1942 – 2022
John Golay passed away unexpectedly on October 1, 2022 while visiting family at his sister’s house.
John was born June 12, 1942 in Dillon, MT to Evelyn and Ernest Golay. His first eight years were spent on the family ranch southwest of Wisdom. The family moved to the Bitterroot Valley southwest of Victor. John graduated from Victor High School in 1961. He attended college at Western in Dillon and Northern at Havre. After two years he started work at Darby Lumber as a lumber grader. When Darby Lumber shut down, he worked in Seeley Lake and Grangeville, ID, but health issues caused him to retire early.
His greatest joy of retirement was spending his mornings visiting with friends at Memories Cafe in Corvallis and BJ’s Restaurant in Hamilton.
In 1982 he met Sharla Nies and they became partners in life for the next 40 years. They enjoyed their adventures, adopting several furry friends and delighting the valley with their Christmas displays. During the last 4-1/2 years, John and Sharla made three trips weekly to Missoula for John to do dialysis.
He was preceded in death by both his parents, his brother Joe and his wife Sonja, and his sister Peg and her husband Harry.
He is survived by Sharla, his sister Patsy of Hamilton, brother Dave (Kelly) of Stevensville, brother Doug of Reliance, WY, sister Marge (Larry) Berg in Spokane, WA, and several nieces and nephews.
A celebration of life is planned for spring of 2023. He will be greatly missed.