Alton F. Ingraham

RONAN — Alton F. Ingraham, 95, of Ronan, died of natural causes on Friday, Jan. 5, 2007, at the St. Luke Extended Care Facility.

Alton was born in Salina, Okla., on Oct. 9, 1911, to Irwin and Ora B. Ingraham. The family moved to the Flathead Valley in the fall of 1917, spending Thanksgiving camped on Post Creek. As a young man, he worked as a farm worker, a logger, a store clerk, an iron worker on Hungry Horse Dam and as an agriculturist for Associated Pea Co. and for The American Crystal Sugar Co. His work took him to Idaho, Wyoming, Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, Washington and New York.

He married his childhood sweetheart, Grace Simonis, in December 1932; they had four children. They retired in 1975 and returned to their lovely home on Flathead Lake, where they enjoyed entertaining their family and many friends. Their grandkids basically lived at their place in the summers.

They enjoyed hunting, fishing, camping, pinochle, bridge, dancing and visiting with friends and family. Alton never saw a little kid he didn’t like or who didn’t like him. He was a lifelong member of the Masons.

He was preceded in death by his parents; brothers Delph, Ronald, Harlie and Ray; sister Vena Bower; sons Gale and Bill; daughter Phyllis Johnson; grandson Dennis Bill Ingraham; great-grandson Ethan Richards, and son-in-law, Maynard Johnson.

He is survived by his wife, Grace; son Dennis; daughters-in-law Geraldine, Anna and Lorene; six grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren; and sister Valda Bachman.

The family thanks all the doctors and nursing staff at St. Luke Hospital and Nursing Home, they were all so good to him. Blessings on each one. Funeral services were held Jan. 12 at The Ronan Alliance Church. Interment was in Calvary Cemetery in Ronan.