John Barovich

John Barovich was a great human being. Big John had a big heart and helped more people out than anyone we knew. His immigrant beginnings were probably the reason he understood folks who struggled. He was unforgettable and we still miss him.

Not a single day goes by without my remembering him. Not a single day.
I will miss him for as long as I live.
I loved him deeply.

I will always remember spending time in Sheridan fishing at John's summer home! My dad and I always had great fun. Eating our catch was also enjoyable. What a great family!

John and my father, Fred worked together for years, but he and his family were some our dearest friends.

He was the greatest guy I ever knew. A terrific provider for his family, devoted to his beautiful wife, Mary, and a fabulous golfer. Tremendous pilot, a risk taker extraordinaire! No one like this guy - ever!

John Barovich was a real leader and a very special friend of ours.

I remember his words of encourage ment on many occasions.

When I was unexpectedly flown to Billings's from Helena for by-pass surgery our daughter Peggy Ann from Texas, who knew John from Western Life Insurance Company's conventions, called him and asked him if he would please visit her dad.

John and his wife Mary both came to the hospital to see me. It is an untold story of a beautiful couple, our friends, doing a special, caring deed.

John Barovich was the biggest man we ever met - his life was big, his heart was big, his dreams were big. He accomplished what matters in life; he gleaned the love and respect from nearly everyone he knew. He had a knack for irritating the right people, too! People could count on John, for anything; he threw more life lines out to folks in troubled times than anyone we ever knew. We miss him and the large space he took up in this world because he filled it with such goodness. He took chances that the rest of us only wish we would or could have taken. (Our mother learned all she knew about the insurance business through him and became an independant career woman much before it was fashionable!) He pushed life to the limit and lived it in full; people marveled and loved him and admired him for it. (Except the MT Highway Patrol, of course.) So many stories... He and his wife Mary were some of the dearest people in the world, and they made a huge unforgettable difference in so many lives. We will never forget them nor the many blessings the gift of their friendship was to our family. May they be enjoying the wonderful companionship, once again, that sustained them during much of their married life. May they know peace and love together and forever. May their family be blessed on this day and always, with amazing memories given to them by incredible and wonderful parents. The Hanson family (Roy & Rhoda's tribe)

Mary and Family,



Asaph just told me of your loss. We have both lost a parent this year. Oddly enough on a Friday, April 2, 2006 Sylvia past away at 94. I remember growing up on "our street" Rugby and at times meeting or doing stuff together as neighbors did back then. I think we had a couple of parties at Lou and Jerry Roan's. Do you remember those? Mary, call me we should get together. I remember mom and dad talking about your parents and even after we drifted apart and they moved they would try and keep up with what was happening with the Barovichs.

Blessed peace to your soul with the warmth of the love that never dies,

Carol and Rocky Mick

To Mary Fitzgerald.I want to offer my condolences to you and to your family on the loss of your Father.Your Father was an interesting person to me.Thank you for letting me serve,and try to help you take care of your Father.It was a pleasure to cook for Him,to keep Him company,and it was my pleasure to know Him. One thing I always appreciated about your Father,He respected my beliefs about Jesus,and His death on the cross for our sins,and on a Sunday morning when I did not go to church,Your Father would always comment and say I should be in church.

Your Father always allowed me to watch the Billy Graham Crusades every Saturday, and would even listen to the crusades with me while playing solitare on his computer.

Your Father even once commented on how well Mr Graham could preach. The family also doesnt know ,your Father kept the radio in his Toyota on Family Radio,the 24 hour Christian Radio program from California.

This station played all the old Hymns,like The Old Rugged Cross.



I believe your Father was spiritually minded,and the promise of The Bible

"For God so loved the world, that he gave His only begotten Son,that whosoever believeth in him should not perish,but have everlasting life.

Your Father will be greatly missed.

Dear Mary-- Your father was truly a gentleman. He was one of my very favorite guests when I worked at the Hilands-- always kind and patient. My thoughts are with you during this time.

Have known John for 60 years.... admired and appreciated his many personal kindnesses!

My dearheart Mary,

I send you my deepest sympathy, and please know I'm thinking of you and the memory of your incredible father. John was the complete gentleman. Much like Montana, he was one of the last and best...Clark Gable, Cary Grant, and John Barovich. He defines debonair with his mischievous smile and generous heart, that's how he will forever be...not for just an hour, not for just a day, and not for just a year, but always.



My love to you during this most sorrowful hour,

I was fortunate to know an work with John for many years. I heard of him long before meeting him, and he always lived up to his great reputation. When anyone mentioned "John" in Montana, or in the insurance business, you knew it was John Barovich. He was the very greatest. My best to all of you Barovichs.

I will always cherish all the good times I had with John on and off the golf course. He was really a GREAT guy.

