• Date Of Birth: January 3, 1921
  • Date Of Death: March 1, 2017
  • State: Montana

Don B. Torgerson, 96

Don B. Torgerson, 96, formerly of Bigfork Montana, passed away on Wednesday, March 1, 2017 in Spokane where he has been living at Orchard Crest Retirement Community in Spokane Valley for the past 5 years.

He was born in Wessington Springs, South Dakota on January 3, 1921 to Art and Myrtle Torgerson. As a child the family moved to a farm at Charlo Montana where he grew up with a younger brother and sister who have preceded him in death. He went to school in the Charlo and then high school in Polson. He then served in the Civil Conservation Core in Glacier Park before joining the Navy in 1942.

After his training in San Diego he was transferred into the 2nd Marine Division assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment where he attained the rank of Pharmacists Mate, 1st Class. While in the Marines he participated in campaigns at Guadalcanal, Tawara, Saipan, Tinian and Okinawa. He had many “War Stories” but was always amazed that he had survived beach landings on 3 islands from Higgin’s boats – without a scratch.

He returned to Montana and married Margaret Corcoran in Ronan and together they had 5 children – Mike Torgerson, Randy Torgerson, Toni Utter, Terry Randles, and Jim Torgerson who all live in Montana or Washington. He later was married to Signe Matson, Louise Torgerson, and Dorothy Baroch, who passed on before him.

Don lived a full life, enjoyed people and loved to work. In addition to his CCC’s and military experience he worked on ranches, owned a bar, was an x-ray technician, and a carpenter on several dam projects including Hungry Horse Dam. He moved his family to Anaconda Montana and was a carpenter on the smelter there for ten years. He joined the National Guard and was a 2nd Lieutenant and the first commanding officer of the 210th Engineering Battalion in Anaconda. He was particularly proud of his Guard Unit’s service in putting down the famous prison riot in Deer Lodge when they fired a bazooka into the stone tower and took over the prison.

He moved his family to Bigfork Montana in 1961 living next to his parents before building a home and office which served his long term profession as a Real Estate Broker for four decades. He was active in the community having the first savings account in Flathead Bank, helping to develop the Bigfork nursing home, and various projects of the Chamber of Commerce. He enjoyed the real estate profession and combining people with the right property. His business motto said it all “Making Neighbors out of Strangers”.

“On His Way to Thee Final Big Sale”

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