DuMontiers celebrate gold

Alfred “Cub” and Glenda DuMontier celebrated their Golden Wedding Anniversary. (Courtesy photo)

ARLEE — On February 8, 2012, Alfred “Cub” and Glenda DuMontier celebrated their Golden Wedding Anniversary. A life-long relationship started when Glenda Rae Park and her family moved to Arlee from Bozeman when she was a junior in High School. Glenda was not enthused about the move west in the middle of her high school career, but as fate would have it, Cub captured her heart and love has kept her in the Jocko Valley.

Fifty years ago, Cub and Glenda started an exciting life together exchanging wedding vows in the wild and racy town of Wallace, Idaho with parents Albert and Clara DuMontier and Maxine Park witnessing the blessed event. The wedding budget consisted of $3.25 for the license and a $5 fee paid to the Probate Judge to preside over the new partnership — and yes, the marriage was legal.

The newly married couple left the area immediately to travel across the country with no cell phone, navigator, laptop or iPad … just common sense to Aberdeen, Maryland where Cub was enrolled in the U.S. Army Ordnance School for two months. After Cub completed his training, the couple traveled back across the country to California’s Fort Baker bordering the City of Sausalito and connected to San Francisco by the Golden Gate Bridge. In 1962, the young couple experienced a country exercising civil rights with a mixture of peace, love, violence and a bit more diversity than their home state of Montana.

During the Cuban Missile Crisis, Cub served as a supply specialist and mechanical repairman while at Fort Baker. Glenda was a civilian employee with the 6th Army Headquarters working for one of the few female lieutenant colonel ranking officers. They had a colorful few years while in California partying with friends from Montana and living high on the hog with two incomes that could barely cover the rent.

Cub and Glenda both earned outstanding performance awards and letters of appreciation from their military careers but chose to forego other worldly opportunities to return home where the fun really started.

Courtesy photo

Cub worked the night shift at Van Evans and Glenda worked for the Forest Service during the day. They would pass each other at Evaro going opposite directions with a wave and throwing kisses. In 1967, they bought the home place in Arlee, consisting of 80 acres (mostly rock), a tractor, a plow, and five cows on what is now named Dumontier Road. Cub worked nights and ranched during the day catching a nap under the baler. He was also the chairman of Tribal Credit in Dixon, starting the then new short-term loan program. Glenda learned to ride horses, change pipe and buck bales as well or better than most.

In 1978, Cub and Glenda purchased the service station in Ravalli from Clyde and Betty Stevens. Again, few had little hope especially with Glenda giving up the day job, that they could successfully run a business, but a hard work ethic led them to operate DuMontier Oil for 25 years as a true partnership in work and home.

But you work hard so you play hard, and both having a love of horses and Cub having the ability to stay on top of just about any horse, the couple started raising and running thoroughbred racehorses.

Their first horse was Hy Grit but Honey Turf had the most wins and the biggest heart. The highlight was winning the 1989 Centennial Handicap in Missoula with Hyde Park High and trainer W.O “Orie” Edwards. Mel White also trained for the couple and now both gentlemen and dear friends are gone.

The sport of racing has changed a bit and the couple now watches horseracing on the television from all across the country all year long and bet using the internet! Glenda has the best handicap and Cub knows all the horses, trainers, jockeys and the general “inside” scoop.

Another fun pastime is the couple’s love of the outdoors camping and riding for miles in the mountains. Cub knows the history of most of the area and knows the trails to most lakes in the Mission mountains.

The couple was blessed with two children - a daughter and a son and their families. Their daughter Debra Lee DuMontier and her husband Tom McClure (family head chef) of Arlee, grandchildren Dez (Ryan) Fox (U of M graduate school); Cubby Pierre (Junior Gonzaga and #1 ranch hand); and Tom’s children Charmel (Shawn) Sternick of Missoula; Thomas McClure (U of M); Camas McClure (Arlee HS); and their son Dr. Timothy Albert DuMontier (Blackfeet Indian Name: Charging Weasel) and his wife Becca (lead birthday singer) of Kalispell, and grandchildren Isabelle (4th grade); Analise (1st grade) and Albert “Charlie” (Preschool).

Given Cub and Glenda’s high expectations of life is it not unusual that they have a lawyer and a doctor in the family. The lively spirit of their younger years, their children could rarely think or do anything that would surprise them.

Over the years, Cub and Glenda have attended a number of athletic events, school activities and most of all graduation ceremonies and celebrations of higher education. Fortunately, since the couple is also blessed with grandchildren they may look forward to many more graduations to attend in the future.

Still it doesn’t matter how many degrees you may have or hope to achieve when it is haying season! You don’t even need a license to drive a tractor — just don’t run over the risers or the irrigation pipe.

The family celebrates the holidays, birthdays, and accomplishments in life at home with good food, spirits, laughter, jokes and all around fun including their 50th wedding celebration.

So feel free to call, send a card, or say a prayer for Cub and Glenda celebrating this wonderful accomplishment of life.