Obituary - Lynn Preston Rominger

Lynn Preston Rominger, 76, passed away peacefully Thursday, October 31, 2024, at Benefis Hospital in Great Falls, Montana after a brief illness.

Cremation has taken place, and a Celebration of Life was held Tuesday, November 12 at 5:30 pm in the Fellowship Hall of Van Orsdel United Methodist Church, 410 5th Ave., Havre, a short devotional, light supper, and sharing memories.

Lynn’s family has suggested memorial donations be made to the veteran’s organization of the donor’s choice.

Holland & Bonine Funeral Home has been entrusted with arrangements. You may visit Lynn’s online memorial page to send a card or leave a message of condolence for his family at https://www.hollandbonine.com .

Lynn was born September 8, 1948, in Great Falls, Montana, to John and Charlotte (Williams) Rominger. The family moved from Great Falls to Gildford, Big Sandy, and then Havre for his father’s teaching jobs. Lynn started 1st grade in Havre, graduating from Havre High in 1967. He loved music. His favorite part of high school was participating in choral groups including Hi-Liters. Their performances under the direction of Betty Lou Berland frequently earned them A and A+ scores at All-State Music Festivals.

Lynn worked at Dave’s Foods. During summers he worked for area farmers picking rock, branding, harvesting, and driving truck. It gave him an enduring interest in and appreciation for the work involved in farming and ranching.

When Lynn was in grade school his family built a cabin at Fresno Lake. Lynn remembered many weekends hauling rock from the piles in farmer’s fields to stabilize the sand bank in front of the cabin. In 8th grade he had saved enough from lawn jobs, paper routes, babysitting and family chores to pay for half of a family boat which gave them all many years of enjoyment boating, fishing, and waterskiing with friends and family.

Lynn developed an interest in shooting and hunting early. A neighbor started teaching him to reload ammunition when he was in junior high. He continued to reload for himself or friends until as recently as this summer. He enjoyed collecting firearms. Lynn loved to target shoot with friends from Havre Rifle and Pistol Club, work on the range, help young kids learn to hunt and handle firearms safely, and to introduce his nieces and nephews to shooting.

After high school, Lynn attended Northern Montana College for a year before joining the Army in 1968. He served in Korea during the Vietnam era. Exposure to Agent Orange in the Demilitarized Zone resulted in serious health problems over time. Lynn was proud of his military service.

After the service, Lynn worked as an auto body man for 5 years. He then carpentered for Jim Sleeter for 5 years, including helping transform Sacred Heart Hospital into the Parkview Apartments and the Buttrey’s building into the Atrium. He drove bulk fuel truck for Heltne Oil for ten years, delivering fuel to gas stations, rural homes, farms, ranches, and gas rigs in Hill, Blaine, and Liberty counties. From 1991 until 2006 Lynn worked for the City of Havre at the city shop. He took his work seriously and especially enjoyed partnering with Bob Cook to do carpentry work including building computer desks for many City offices and making the signs for Pepin Park, Bill Baltrush Trail, and other city parks.

Lynn had many interests over the years. He was a car guy. As a young man, he and his friends had motorcycles, snowmobiles, and cars that they rode, raced, worked on, bought, sold, traded and talked about. He had many stories about drag racing at Lewistown and getting to and from the races.

Lynn belonged to the R/C Flying Club for several years. He was a supporter of RMEF, Pheasants Forever, Ducks Unlimited, and over 50 year member of the NRA.

Lynn enjoyed working with wood. He made beautiful cutting boards and refurbished many old wood pieces. In work as in play, he believed any job worth doing was worth doing well.

Lynn met Judy (Ross) Bratton in 1974, and the couple were married September 27, 1975. They shared many interests and activities: hunting, league bowling, golfing, attending Northern women’s and men’s basketball games, and watching Seattle Seahawks football. They enjoyed going to gun shows, art shows, museums, and art auctions. They collected art. For many years they went to Fairmont exploring the surrounding areas. They enjoyed sifting for sapphires at Phillipsburg. Lynn and Judy spent over 10 years as snowbirds in Arizona.

Lynn was sometimes gruff or blunt, but was truly a teddy bear behind that. He was kind, compassionate, loyal, and generous, a defender of the underdog. Lynn saw needs of those around him that others overlooked and often found creative gifts or solutions for others.

Lynn was a homebody. He had multiple health problems over the last several years, including diminishing mobility. He still wanted to keep busy and kept his tools close for use in sharpening knives, scissors, and garden tools for others, and for repairing whatever needed it. Judy was able to serve as his caregiver (with help from many others) so they could stay together in their home surrounded by their pets, art, music, friends, and family that they loved. Lynn was preceded in death by his parents, sister Lanette, and by 5 beloved Irish Setters.

Lynn is survived by his wife of 49 years, Judy Rominger; brother, Lon (Jan) Rominger of Sierra Vista, AZ; brother-in-law, Tim (Karin) Ross of Oakley, UT; sisters-in-law, Jo Austin of Spokane, WA, and Peggy Ross of Park City, UT; numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins; feline companions Sammy, Reacher, Ashley; and puppy Ginger.