Bruce Cady, age 88, of Billings formerly of Lame Deer

Bruce Myron Cady of Billings formally of Lame Deer passed away on July 27, 2021. He was born to Earl “Mugs” and Ruth (Bradley) Cady on February 28, 1933, in Forsyth and grew up on Slaughterhouse Creek before his family moved to Lame Deer.  Bruce graduated from Colstrip High School in 1953.  After high school, he was drafted into the Army for military service and was a veteran of the Korean Conflict.  After his military service he returned to Lame Deer to help his parents with their gas station.  Bruce was known to work many different jobs in his younger years and was known to always find good paying jobs.  Family members remember him as always having some money in his pocket.  Some of his various jobs included bartender, logger, autobody repairman, roughneck in the oil fields, hunting camp cook, trucker and other odd jobs. He enjoyed traveling around the country and really was a “Jack-of-all-Trades” before he ended up settling in Red Lodge.  On April 24, 1969, he married Ione Rummel Mayer; along with his wife came six children from her previous marriage.  Bruce and Ione were later blessed with a daughter of their own, Reina Ruth.  Bruce loved all the kids as if they were his own, adopting all of them and giving them the Cady name.  In 1976, Bruce and Ione moved to Lame Deer to take over Cady’s Gas and remained there until 2006 when they retired and moved to Billings to enjoy their golden years together.  After retirement Bruce enjoyed following their grandchildren’s competitions in basketball, football, track, motor cross, ski racing, livestock showmanship and rodeo.   Bruce enjoyed garage sales and secondhand stores, bringing his treasures home to Ione who was usually not so happy to see the “new stuff”.  He also loved collecting coins and trying his luck in a good slot machine!

Bruce was known as one of the most comical presences on main street in Lame Deer, in his bathrobe with a pack of dogs, causing great embarrassment to his children as they got on the school bus in the morning.   His classic bib overalls and wingtip shoes were quite a site! Bruce had a heart of gold and was always lending a helping hand to those who needed assistance, credit for food, gas at midnight or tire repairs, knowing he would likely not get paid.  He would trade about anything with those who needed food or gas no matter what time of day/night it might have been.  Bruce’s brothers and sisters were always most important to him.  He grew up in a tough time and it formed a very tough man.  Bruce spent one winter living in a wall tent up on the Birney divide.  He loved telling stories of the yesteryear from his family hunting coyotes with dogs, breaking horses, and herding sheep on foot with his dad and granddad from north of Forsyth to Cohagen and trailing horses from Great Falls to Forsyth.

Bruce was a strict disciplinarian, and his kids grew up knowing that there was no funny business in the house or a quick dash to the bathroom door to grab the razor strap or a quick belt removal was coming. Bruce raised his family on wild game and taught the kids to hunt deer, elk, birds and fish.  There are fond memories of fishing on Sage Creek with the family and having a big fish fry, taking the kids to pick asparagus and choke cherries and taking drives out in the country down the gravel roads, usually with all the kids bouncing around in the back of the pickup!  Bruce loved dogs and they were treated as family. He was a very compassionate pet owner.

To those who knew him best it was difficult to watch him transition from being one to always offer his advice, like “don’t spend any money, the price of everything was going to come down”, to a Dementia/Alzheimer’s patient.  But through it all he kept his sense of humor and enjoyed telling his stories about the good old days! When mom passed away in January 2021, his eyes showed a definite change, over the next several months prior to his departing, it was obvious he missed his companion.

Until we meet again, Bruce is survived by his children Reina Cady of Billings; Larry (Debbie) Cady of Ashland; Rick (Ann) Cady of Colstrip; Jeff (April) Cady of Lame Deer; Shelly (Doug) Cahill of Brockway and Linda (Heath) Hoffman of Huntley.  Grandchildren KC (Terry) Lang; Desi Raye Cady; Chalsea Cady, Tanner (LeAnn) Cahill; Tyzer (Ronni) Cady; Torrie (Ryan) Neumann; Zack Cady; Shelby (Sklyer) Limberhand and Tristan Hoffman; great grandchildren Charlei, Morgan, Lawrence and Haylei and Atlas Cady; Carter and Colson Cahill, Nolan Neumann, Madison and Cooper Limberhand. He is also survived by his brothers Vance (Moneda) Cady of Busby, George Cady of Columbus and sister Betty “Girlie” (Fred) Stokke of Dillion as well as several nieces and nephews.

Bruce is proceeded in death by his wife Ione, son Dudley Cady, mother and father Ruth and Earl “Mugs” Cady, sister Claudia and husband Bruce Stevenson and a special uncle Roy Cady, who always seemed to follow the family wherever they moved.

The family would like to thank The Springs at Grand Park and Stevenson’s & Sons for all the kindness, care and support. In lieu of flowers a donation can be made to the Alzheimer Association-Montana or to organization of your choice.

Service Schedule

Visitation

11 AM to 5 PM

Friday July 30, 2021

Stevenson and Sons Funeral Home

Forsyth, Montana 59327

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Memorial Service

11:00 AM

Saturday July 31, 2021

Stevenson and Sons Funeral Home

Forsyth, Montana 59327

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Graveside Service with Full Military Honors

Following the Funeral Service

Saturday July 31, 2021

Forsyth Cemetery

Forsyth, Montana 59327

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