Obituary; John Andrew Gagnon

John Andrew Gagnon, 77, passed away peacefully on July 14, 2015 at his home in Columbia Falls, after a long battle with Cancer.

He was born on October 13, 1937 in Missoula and resided in Plains, Montana with his parents John Gagnon and Rhoda Knutson Gagnon. He attended school in Plains Montana and Spokane Washington from 1961-1963 he served in the Army. After injuring a knee in jump school he transferred to armoured division.

Following his military service he returned to a career in construction. He worked multiple years in heavy construction, traveling all over the United States. Most of his work was on power line or dam night of way clearing or road building. His family teased him because he didn’t relate things he had seen but rather good restaurants along the way. His construction career ended in 1993 with a serious back injury.

When he was 15 he helped his dad build a family cabin in the Thompson River Drainage. This reminded him of his favorite place to spend time. At the cabin he passed his love of Montana and his passion for fishing and hunting on to his children and grandchildren. His hobbies included carpentry projects, tinkering with cars, scuba diving and music. John married the love of is life Bonnie Jean Templin in Plains Montana on December 30, 1965. They raised their children in the flathead valley since 1978.

John is survived by his wife Bonnie Gagnon, daughter Lisa Noble and her husband Justin, son Jay Gagnon and his wife Gina, four grandchildren; Jaimee and Peyton Noble of East Helena and Allison and Cade Gagnon of Somers Montana; one sister Joan Thacker of Fair Acres New Mexico, and numerous nieces, nephews and extended family.

There was a memorial service for John on Saturday July 25, 2015 at Calvary Lutheran Church in Kalispell at 10:00 AM. A private graveside service will be held in Plains Montana at a later date.

The family asks that donations be made in John’s name to: Make A Wish Montana 175 N 27 Street Suite 1214 Billing Montana, or Community Kitchen; Calvary Lutheran Church 2200 Hgway 2 East Kalispell.  Columbia Mortuary is caring for John’s family.