Leonard Farnsworth

Visitation: Will be held on Friday, May 7, 2010 from 8 am to 10 am at Stevenson & Sons Funeral Home.

Family and friends will meet for Graveside services: 11:00 am at the Custer County Cemetery in Miles City.

Leonard Farnsworth, age 79, of Jordan, MT passed away at the Billings Clinic on April 27, 2010 in Billings.

Leonard was born on July 21, 1930 at Dowling, SD on a ranch. He grew up riding horses, milking cows, walking or riding horseback to school which was three miles away. Leonard always had chores before and after school.His father died when he was 14 years old and his mother moved to Illinois for 6 months where he attended school and then his mother moved back to Philip, SD where he attended school for two and a half years, year in Rapid City and graduated at Philip. He worked on ranches, breaking horses and doing general ranch work.

Leonard married Donna Lucille Junge on June 20, 1951 in Kadoka, SD. They lived there on ranches for 4 months and the Leonard was called into the service, the marines and was there for 4 months, being honorably discharged because of a ruptured disk in his back.

Leonard and Donna moved to Montana in 1952. They operated a ranch there in the Long Pine Hills for 16 years, just over the Montana line from Camp Crook, SD. They then moved to Ekalaka where Leonard worked on a ranch for 3 years, and then worked in the Post Office for 11 years. He drove chalk Butte School buses for 6 years. They then moved to Miles City where he worked for the Bureau of Land Management there for 7 years and then moved to Jordan doing the same work. He retired at the age of 64 years. At present, he had lived in Jordan for 20 of those years.

He and Donna had 7 children. Lila Stark of Miles City, MT, Phoebe Breidenbach of Jordan, MT, Letoy (Dave) Davis of Astoria, OR, Leo Farnsworth of Roundup, MT. Preceded in death by his children; Baby Leonard Duane, Ray Alan at 32 years and Darla Kay- 11 years. He has eight grandchildren; Russell Farnsworth, Ambra Breidenbach, Hailey Farnsworth, Sayla, Anna & Mia & Philip Davis. Deceased is Marc Alan Starks- 11 years old. Leonard was preceded in death by his wife of 58 years, Donna, his brother Lloyd, Glen, Lloyal, William and an infant sister Edith.

He is survived by his sister Virginia Crowser of Union Center, SD.

Leonard loved his family, loved playing with his children, loved having company, he enjoyed people in general. He loved livestock and was always a cowboy at heart. He asked Jesus Christ into his life at the age of 30. He became a Deacon in the First Baptist Church in Ekalaka after we moved there. When living in Jordan, he did a lot of physical work in and around the church. He also helped in teaching children in Awana Club. He loved playing ball and other games with his own children and also with other children.

Visitation will be held on Friday, May 7, 2010 from 8 am to 10 am at Stevenson & Sons Funeral Home. Family and friends will meet for Graveside services at 11:00 am at the Custer County Cemetery in Miles City. Condolences can be sent to the family by visiting: www.stevensonandsons.com.

Should friends desire, memorials may be made to Phoebe Breidenbach, Box 326, Jordan, MT for a memorial to be establish at a later date. Stevenson & Sons Funeral Home of Miles City has been entrusted with the arrangements.