Gordon J. Huddleston

1948 - 2024

Gordon J. Huddleston

December 22, 1948 - December 4, 2024

Gordon, 75, passed away Wednesday, December 4, 2024 after a 6 year battle with prostate cancer. He was born December 22, 1948 near Richland, Wash. to Gorden and Dorothy (Pershall) Huddleston. In 1950 his family moved to Plattsburg, Mo., where he attended school until the age of 10. The family then moved to Wilsall, Mont. in 1959 where he attended school and graduated from Wilsall High School in 1966. He was active in all sports and academics there. He was the first member of his family to attend college, graduating in 1970 from Montana State University with a degree in chemical engineering. He was encouraged to do so by his teachers and principal there. He met his wife Kathy at MSU and they married in 1971 at Holy Rosary in Bozeman. They celebrated their 50th anniversary in 2021. They have two children, Bridget (Chris) and Ryan (Christy) who; along with their four grandchildren, Brie, Devin, Addie and Maia, were his pride and joy; they all adored him.

After graduating from MSU, Gordon worked for FMC Chemical Corp., Green River, Wyo. as a process engineer and production manager for seven years. In 1977 he worked at MSE, Inc. in Butte for for 28 years in engineering, technical and management positions, including project manager, environmental dept. manager, technical services division manager, and company vice president. From 2004 to 2010 he helped start a Great Harvest Bread Co. franchise in Rochester, Minn. of which his daughter Bridget was part owner. He loved his primary role as baker, the interaction with the customers and family connection. For 10 years thereafter, he was the gelato chef at Chocolaterie Stam in Rochester. He and Kathy divided their time between Bozeman and Rochester, where their children and grandchildren live. He was a member of the Holy Spirit Catholic Communities in Butte & Rochester.

He enjoyed doing volunteer work, serving as a Boy Scout leader and boys' elementary basketball coach at Butte Central. He was a member of the Butte Exchange Club and board member, campaign chairman and president of the United Way of Silver Bow County. He was a very giving person, donating over ten gallons of blood in his life. He was also past president of the Butte Chapter of the Montana Society of Engineers and member of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers. He and Kathy were members of the High Noon Toastmasters, Montana State University Parent/Family Advisory Board and life members of the MSU Alumni Association. They recently celebrated their 50th reunion from MSU & served on the reunion committee. They also volunteered weekly in their granddaughters' classrooms at Lincoln in Rochester. His favorite subjects were math & science and he helped his grandkids with those subjects in addition to tutoring other students. He also tutored other students formally & informally.

Gordon served in the Montana & Wyoming Army National Guard from 1970 to 1976 as a SP-4 artillery specialist. He attended basic & specialty trainings in Ft. Sill Okla. and Ft. Campbell Ky. His unit was based in Rock Springs, Wyo.

He did a great deal of family genealogy; he had a passion for history and reading. He and Kathy enjoyed traveling, especially to lands of their ancestors in Nova Scotia, France, Ireland, with Kathy's sister and brother-in-law, Liz and Jim Wallace. This March, he was thrilled to find his great grandparents' gravesite in Springfield, Ill. near Abraham Lincoln's tomb.

His brother Walter died in 1953 at age four, and his sister Janice in 1954 at age two, both in Missouri. He visited their gravesites in March as well. His youngest sister Martha died this past May at age 65.

He was a member of the 10+ gallon blood donation club and in return received many units at Mayo.

His family includes his wife of 53 years, Kathy (Nash); daughter, Bridget (Chris) Sanders of Rochester, Minn.; granddaughters, Brie Sweeney of Bozeman and Addie Sweeney; son, Ryan (Christy) Huddleston of Bozeman, Mont.; grandson and granddaughter, Devin and Maia Huddleston; brother, Herb (Gery) Huddleston of San Antonio, Texas; sisters, Benita (Ed) Roatch of White Sulphur Springs, Mont., Helen (Steve) Borchert of Lafayette, Ind,; brother-in-law Bob North of Mound, Minn.

All services will be at Dahl Funeral Home in Bozeman, Mont. Wake Friday. December 20 at 6 p.m., preceded by viewing at 5 p.m. Funeral Service at 10 a.m. Saturday December 21, preceded by viewing at 9 a.m. Luncheon to follow. Burial at Sunset Hills Catholic Cemetery at 11 a.m. Monday, December 23.

Memorials may be made to IMA (International Medical Alliance) through which Bridget and Addie (daughter and granddaughter) travel abroad to medically assist in the Dominican Republic. Please visit, https://everloved.com/life-of/gordon-huddleston/.