Daryl J. Sangray

Daryl John Sangray, 57, of Des Lacs, ND passed away on Sunday, July 27, 2025, doing what he loved, spending time with his family.

Daryl spent his early years in Helena. His fondest memories from childhood were of spending time with his Grandpa Pete hunting and fishing throughout Montana. In his late teens, Daryl moved to Alder, Montana, where he worked as a ranch hand on the Snow Crest Ranch, and excelled in football at Sheridan High School where he graduated in 1987.

After high school, Daryl moved to Spokane, Washington, where he apprenticed and became a carpenter; something that would serve him his entire life as a custom home builder and construction superintendent.

After starting a family in Spokane, WA, Daryl and his crew moved back to Helena where Daryl sharpened his skills as a carpenter and became very involved with the community at Mount Helena Community Church. Daryl used his carpentry skills to help build church buildings in Helena, and across the world in Romania; he used his people skills to build others up, with encouraging words and by freely passing along wisdom and knowledge.

Throughout his time in Helena, he loved his children and friends fiercely and spent as much time as possible in the mountains of Montana. Daryl was a huntsman, fisherman, craftsman, gardener, and home chef, but beyond those things he was a gatherer. Little brought Daryl more joy than bringing people together over, food, drinks, projects, or leisure.

In 2010 he traveled to Minot, North Dakota to pursue work in the Bakken oil fields and found the love of his life, Christy. They married on July 27th, 2019. After their wedding in Parshall, ND., Daryl and Christy-or as their friends and family lovingly knew them as, DNC-along their sons Nick and Casey not only built a beautiful home, but built a legacy of love and connection, impacting so many friends and families with their hospitality and love for their community. For the last ten years, Daryl's career led him to be a construction superintendent for Hight Construction LLC, and then Woodstone Inc. Daryl had the privilege of working closely with his step-son Nick at both of these entities, passing on his skills and knowledge. For the last part of his career, Daryl served the Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara Nations through building a large community center and greenhouse in Parshall, ND.

If you were fortunate enough to be loved by him, you know that he was always ready to sit and listen, build you up and make you think. He epitomized "work hard, play hard", encouraging everyone to take life a little less seriously, and to enjoy the days that you have.

He is survived by his wife, Christy Sangray, of Des Lacs, North Dakota; step-mother, Toni Case and step-brothers, Roy and Dustin Case of Dillon, Montana; son, Jesse Johnson of Colpstrip, Montana; daughter, Darian Geisser and son-in-law, Sam Geisser, of Helena, Montana; step-sons, Casey and Nick Sorenson of Des Lacs, North Dakota, and grandchildren, Sonny, Edith, and Ellis Geisser, of Helena, Montana, and Miles Johnson, of Colstrip, Montana.

Daryl is preceded in death by his mother, Mary Jo McDonough, step-father, Dale Case, and father-in-law, David P Pukis Sr.

Memorial Service: Friday, August 1, 2025, at 2:00 p.m. at Thompson-Larson Funeral Home, Minot.

Visitation: One hour prior to the service at Thompson-Larson Funeral Home, Minot.

The service will be livestreamed for the public to view and can be accessed by going to Thompson-Larson Funeral Home's YouTube channel at: https://youtube.com/live/QViJ9w0XVW4?feature=share