Thomas Walter Fellows, 87, beloved husband, brother, father, grandfather, and friend, passed away peacefully Thursday, Jan. 8, 2015, at Spring Creek Inn Memory Care Facility in Bozeman.
He leaves his wife of 64 years, Marie (Lingelbach) Fellows; his sons, Richard (Marless) and Craig (Mary) Fellows; his daughter, LeeAnn Fellows; 12 grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren; several nieces and nephews; and brothers, Charlie and Jim. He was preceded in death by his daughter, Connie and his sister, Margaret Hanley.
Born in Baird, Neb. on Oct. 7, 1927 to Walter and Mary (Weibert) Fellows, Tom grew up in a family of homesteading ranchers who eventually settled in eastern Montana's Little Big Horn country. His upbringing instilled in him a relentless work ethic, attention to detail, and love of family which he would apply to all that he did throughout his long and remarkable life.
After graduating at the top of his 11-person class at Lodge Grass High School, Tom joined the U.S. Army at the age of 17 and was stationed at Oregon State University. While there he attended engineering classes and played football for his division, and was soon offered a scholarship by the University of Wyoming. After excelling for four years in the classroom and on the gridiron at Wyoming, Tom studied dentistry and orthodontics at the University of Missouri at Kansas City. From there he and Marie moved to Bozeman, where Tom established the town's first orthodontics practice. The practice thrived for decades as the town grew, even as Tom continued to graze cattle and raise horses in the pasture behind his family's home on the outskirts of town.
Tom and Marie were devoted and active companions who shared many adventures in Big Sky country and far beyond. They enjoyed going on four-day backcountry trips on horseback into the Spanish Peaks and Crazy Mountains, bringing only what could be carried in their saddle bags and sleeping under the stars. They traveled extensively, including trips to Egypt, Hawaii, and the Grand Slam tennis tournaments of Wimbledon, the French Open and the Australian Open. And in what was perhaps their greatest undertaking, they raised four similarly active children.
Tom was an avid outdoorsman who loved to hunt and fish, but he had many other passions as well. He restored and showed antique automobiles, and crafted jewelry as gifts for family. An accomplished tennis player and expert skier, Tom could often be found on a court or on the slopes well into his 70s depending on the season. In addition to being a fixture on the local tennis circuit, he was a state Senior Olympian and competed in the U.S. grandfather-grandson grass-court doubles championships in Chestnut Hill, Mass. in 2005. He also orchestrated and competed in countless family tournaments, always careful to make sure that no one left without an "award" of some kind – no matter how dubious.
Tom was active in the Bozeman community, serving on the board of Montana Bank and as a Montana State University booster. He was a member of First Presbyterian Church, and of Shriners International. Tom also served as a Boy Scout leader, and coached a championship little-league baseball team.
Above all, Tom was a genuine family man with boundless love and generosity toward his large family and many friends. He is remembered by all who knew him for his kindness, sense of humor, and infectious smile.
A funeral service will be held on Saturday, Jan. 17 at 11:30 a.m. at First Presbyterian Church in Bozeman. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The Cody Dieruf Benefit Foundation for Cystic Fibrosis, P.O. Box 6044, Bozeman, MT 59771 or to the Fisher Center for Alzheimer's Research Foundation, 199 Water St., 23rd Floor, New York, NY 10038.
He leaves his wife of 64 years, Marie (Lingelbach) Fellows; his sons, Richard (Marless) and Craig (Mary) Fellows; his daughter, LeeAnn Fellows; 12 grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren; several nieces and nephews; and brothers, Charlie and Jim. He was preceded in death by his daughter, Connie and his sister, Margaret Hanley.
Born in Baird, Neb. on Oct. 7, 1927 to Walter and Mary (Weibert) Fellows, Tom grew up in a family of homesteading ranchers who eventually settled in eastern Montana's Little Big Horn country. His upbringing instilled in him a relentless work ethic, attention to detail, and love of family which he would apply to all that he did throughout his long and remarkable life.
