Obituary - Maurice Gordon Fladstol

Maurice Gordon Fladstol was born Feb. 5, 1923, on the Fladstol homestead 27 miles east of Conrad. His parents were Melvin and Gena (Stordahl) Fladstol.

Maurice attended the North Faris country school through eighth grade. He remembered riding the horse two miles to school with his sisters all on the same horse. If a blizzard came up, the horse knew the way home, so they just gave him his head, and they always got home.

He graduated from Conrad High School in 1941.

He worked on the family farm until he joined the Army. He married Opal Miles from Joplin on Aug. 10, 1945. They returned to the farm when Maurice was discharged from the Army in 1946.

Maurice loved the farm and loved farming. He did not like raising cattle or sheep so when he took over the farm the animals were not part of it. He worked long hours exposed to the elements since there were no air-conditioned cabs on the tractors back then.

Maurice was very creative and was a self-taught engineer. He built many of the replacement parts for machinery on the farm and he invented tools to make various jobs or repairs easier. He retired from farming in 1990. He missed the farm and drove out regularly to see how things were progressing. He was very proud when his son Dennis and his family returned to the farm in 1976. But an even prouder time was when his grandson Brian and his family returned to the farm in 2007.

In 2000 Maurice decided to restore the 1939 Farmall F30 tractor that was still used occasionally on the farm. This project was complete in less than a year. He then restored the 1948 International Cub tractor that was still being used to work the shelterbelt on the farm. Maurice and his daughter-in-law Ruth drove the tractors in the 2005 Whoop Up Parade. Grandpa Maurice loved to get the tractors out of the shed to give the great-grandchildren rides around the farm or to show guests. Those great-grandchildren now drive the tractors in the parades and Joel and Tori had some of their senior pictures taken with the tractors. Maurice maintained his father's rentals in Conrad for many, many years.

He learned how to do everything himself and rarely needed to hire professional help. He painted, plumbed, wired, did carpentry, laid carpet and refinished furniture for years. All his work was precise and professional. He refinished major pieces of furniture for all three of his sons' families and for several of his grandchildren.

Maurice was a very good dancer. He and Opal traveled with a dozen other couples all over the Golden Triangle to dance to their favorite live bands. They didn't go for the modern stuff, they liked music "you could dance to." All of his granddaughters got to dance with him. Maurice and Opal purchased the cabin on Flathead Lake from his parents, and every summer they spent a month at the lake working on the cabin and even built a boat house so more people could come and stay with them. They had an annual gathering there every summer with their dancing friends. Their son, Gary, now carries on the tradition of keeping the cabin in repair.

Maurice was an active member of Golden West Lutheran Church and served on the church council. He also served on the Faris School Board and the Equity Elevator Board. He also belonged to the Rifle Club that met at the Sollid School.

Maurice was an avid reader who loved everything from history, politics, Montana, local histories and even westerns, but no romances. He always appreciated the books brought to Horizon Lodge by the Conrad Public Library.

He is survived by his wife, Opal (Miles) Fladstol; his sons, Dennis (Ruth)of Conrad, Nolan (Cheryl) of Rudyard and Gary of Colorado.

He is also survived by four grandchildren, Brian (Brandee) of Conrad, Deanna of Portland, Joel of Rudyard and Kira (Dallas) Weber of Kansas City. He has four great-grandchildren, Tori, Alicia and Declan of Conrad and Rylan of Wyoming. He is also survived by his sister, Grace Hewitt of Havre; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Maurice was preceded in death by his parents, Melvin and Gena Fladstol; twin brothers in infancy; and two sisters. Jane (Harry) Hjermstad and Ruby (George) Leivestad.

Memorials are suggested to PMC Extended Care, Golden West Lutheran Church or Conrad Public Library.

Condolences can be made to http://www.misermortuaries.com.