David E. Leck

David Eugene Leck, 68 of Helena (formerly of Galata), passed away May 1 ^st , 2014 at St. Pete’s Hospital after a courageous 2 year battle with brain cancer.

Dave was born on December 2, 1945 in Shelby, MT to Ken and Jean Leck. He went to Galata Elementary School, graduated from Shelby High School, and then attended Northern Montana College in Havre. He began his life long career as a farmer on the family farm north of Galata. He was a progressive farmer, being one of the first in his area to try no-til style drills and chem-fallow for soil conservation. Dave and Shirley retired from farming in 2011, and as Dave would say, “they left this frozen tundra in the north to winter in the land of the sun in Arizona.”

Dave had a lot of interests and hobbies varying from snowmobiling, racquetball, golf, scuba diving, skiing, boating, taking road trips, watching sports, and most of all, using his gift of gab. To Dave, nobody was a stranger. He lived by the motto “Go, See, Do.”

Despite bone-chilling temperatures, Dave married Shirley Kinyon on December 28, 1968 in Galata. They enjoyed five years of farming together before the arrival of son Dan in 1974, soon to be joined by daughter Laura in 1975. Dave served in the MT Air National Guard, Galata school board, Shelby Elk’s lodge, Cut Bank Sno-goers Club, Galata Gopher Brokers, and both Marias Valley and Fox Ridge Golf and Country Clubs.

Dave is survived Shirley, his wife of 45 years, son Dan Leck (Lisa), daughter Laura Steinhoff (John), grandchildren Kade, Logan, and Leighton Leck and Katrina and Laila Steinhoff. He is also survived by his mother Jean Leck, brother Steve (Helen), sister Mariann McArthur (John), sister-in-law Cheryl Kinyon, and several nieces and nephews.

Funeral services are planned for Tuesday May 6, 2014 at 2:00pm at the United Methodist Church in Shelby with interment following in the Mountain View Cemetery. There will be a reception following in the fellowship hall at the Methodist Church. Visitation is Monday May 5 from 2:00 to 8:00pm at Whitted Funeral Home in Shelby, who has been entrusted with arrangements. Memorials suggested to the Shelby Veteran’s Memorial Flag fund or the St. Pete’s Cancer Center of Helena. The family would like to thank Dr. Tom Weiner and the staff of St. Pete’s for the exceptional care Dave received and for the many visitors travelling from near and far to offer their support. You are appreciated more than you will ever know.