After graduating at the top of his 11-person class at Lodge Grass High School, Tom joined the U.S. Army at the age of 17 and was stationed at Oregon State University. While there he attended engineering classes and played football for his division, and was soon offered a scholarship by the University of Wyoming. After excelling for four years in the classroom and on the gridiron at Wyoming, Tom studied dentistry and orthodontics at the University of Missouri at Kansas City. From there he and Marie moved to Bozeman, where Tom established the town's first orthodontics practice. The practice thrived for decades as the town grew, even as Tom continued to graze cattle and raise horses in the pasture behind his family's home on the outskirts of town.
Tom and Marie were devoted and active companions who shared many adventures in Big Sky country and far beyond. They enjoyed going on four-day backcountry trips on horseback into the Spanish Peaks and Crazy Mountains, bringing only what could be carried in their saddle bags and sleeping under the stars. They traveled extensively, including trips to Egypt, Hawaii, and the Grand Slam tennis tournaments of Wimbledon, the French Open and the Australian Open. And in what was perhaps their greatest undertaking, they raised four similarly active children.
Tom was an avid outdoorsman who loved to hunt and fish, but he had many other passions as well. He restored and showed antique automobiles, and crafted jewelry as gifts for family. An accomplished tennis player and expert skier, Tom could often be found on a court or on the slopes well into his 70s depending on the season. In addition to being a fixture on the local tennis circuit, he was a state Senior Olympian and competed in the U.S. grandfather-grandson grass-court doubles championships in Chestnut Hill, Mass. in 2005. He also orchestrated and competed in countless family tournaments, always careful to make sure that no one left without an "award" of some kind – no matter how dubious.
Tom was active in the Bozeman community, serving on the board of Montana Bank and as a Montana State University booster. He was a member of First Presbyterian Church, and of Shriners International. Tom also served as a Boy Scout leader, and coached a championship little-league baseball team.
Above all, Tom was a genuine family man with boundless love and generosity toward his large family and many friends. He is remembered by all who knew him for his kindness, sense of humor, and infectious smile.
A funeral service will be held on Saturday, Jan. 17 at 11:30 a.m. at First Presbyterian Church in Bozeman. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The Cody Dieruf Benefit Foundation for Cystic Fibrosis, P.O. Box 6044, Bozeman, MT 59771 or to the Fisher Center for Alzheimer's Research Foundation, 199 Water St., 23rd Floor, New York, NY 10038.
Thomas Walter Fellows, 87, beloved husband, brother, father, grandfather, and friend, passed away peacefully Thursday, Jan. 8, 2015, at Spring Creek Inn Memory Care Facility in Bozeman.
He leaves his wife of 64 years, Marie (Lingelbach) Fellows; his sons, Richard (Marless) and Craig (Mary) Fellows; his daughter, LeeAnn Fellows; 12 grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren; several nieces and nephews; and brothers, Charlie and Jim. He was preceded in death by his daughter, Connie and his sister, Margaret Hanley.
Born in Baird, Neb. on Oct. 7, 1927 to Walter and Mary (Weibert) Fellows, Tom grew up in a family of homesteading ranchers who eventually settled in eastern Montana's Little Big Horn country. His upbringing instilled in him a relentless work ethic, attention to detail, and love of family which he would apply to all that he did throughout his long and remarkable life.
After graduating at the top of his 11-person class at Lodge Grass High School, Tom joined the U.S. Army at the age of 17 and was stationed at Oregon State University. While there he attended engineering classes and played football for his division, and was soon offered a scholarship by the University of Wyoming. After excelling for four years in the classroom and on the gridiron at Wyoming, Tom studied dentistry and orthodontics at the University of Missouri at Kansas City. From there he and Marie moved to Bozeman, where Tom established the town's first orthodontics practice. The practice thrived for decades as the town grew, even as Tom continued to graze cattle and raise horses in the pasture behind his family's home on the outskirts of town.
Tom and Marie were devoted and active companions who shared many adventures in Big Sky country and far beyond. They enjoyed going on four-day backcountry trips on horseback into the Spanish Peaks and Crazy Mountains, bringing only what could be carried in their saddle bags and sleeping under the stars. They traveled extensively, including trips to Egypt, Hawaii, and the Grand Slam tennis tournaments of Wimbledon, the French Open and the Australian Open. And in what was perhaps their greatest undertaking, they raised four similarly active children.