My mom, Martha Barovich Wissink (one of John’s little sisters) always looked up to John for advice. John took time to listen and be available for her. Although she preceded him in death on October 18, 2003; they are united now. I remember Uncle John taking my brother and me for a plane ride. It was an experience I still remember today. My prayers are with you.

Memories of my youth in Miles City with the John Barovich family as neighbors will never be forgotten. Please accept my heartfelt sympathy.

Wherever John and my father are, I'm sure they're together, up to no good, and having a great time.

What an honor and privledge to have had John at Montana State University this spring to celebrate the 70th anniversary of his graduation. He was a hit! It was truly a blessing for us to meet him and his daughters and share this special time with him.



MSU Alumni Association

I am sorry for your loss.

Yes, John was larger than life and he will be dearly remembered. What a wonderful tribute to a great man. God Bless You.

John will always remain an icon in the Stillwater and Yellowstone valleys.

Mike, Mary and Marney,

My thoughts and prayers are with you. I always liked being around John! He was always fun and made me laugh a lot. I enjoyed the trips we took when I worked for him but only if he left me drive! He was quite a man and someone to look up to.

Dan, Bonnie, Abby, Clay and Eric Dieffenbacher

Mary and Marny, My thoughts and prayers are with you. Fondly, Mary D. Johnson

"The angels are always near to those who are grieving, to whisper to them that their loved ones are safe in the hand of God." ~Quoted in The Angels' Little Instruction Book by Eileen Elias Freeman, 1994



Great uncle John will surely be missed as he has touched so many lives during his long and wonderful life; may the Lord’s comfort and compassion carry you all through this most difficult time. With our deepest sympathies,

My thoughts and prayers are with you.

Our sympathies are with you.

May his Memory be Eternal - Vjecnaja Pamjat.

Mary - I worked at St. Labre for a short time while you were there. I have never forgotten the joyful stories about your father, his pilot background & traffic violations. Lord willing, your grief will be lightened at this time.

Even though I didn't know my great uncle that well, I know he shall be missed by the family.

My Sympathy for the family.

Thanks for letting me know of John's death. I'll miss him and his annual visit to AZ each winter. Our friendship goes back a long way - he really was "quite a guy"!

Mary, Marny and family,



I am sorry for your loss. Our parents' era is ending but hopefully their stories will live on.

It was a pleasure haveing known John in Miles City when he was coaching football

I will always remember John. He was very good to our family and my father, Fred thought the world of him.

Condolences to Family. Enjoyed visiting with John & daughters at recent MSU Graduation exercises in Bozeman. I attended Edgar Hi lwhen John was coach at Columbus.

To my Uncle John, with deepest sympathy to his family. He was so kind to my mother and his other brothers and sisters. Please accept our sympathy from my wife Jane and I.

What a guy!!!!!

Mary, I never knew your father, but he sounds like my kind of guy. I am so sorry for your loss.

Our thoughts and prayers are with you in your time of grief. May your memories bring you comfort.

My condolances to the Barovich family. John was my 7th & 8th grade coach in basketball and he had the 7th and 8th graders out practicing with the H.S. football team. John quit coaching before I got to H.S. He must have had enough of me. He was a great guy. Enjoyed seeing him at the 2005 reunion.

Our dear friend Betty Erfle who has lived all her life in Rapelje told me that John had passed on and Betty said that her husband Ben had bought a policy from John. As she talked about John it brought back alot of memories of my growing up years with your Dad. I remember the plane ride to sheridan and how sick I got. I remember washihng his plane all day long.

I will try to see you at the funeral and if i miss you please give me a call for a chat. 663-2285. I promise to talk fast. I send you prayers and I send you my love. Rita

John was a true friend to our whole family, always there with a joke, a story, a plane when needed. We will miss him. Perle,Suzi,Lauren,and Irv Weissman

Stan, Mike, Mary, Marny - Our deepest sympathy, and my thoughts are with you all this week. I dearly loved your Dad, he did so much for me personally after my Dad died, and so much for all my family. I will cherish all our time together and all the wonderful memories of past time with all of you Barovichs!! Enjoyed so much talking to Mary yesterday, as we had a good memory recall. Again my Love to all of you, and I will be with you in spirit as I can not make to Billings on Friday, unfortunately. Love, Doug

Please accept our deepest sympathies.

I shall miss my uncle coming over to play cribbage with my dad and my dad shall certainly miss his big brother, the patriarch of the family.

Grandpa's legacy will live on in the wonderful memories....

A great friend and wonderful golfing buddy.

My heartfelt condolensces for your great loss. John sounds like he was a great persona, who loved life and gave to others. May he rest in peace.

Please accept my deepest sympathies.

I never had John as a teacher in Columbus, but he succeeded in selling a Western Life policy on me, and once when riding back from Fishtail with him, he went acroos the wrong bridge over the Yellowstone at Columbus, indicating to us, I guess, that sometimes rules were made to be broken. Our condolences to the extended family.