Gaye Harding Engle

Gaye Harding Engle passed away in peace after a courageous battle with a long-term illness on July 28. She was able to live out her final days at her lakeside home on Flathead Lake near Polson. Gaye was surrounded by family members and her many grandchildren from California. Gaye was born on December 6, 1936, in Dickinson, N.D., to  parents Blanche and Tommy Harding. She spent her early summers on Flathead Lake with the family in the cabin they built. For a number of years she traveled with her mother, a noted puppeteer, touring “Gaye’s Marionettes” to communities and schools. She attended the University of Montana in Missoula studying music where she met Robert D. Engle. After their marriage in 1956, they completed studies and finally settled in Bozeman where Bob taught in the Math Department and Gaye taught elementary school. It was on the shores of the   Gallatin River where she raised two loving and devoted sons, Dean and Dan. After spending a year in Zurich, Switzerland, and sojourns in Washington and Texas, Gaye and Bob moved to Santa Clarita, Calif., where Gaye was employed as an assistant with a law firm and at the same time tended to extended family and grandchildren while Bob worked for Lockheed’s Skunkworks. In retirement, they both returned to their beloved Montana and moved into their home on Flathead Lake. All through her life, Gaye and Bob loved sports cars and Harley Davidson motorcycles. Together their love took them on the open road and trails of adventure. Fittingly, her cremation remains were transported on the back of the family Harley to the Polson Cemetery. She enjoyed the beauty of mountains, the desert, and the ocean. Gaye loved to travel, walk on the beach, read, especially historical novels, and listen to classical music. She was an avid opera enthusiast, and especially loved Wagner. But most of all she enjoyed being in the company of her family. Her talents were diverse. She was an accomplished pianist and marimba player and her craft and sewing projects and quilts were highly creative, genuine works of art, very original and always presented with a personal touch. All who knew Gaye were impressed by her kindness, generosity, tolerance, and optimism. She was so very kind and people enjoyed her positive thinking and optimism. Her special love and joy were her family and grandchildren. She was a special gift and inspiration to the world and will be missed by all who knew her. She was preceded in death by her husband Bob; parents, Blanche and Tommy Harding; and her sisters Betty Harding and Bonnie (Tom) Wolgamot. She is survived by her sons, Dean (Maria) and Dan (Paquita) Engle of Castaic, Calif.; her five grandchildren, Rebecca, Raul, Zachary, Courtney, and Isabella, and great grandchild (Olivia); her brothers Gordon (Marilyn) of Whitefish, and Gary (Kathryn) Harding of Pablo; her seven nieces and nephews (Rebecca, Kathy, Greg, Tom, Travis, Sonny, and Chip); and brother-in-law, Ron (Barbara) Engle of Minnetrista, Minn.