Dennis Joe (Denny) LaBonty, 76

Dennis (aka “Denny”) Joe LaBonty, Ph.D., passed away peacefully while surrounded by family and loved ones on May 3, 2025, at his home in Polson. 

Dennis was born Dec. 2, 1948, in Kalispell, Mont., to Shirley Lois Frazier Brantner and John (aka “Jack”) Glen LaBonty, and was raised with an older brother, John, and younger sister, Linda.  Dennis was a proud fourth generation Montanan and had a curious mind and lifelong passion for learning. 

Dennis attended Cornelius Hedges grade school in Kalispell and Sunnyside grade school in Havre. After graduating from Havre High School in 1967 he attended the University of Montana and earned a degree in Business Administration and Education in 1971. Later he earned a Master’s degree from the University of Montana and a Doctoral degree in Curriculum and Instruction (with a cognate in Business) from the University of Nebraska in 1987. 

His teaching career spanned 51 years. Dennis began teaching high school in Ely, Nevada and continued at Hingham HS, Havre HS, Northern Montana College, Utah State University, Polson HS, and Salish Kootenai College. 

Dennis was a full professor and department head of the Business Information Systems and Education Department at Utah State University. He was awarded the Eccles College of Business Outstanding Teacher Award. He was president of the Utah Business Education Association and National Association for Business Teacher Education. 

He authored and co-authored many academic papers and book chapters while serving as chairperson of the USU Athletic Council. Several of his special talents in the department were to connect and mentor master and doctoral students and advise student teachers.

He was well known for his work with spreadsheets, data communications, database applications and learning theories related to microcomputer applications. He was a detailed and persistent academician and left USU as a Professor Emeritus. His motto was to professionally leave the teaching profession better than you found it.

Dennis ran track, wrestled, and played football in high school. He was a Class A state champion in the mile and placed in the all-class wrestling tournament.

He coached football and wrestling in Ely, Nev., and guided the wrestling team to a second-place state finish. He was a head cross country, track and wrestling coach at Havre High School and later coached track at Northern Montana College. The athletes he coached were successful, prepared, competitive, and most importantly student athletes.

In addition to being a lifelong educator and coach, Dennis had multiple jobs throughout his young life ranging from paper boy for the Havre Daily News, to pulling on the “green” and “dry” chains at the Bonner mill, to working multiple farms and ranches across the Hi-Line.

At age 15, he teamed with his brother selling popsicles on a Cushman three-wheel scooter.  They learned about loyalty and responsibility to each other and laughed watching melting popsicles on kids’ faces. He attributed and valued these jobs as they prepared him to be a good teacher, which was his favorite job. 

His work ethic was passed on to his children as he taught that jobs done correctly say a lot about a person’s character.

Dennis was an avid Yankee, L.A. Rams and N.Y. Ranger fan. He loved the U of M Grizzlies where he lettered in wrestling. While a member of the SAE fraternity, he won the intramural wrestling championship and participated in house football and softball championships at the Clover Bowl.

He was a member of the Polson Bandits golfers. He organized golf teams that won the Grizzly Scholarship Association golf tournaments in Bigfork and Ronan. He started playing pickleball in the basement of the gym at Northern Montana College in 1984 and continued playing in his later years in Polson. 

Dennis loved hiking, camping and boating. He sat around many campfires with his children, grandchildren and friends as he loved a good fire at the Polson house. His favorite place to hike and play was Glacier Park. 

He made hundreds of “Backup Boards” for others to enjoy and liked to sew hot pads and bowl warmers during cold snowy Montana winters. Dennis worked on wood projects and repaired things and liked to read. His final hobby was welding horseshoe art flowers. 

He savored apple and huckleberry pies and above all, time with friends and family. He loved the smell of the forest after rain, the sweet smell of Glacier Park and experiencing a harvest sunset from a combine somewhere on the Hi-Line. He revered others who enjoyed these tidbits of life as well. 

Dennis attributed life’s success to many great teachers, coaches, mentors and friends; he discovered something from them all and prized learning and education.

Dennis was a 13th generation of the Nations/Carson clan. He is preceded in death by his parents, Jack LaBonty and Shirley Brantner (stepfather James Brantner). He is survived by his partner and very best friend and adventurer, Anza Ketterman; his brother, John (Sharon) LaBonty, and sister Linda (Dave) Snyder; his son, Andre (Megan) LaBonty, daughter Elizabeth (Dan) James, and Anza’s daughter, Celeste (Jeff) Frieberg, and son Dennis Ketterman; grandchildren Ethan, Peyton, Isabella, Jesse, Lucas, Sam, Tanner and Colby; and nephew Tommy (Anca) LaBonty and niece Eva (Greg) Clensy.

Funeral services will be held 11 a.m. on Saturday, May 10, 2025, at the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Polson with a reception to follow at 1 p.m. at the Polson Bay Golf Course Bunkers Bar & Grill clubhouse. In lieu of flowers please consider donating to the Glacier National Park Conservancy, National Park Conservation Association, or Flathead Land Trust.

Lastly, the family would like to thank the amazing healthcare providers at the Montana Cancer Center in Missoula along with Hospice Care providers who took such good care of him in his final days. And thank you to our many friends and relatives. Messages of condolences may be shared with the family online at lakefuneralhomeandcremation.com.

Arrangements are under the care of The Lake Funeral Home and Crematory.