David W. Kneebone

1947 - 2022

David W. Kneebone

March 25, 2022

David Walter Kneebone passed away peacefully in hospital on March 25, 2022.

David was born in Butte in 1947 to Walter and Helen Kneebone.

David worked for Anaconda Copper and later at ARCO Butte Operations in the ventilation Department and the Environmental Health and Safety Department until the closure of Butte Operations. He then operated OccuSafe Specialists, which had the only private mine rescue team in the country, and provided mine safety services to many of the small mining operations that Montana had at that time. Dave taught at Montana Tech during this time and was president of the Alumni association. He was also a member of the Butte Rotary. David worked for New Butte Mining until its closure, participating in the re-opening of the Alice-Lexington Tunnel and the last underground mining operations in Butte. Dave also was an educator, acting as substitute teacher for School District No. 1 and at UM Helena College of Technology as Fire Science instructor and Department Chair.

David served his community as a firefighter, joining Floral Park Volunteer Fire Department in the 1960s. He helped found the Little Basin Creek Volunteer Fire Company in 1977, serving as Chief for a number of years. He went on many wildfires for DNRC and served the community with the Silver Bow Fire Council as Secretary, and instructor at the Fire Training Center.

He married Cynthia Hastie in 1970.

David was preceded in death by his wife Cynthia, his parents and his sister Marthanne; He is survived by his sons Eric Kneebone, Bremerton and Glenn Kneebone, Missoula

There will be no visitation or wake; David's Ashes will be interred at 11:00 AM on April 4, 2022 at Mount Moriah Cemetery. A reception will follow at Holy Trinity Serbian Orthodox Church Parish Hall from 12:00 PM until 3:00 PM. Memorials are preferred to go to the Butte Archives or the Little Basin Creek Volunteer Fire Company.