Grant Julian Hovde
POLSON - Grant Julian Hovde, 93, of Polson died of natural causes on Aug. 3, 2004, at St. Joseph Hospital.
Grant was born on Dec. 3, 1910, in Harvey, N.D., to Jeremiah and Laura (Fransen) Hovde. He grew up in North Dakota and moved to Washington at the age of 16. He worked as a farm laborer and worked at the shipyards during WWII. He later moved to Spokane and worked as a carpenter, as a brand inspector and at the stockyards.
He moved to Montana in 1951 and managed a ranch in the Valley Creek area on the Jocko River. Grant lived in Ronan and eventually moved to Polson, where he lived the past 25 years.
His Ma always wanted him to be an artist or a writer. So for a man who didn't like school in his younger years, he loved it later in life.
He wrote many wonderful stories on his life and the times he spent on the National Bison Range.
He married Ada VanDyke and they had two children together. She died in 1978. He married Elma Dunwald Harris in May 21, 1979.
Grant was lifetime member of the Old Time Fiddlers, Dist.#1, the Accordion Association, Mission Valley Elks, and was one of the first state directors for the Montana High School Rodeo Association.
He was the Barn Superintendent for 16 years at the Lake County Fair and was the trailmaster for the wagon train ride for 14 years.
Grant and Chuck Glover helped start the "Gentlemen on Horseback" in the 1940s in Washington and rode their last ride in 1988. Grant participated for 50 years at the National Bison Range and 30 of those years as a calf brander.
He was preceded in death by his first wife Ada, four brothers and three sisters.
He is survived by his wife Elma of Polson; two daughters, Juanita Schall and her husband Ted of Arlee and LaDonna Fryberger and her husband Joe of Charlo; eight grandchildren: Scott Schall (Jennifer), B.J. Schall, Stephanie (R.T.) Hendrickson, all of Arlee, Stewart Schall (Missy) of Rigby, Idaho, Sharon (Bill) Conley of Prineville, Ore., Shawn Fryberger (Wendy) of Columbia Falls, Steve Fryberger (Lacey) of Huron, S.D., Todd Fryberger (Christy) of Charlo; 17 great grandchildren and an adopted granddaughter, Ann Pierce of Apache Junction, Ariz.; a sister, Alice Swenson of Arlington, Va., and numerous other relatives.
Funeral services were Aug. 9 at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Polson, with the Rev. Paul Rowold officiating. Interment was in Lakeview Cemetery.
The family suggests memorials to the Mission Valley High School Rodeo Association, c/o Stephanie Hendrickson, 479 Coombs Lane, Arlee, MT 59821, or to the Lake County Extension Office for the 4-H Livestock Department, c/o Jack Stivers, 300 3rd Ave. NW, Ronan, MT 59864.
Arrangements were by Grogan Funeral Home, Polson.