ElRoy Kittleson, 89 of Fairview, MT passed away peacefully on Wednesday June 28, 2023 at Roosevelt Medical Center in Culbertson, MT with family by his side.

ElRoy was born on the 9th day of the 5th month on the 34th year (as he always used to say) to Jennie Euakima Storvik Kittleson and Henry Clarence Kittleson in Sidney, Montana. He was a younger brother to sister Helen, and older brother to Jim and Hank (Henry Jr.). They were raised on the family farm northwest of Fairview. As a child, he attended school at Nohly until the 8th grade – The old saying, “uphill both ways,” was a true story in his younger years!

The passing of their mom when the kids were small left Helen in charge of her younger brothers. ElRoy learned hard work ethics and discipline at a very young and it carried him through his entire life. ElRoy was an avid baseball fan and really enjoyed playing the sport, until he broke his leg. The “backstop” (an old mattress spring) is still standing to this day in the field he played many games in years ago.

He married his wife, Ruth Stride, in 1956, and to this union five children were born: Dennis, Ken, Doug, Barbie, and Dan.

ElRoy served on the ASC committee for over twenty years, the elevator board, and many other projects. His true passion, however, was farming and ranching. He spent most of his life riding his horses and doing things “the old way.” He saw lots of changes in his life – from no electricity to electric windows in his pickup and cellphones, which he liked to have good long conversations on.

Once his kids were grown, ElRoy was blessed with many grandchildren and then nicknamed “Gramps.” He followed the kids around their activities and enjoyed watching them grow. If you ask the kids, they will say they picked a lot of rock in the early years – cuz Gramps would pick them up to go somewhere, but there was always a field over yonder that they could detour to first. Rock picking was an important thing of skill on the farm! By the time the great grandkids came, they could always find an ice cream bar waiting for them in Gramp’s office freezer.

ElRoy very much enjoyed branding as it always was, and still is, a good time to get together with family and friends.

He bowled for many years, swathed hay up to the age of 88, and stayed active in the day-to-day operations at the ranch until his passing. He gave so many life lessons, was always fair, non-judgmental, and kind, not to mention humble. He was one of the last of his kind, and he will be truly missed by all who loved him in so many ways.

Surviving ElRoy is his wife, Ruth; children Ken (Marion), Doug (Marsha), and Dan; grandchildren Dustin, Nick, Trista (Ty), Joren, Jared, Alex, Dak, Vanessa, Courtney (Trevor), Brandon (Brady), Tiffany, Casey, and Ryan; Great-grandchildren Eve, Jessalyn, Kaisyn, Nevaeh, Bailee, Kenley, Taylee, Radley, Berklee, Westen, Waylon, Maddison, Brooklyn, Sophia, Payton, Blake, Tylor, Fischer, Easton, Ryder, Oaklyn, Theodore, and Corbin; his brother Jim; numerous nieces and nephews, and bonus family member Corey Glisson.

He is preceded in death by his parents Henry and Jenny; his brother Hank; sister Helen; daughter Barbie; son Dennis; and grandson Tayler.