- Date Of Birth: May 22, 1967
- Date Of Death: July 5, 2016
- State: Montana
David M. Polansky was born on May 22nd, 1967 in Great Falls, MT to George F. and Clara E. Polansky of Lewistown, MT.
Dave attended and graduated from St. Leo’s Elementary and High School in Lewistown. He was very involved in school activities and enjoyed participating in football, basketball, track, and choir. Dave was also a talented pianist and performed in numerous recitals and music festivals. After high school, Dave went on to attend Montana State University. Dave had many hobbies including cooking, bird hunting, and barbecuing but most of all he enjoyed the time spent with family, especially during the holidays.
Dave enlisted in the Montana Army National Guard in 1986 and served 22 years of Active Duty service. He deployed to Kuwait/Iraq from 2003 to 2004 in support of Operation Iraq Freedom. He was a recipient of two Meritorious Service Medals and two Army Commendation Medals. He retired as Sergeant First Class honorably in 2008. He was proud of his service to his country and truly loved the men and women he served with.
Dave worked as the program manager for Flathead County at Eagle Transit from 2008 to 2013. During his time there he was instrumental in acquiring funding for the South Bus Barn building and other general improvements, including expanding the routes. Additionally, he further developed and helped maintain the relationship with the park.
Dave’s true passion in life was to farm. In 2009, he began a custom farming and haying operation. The farming community became a second family to him. He also enjoyed Polansky contracting, where he installed appliances and genuinely loved interacting with all the people he met on the way.
Dave married Marci Lee in Kalispell on October 10, 1992. They had two sons, Bryar and Braedyn Polansky. Marci passed away in 2006.
Dave married Bernadette Nickol in Kalispell on December 20, 2008. The marriage brought together Bernadette’s three daughters Paige, Mackenzie, and Nicole Bouma and Dave’s two sons. The family was joined by another daughter, Mihaela Nickol-Polansky in 2010. Dave was a loving father and stepfather and always put family above all else. Everyone who knew him will remember his big laugh, kind smile, and loving personality.
Dave was preceded in death by his grandparents, his father George F. Polansky, sister Patricia Polansky, his first wife Marci (Lee) Polansky, and Linda (deYong) Lee.
He is survived by his wife Bernadette Nickol; his sons Bryar and Braedyn Polansky; his daughter Mihaela Nickol-Polansky; his stepdaughters Paige, Mackenzie, and Nicole Bouma; his mother Clara (Ray) Koeser; his sister Carol Stickney; his brother George (Marsha) Polansky; his mother-in-law Betty Nickol; his brothers-in-law Patrick Nickol, David (Patty) Nickol, Philip (Leorra) Nickol, and Konrad (Sheila) Nickol; his sisters-in-law LeAnn Nickol, Barbara (Jim) Bouma, Ramona (Bruce) Kinyon, and Juanita (Rick) Rodriguez; Bob (Marie) Lee; Jamie (Scott) Johnson and many nieces and nephews.
