working summers and off-season in the oilfields in and around Cut Bank. He worked for Getter Trucking until 1980, when he went to work for Sheridan Drilling in Bakersfield, Calif., and later drove truck for several propane companies in Bakersfield. He went to work for Coast Gas as a driver and later became a manager of one of their offices. Always looking to get closer to home, Glen took a manager position at Post Falls, Idaho, in 1998, where he worked until his retirement in 2003, which led him full circle back to Cut Bank.
In his early years, Glen was an avid Boy Scout and often listed his greatest regret as not having completed his Eagle Scout requirement, falling one merit badge short. He also played baseball through all levels, including Little League, Babe Ruth, Legion and adult softball with the Hardware Hankers. An avid sports fan, Glen enjoyed following his favorite teams and all things Cut Bank.
Of all his talents, Glen was most proud of his music. He was a fine second tenor and loved nothing more than singing in the choir, with the local folk group, New Folk, in the high school musicals or with whoever was on the radio. His performances were often followed by a litany of trivia questions on who wrote the song, who was in the group, etc. As the folks from KSEN will attest, Glen didn't miss a question in their daily rock 'n roll trivia. He was even banned for a while to give others an opportunity to answer. He loved concerts of all types and had an impressive resume of groups he had seen. He was a master at Jeopardy and amazed all his friends with the breadth of his experiences and his ability to remember the finest of details. If you didn't know the answer, you called Glen.
More important than any of this, Glen cherished family and friends. Always quick with a story or joke, Glen lit up any room. He was never at a loss for words and loved a captive audience. He leaves a huge hole in those lives he touched, but we are all better for having known him.
Survivors include his brother, Larry Tibbitts of Duck Lake; his sister, Faye Dean Tibbitts of Chinook; his nieces, Dena Tibbitts and Molly Tibbitts; and numerous cousins in and around Cut Bank.
Glen was preceded in death by his parents.
Condolences may be posted online at www.schniderfuneralhome.com and/or www.gftribune.com/obituaries.