- Date Of Birth: May 23, 1928
- Date Of Death: October 16, 2016
- State: Montana
Don McCann was born on May 23, 1928 in Anaconda, MT to Glenn and Juanita McCann. Don loved growing up on the family farm on the Fairfield Bench where he learned the value of hard work. Don cherished his childhood and his life on the farm in the Fairfield and Greenfields communities. His lifelong love of horses flourished there, and he often told stories about his favorite horses Dixie, Snaps and Buttons. About the age of 14, Don met Donna Lee Whitfield, who eventually became the love of his life. They both attended, and were cheerleaders together, at Fairfield High School. During their high school dating years, they rarely missed the Sun River and Fort Shaw dances; dancing to nearly every song; their favorite was Somewhere My Love. Don and Donna were married May 18, 1946, only one day after they graduated from Fairfield High School. Following their marriage, Don joined the Army in 1947 where he was stationed in Japan. He became so ill with pneumonia while in Japan that the Army shipped him back to the states where he was hospitalized for several months and ultimately given an honorable discharge from his service. Following this honorable discharge, Don and Donna moved to Great Falls where he attended the College of Education, now the University of Great Falls. While attending school in Great Falls, he worked for Eddie’s Bakery and later for a family business, McCann Brothers Trucking. Don then moved his family to Havre to continue his education at Northern Montana College where he also worked part-time for Great Northern Railroad. After earning his teaching degree there, he taught in Elliston, MT as a 6th through 9th grade teacher and then, as the principal of the school. During the summers of his teaching job, Don joined his father in a wheat ranching venture near Havre. Around 1955 after leaving his teaching job and the wheat ranching venture, Don returned to Fairfield. He was hired there by Jim Mills of the Mills Motors Ford Dealership. His job required him to make trips back and forth from Fairfield to Great Falls to pick up car parts for the dealership. Don and Jim Mills became lifelong and loyal friends. Eventually, he went to work for Consolidated Freightways and told of how he had to hitchhike into Great Falls to work a shift on the warehouse docks at Consolidated, and then, would have to hitchhike back to Fairfield at the end of his shifts. His days started early in the morning, so Don would start hitchhiking a couple hours before, just to ensure he wouldn’t be late. He regularly arrived early enough to take a nap on the packing quilts until his shift started. This pattern continued for a while until one day his warehouse manager asked him why he came to work so early. He was so impressed with Don’s dedication and hard work that he recommended him for a sales job in the office. By August of 1959 Don and Donna were able to purchase their first home in the Riverview area of Great Falls. He continued to work for Consolidated, having been promoted to Sales Manager. In 1964 his wife, Donna, was injured in a car accident. This injury became a life changing influence on Don’s decisions and focus in life and he was dedicated to her needs and care until her death on December 1, 2015. In 1968, four years after Donna’s accident, Don left his job with Consolidated Freightways to start Big Sky Transfer and Storage and became an authorized agent for United Van Lines.
Outside of his work responsibilities, Doc was a cowboy at heart. Many happy memories were built around activities involving horses. Any activity that required a horse was a favorite past time. He was a proud, lifetime member of the Cascade County Sheriff’s Posse. Doc also participated in the Montana Transfer and Warehouseman’s Association and was a devoted member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Don also saw to it that the family had a yearly summer vacation at Swan Lake, Montana, which is a loved tradition still enjoyed by some of his children and grandchildren. Later in life, he and Donna also enjoyed taking motorhome trips together.
It could be said by Doc, that his journey in life was only as good as his travel companion. Doc and Donna were inseparable in life . . . and now continue inseparable, eternally.
Don is survived by his daughters Cynthia (David) Carlsen of Great Falls and Donelle (Vern) Kersey of Great Falls; his sons, Kelly (Kim) McCann of Ulm and Thomas McCann of Great Falls; and his sister, Kathleen “Kitty” Ashton of Lynnwood, Wa. Don is also survived by 19 grandchildren and numerous great grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his parents, his brother, Robert McCann (Marilyn), Marilyn Rotvold McCann, foster-sister; sister, Patty Takala (Robert); daughter, Linda Cortez; and his beautiful wife, Donna.
