David Hadford

David Hadford, 67, of Chester, passed away in Benefis hospital in Great Falls from natural causes on April 7th, 2023.

David was born November 23rd 1955 in Billings to Lyle and Elaine Hadford. David grew up in Rudyard, MT and was a lifelong farmer. A wonderful father, husband, and friend to many, David had a huge heart and often thought of others before himself. An example of this is that when David's lungs were struggling in the hospital and each word took great effort, he took the time to thank his nurses for all their help, David loved to tell stories, make people laugh, and had a penchant for being over the top. A fan of comedians such as George Carlin, this was to be expected. He was a sports fan who liked the Baltimore Orioles, Boston Celtics, and most of all, the Miami Dolphins. He liked to collect comics when he was younger along with his brother, Gary, and would often talk about his love for Marvel and their storytelling. David loved dessert and would sometimes forgo lunch entirely in favor of a slice of pie (he said his mother, Elaine, made the best) and we all know he loved a good cookie... He was a lover of animals and remembered the names of all the dogs he had over the years, from Bubbles and Ashley, Bones and Predator, and the ones who most recently kept him company everyday: Loki, Alibi, and Elwood. He loved his tunes at full volume and his TV as big as possible. Most of all, David loved his family and friends, especially his grandkids: Oaklei, Benevolance, London, Fawkes, Maddox, Gryffin, and Hendrix.

David is preceded in death by his father, Lyle Hadford, and many good friends. He is survived by his wife, Shannon of Chester; his sons, Jeremy (Jacynta) of Belgrade, Chase (Amber) of Fort Benton, and Casey (Scotia) of Aurora, CO; his mother, Elaine Hadford of Rudyard; his sister, Lyla Swafford of Portland, OR; his brother, Gary Hadford (Patty) of Rudyard; his sister, Karen Hadford of Joplin; numerous extended family and friends.

While this is an unimaginably sad time for so many of us, David would have wanted us to carry on, to laugh more, to smile more, to be kind to each other. In the spirit of this, David did not want a funeral, but a graveside service will be held Friday, June 23, at 2pm at Rudyard Cemetery.  A celebration of life to follow service in Rudyard Park.

The family wishes any memorial contributions go toward the Children's Diabetes Foundation, Shriners Hospital for Children, or any other foundation that reminds you of David.