Richard ("Dick") Wells Banghart, 89

Richard (“Dick”) Wells Banghart, 89, of Grinnell, Iowa, and formerly of Polson, passed away on Feb. 9, 2025, under hospice care at his home in Grinnell.

Dick was born Jan. 27, 1936, to Marcus David and Lurena (Black) Banghart in British Columbia, Canada. He attended Western Province Preparatory School (“Wetpups”) in Cape Town, South Africa, and Phillips Exeter Academy in Exeter, N.H.

Following high school, Dick attended the University of Montana School of Mines where he received a Bachelor of Science, worked underground, and played on the football and ice hockey teams. He later received an honorary doctorate from his alma mater.

On June 22, 1958, Dick was united in marriage to Carol Virginia Kohls in Hamilton, Mont. Carol and Dick have three children: Judith Foy of Los Alamitos, Calif., Kathryn Jacobson of Grinnell, Iowa, and Douglas Banghart of Melrose, Mass.

Dick had a long career as a mining engineer. He worked for numerous mining companies in the United States and southern Africa. They were fortunate to have made many friends wherever they lived, including Butte, Mont.; Tsumeb and Kombat, Namibia; O’okiep and Johannesburg, South Africa; Lost Trail Pass, Mont.; McGill, Nev.; Arnold, Md.; Kearny and Tucson, Ariz.; Wilton, Conn.; Polson; and Grinnell, Iowa.

He had many remarkable adventures in southern Africa, including near misses over Angola in the small plane he and a friend piloted and fishing expeditions on the Atlantic coast. Any successes that the Tsumeb Children’s Swim Team may have accumulated over the past 60 years surely can be traced back to his founding of that team.

The fishing adventures continued with grandchildren on the dock in Polson and from the family cabin in Seeley Lake. Dick loved listening to his grandchildren’s musical performances, reading, and too many dogs to name. 

In retirement, Dick and Carol felt privileged to be volunteers with CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) for 20 years. Dick was also a founding member of the Boys & Girls Club of the Flathead Reservation and Lake County, and served the local Red Cross for many years.

Dick is survived by his wife, Carol; his children, Judith (Michael) Foy, Kathryn (Peter) Jacobson, and Douglas (Charlotte) Banghart; his grandchildren, Adrian (Stella) Foy, Nicholas Jacobson, Mary Jacobson, Anneliese Banghart, Merrick Banghart, and Armin Banghart; his chosen children, Mark (Heather) Abdy, the Rev. Anne (Stacey) Abdy, and many other treasured family members.

Dick is preceded by his parents, a sister, Gayle Abdy, brothers David, John and Peter Banghart, and a grandson, Christopher Foy.

A celebration of his life will be held in Montana on a glorious sunny summer afternoon. Memorials may be sent to Boys & Girls Club of the Flathead Reservation and Lake Co., P.O. Box 334, Ronan, MT 59864 or at flatheadbgc.org.