Danny 'Dan' Robert Harry

Danny "Dan" Robert Harry, 75, of Boyd, Mont., went to be with the Lord on Sept. 20, 2021, after a lengthy illness.

Dan was born May 19, 1946, in Olney, Ill., to Wesley and Annabett Whitten Harry. He graduated High School in Thermopolis, where he enjoyed acting and was nicknamed "Hokey" after starring as Hokey the wolf in a school play. He then headed off to college and obtained a degree in chemistry and biology from Chadron State College in Nebraska. While in college he met his wife, Rebecca (Becky) Howard, and the two married in 1967. After marriage, the couple moved a few times before temporarily settling in Casper, Wyo., where Dan worked for CIT Finances. There Dan and Becky became parents to their daughter, Shannon. While working for CIT, Dan transferred to Billings, Mont., where they added two scrapping young boys, Zachariah (Zach) and Aaron, to their budding family.

While in Billings, Dan worked for Milwaukee Railroad and Billings Shipping before settling into a career at Diversified Transfer and Storage (DTS). In the summer of 1987, Dan and Becky decided to try out rural life and moved to Joliet Mont., where all three of their kids graduated high school. In 1993, they moved four miles down the road to Boyd, Mont., where Dan and Becky became beloved members of the community and remained until choosing a higher level of care, in 2021.

Dan enjoyed crossword puzzles, golfing, fishing, hunting, and camping. When his kids were younger, he relished coaching his boys in Babe Ruth baseball where he was affectionately nicknamed, "Danimal". As his kids grew into adulthood, one of Dan's highpoints was participating in the Tiger Cruise on the USS Carl Vinson, an aircraft carrier his son, Zach, was stationed on while serving in the Navy. In later years, he was pleased to have his younger son, Aaron, return home after retiring from the Air Force.

Day to day, Dan loved going for drives on the back roads of Carbon County, watching for mule deer and other wildlife; sitting on the front porch, viewing the breathtaking Beartooth Mountains; collecting and trying new crockpot recipes; and watching football in his Lazy Boy. He especially enjoyed cheering on his favorite football team, the Nebraska Cornhuskers, while sipping on an Old Milwaukee.

Dan is survived by his wife, Becky; sons, Zach and Aaron (Tisha) Harry; granddaughters, Whitney (Ian) Hafner and Becca Harry; sister, Darla Ann Harry; three great-grandchildren; and numerous cousins, nieces, and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his daughter, Shannon Danette Harry; mother, Annabett Harry; father, Wesley Harry; and grandparents, Harry and Whitten.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in memory of Dan Harry, to Joliet Wesleyan Church (PO Box 146, Joliet, MT 59041) or St. John's United, Senior Living (3940 Rimrock Rd, Billings MT 59102). The family would like to extend their sincere gratitude to both entities for their unwavering support during Dan's illness.

A graveside service will be held at the Joliet Cemetery on Friday, October 1 at 2 p.m.