Tom was an avid outdoorsman who loved to hunt and fish, but he had many other passions as well. He restored and showed antique automobiles, and crafted jewelry as gifts for family. An accomplished tennis player and expert skier, Tom could often be found on a court or on the slopes well into his 70s depending on the season. In addition to being a fixture on the local tennis circuit, he was a state Senior Olympian and competed in the U.S. grandfather-grandson grass-court doubles championships in Chestnut Hill, Mass. in 2005. He also orchestrated and competed in countless family tournaments, always careful to make sure that no one left without an "award" of some kind – no matter how dubious.
Tom was active in the Bozeman community, serving on the board of Montana Bank and as a Montana State University booster. He was a member of First Presbyterian Church, and of Shriners International. Tom also served as a Boy Scout leader, and coached a championship little-league baseball team.
Above all, Tom was a genuine family man with boundless love and generosity toward his large family and many friends. He is remembered by all who knew him for his kindness, sense of humor, and infectious smile.
A funeral service will be held on Saturday, Jan. 17 at 11:30 a.m. at First Presbyterian Church in Bozeman. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The Cody Dieruf Benefit Foundation for Cystic Fibrosis, P.O. Box 6044, Bozeman, MT 59771 or to the Fisher Center for Alzheimer's Research Foundation, 199 Water St., 23rd Floor, New York, NY 10038.
He leaves his wife of 64 years, Marie (Lingelbach) Fellows; his sons, Richard (Marless) and Craig (Mary) Fellows; his daughter, LeeAnn Fellows; 12 grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren; several nieces and nephews; and brothers, Charlie and Jim. He was preceded in death by his daughter, Connie and his sister, Margaret Hanley.
Born in Baird, Neb. on Oct. 7, 1927 to Walter and Mary (Weibert) Fellows, Tom grew up in a family of homesteading ranchers who eventually settled in eastern Montana's Little Big Horn country. His upbringing instilled in him a relentless work ethic, attention to detail, and love of family which he would apply to all that he did throughout his long and remarkable life.
After graduating at the top of his 11-person class at Lodge Grass High School, Tom joined the U.S. Army at the age of 17 and was stationed at Oregon State University. While there he attended engineering classes and played football for his division, and was soon offered a scholarship by the University of Wyoming. After excelling for four years in the classroom and on the gridiron at Wyoming, Tom studied dentistry and orthodontics at the University of Missouri at Kansas City. From there he and Marie moved to Bozeman, where Tom established the town's first orthodontics practice. The practice thrived for decades as the town grew, even as Tom continued to graze cattle and raise horses in the pasture behind his family's home on the outskirts of town.
Tom and Marie were devoted and active companions who shared many adventures in Big Sky country and far beyond. They enjoyed going on four-day backcountry trips on horseback into the Spanish Peaks and Crazy Mountains, bringing only what could be carried in their saddle bags and sleeping under the stars. They traveled extensively, including trips to Egypt, Hawaii, and the Grand Slam tennis tournaments of Wimbledon, the French Open and the Australian Open. And in what was perhaps their greatest undertaking, they raised four similarly active children.
Tom was an avid outdoorsman who loved to hunt and fish, but he had many other passions as well. He restored and showed antique automobiles, and crafted jewelry as gifts for family. An accomplished tennis player and expert skier, Tom could often be found on a court or on the slopes well into his 70s depending on the season. In addition to being a fixture on the local tennis circuit, he was a state Senior Olympian and competed in the U.S. grandfather-grandson grass-court doubles championships in Chestnut Hill, Mass. in 2005. He also orchestrated and competed in countless family tournaments, always careful to make sure that no one left without an "award" of some kind – no matter how dubious.
Tom was active in the Bozeman community, serving on the board of Montana Bank and as a Montana State University booster. He was a member of First Presbyterian Church, and of Shriners International. Tom also served as a Boy Scout leader, and coached a championship little-league baseball team.
Above all, Tom was a genuine family man with boundless love and generosity toward his large family and many friends. He is remembered by all who knew him for his kindness, sense of humor, and infectious smile.
A funeral service will be held on Saturday, Jan. 17 at 11:30 a.m. at First Presbyterian Church in Bozeman. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The Cody Dieruf Benefit Foundation for Cystic Fibrosis, P.O. Box 6044, Bozeman, MT 59771 or to the Fisher Center for Alzheimer's Research Foundation, 199 Water St., 23rd Floor, New York, NY 10038.
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