Douglas Dean Dubois passed away on April 8, 2025. He was born March 4, 1943, attending grade school in Windham, Montana and graduating from Stanford in 1962. He attended Northern Montana College for animal husbandry and served in the US Army Reserve from 1962-1969.
Dean was married to his wife Carol for 60 years! Dean adopted Carol’s daughter Tami, and two years later their son Lee was born, in April, 1966. They all lived on the farm/ranch in Windham until 1975.
Dean was hired as ranch hand and foreman by the Willow Creek Ranch in Belt in 1975. In 1987, he transitioned to ranch manager of the Dearborn Ranch, overseeing 1800 head of cattle alongside a crew of cowboys. Then, in 1989, Dean was hired as manager of 6C Cattle Company in Gold Creek. There he managed three ranches – Gold Creek, Wisdom and Great Falls – plus 2800 head of cattle, a small herd of buffalo and elk, plus 20 employees.
In July 1993, Dean became a sales representative for Quality Supply in Missoula. He started as a road salesman and, when a new store was built in Butte, then worked in the store. He was well known for his knowledge in agriculture, finally retiring in 2009.
Dean and Carol spent as much time as possible camping in the Middle Fork of the Utica. When they moved to Butte, they camped almost every weekend. Dean was often seen cutting wood, fishing with his paddle boat, which he put many miles on, and hunting.
After moving to Choteau, Dean spent many years at hunting camp with his daughter Tami, her husband Greg, his grandson Dillon, and his dear friend Mike Taylor.
Dean is survived by his loving wife Carol, his daughter Tami and her husband Greg, plus their son Lee, Theresa and family.
Dean, and his perennial laughter, will be sorely missed.
There will be no services held for Dean. Instead, memorials may be sent to the Choteau Senior Center, POB 1103, Choteau 59422.
A special poem for Dean is shared from his daughter Tami:
In God’s Eyes
Now, we’re not a church-going family. One Sunday, when I was helping Dad clean the barn, I said, “Let’s go to church,” thinking maybe the barn cleaning could be put off until the next morning. Well, we kept cleaning and Dad said, “I always felt, no matter where I was or whatever was going on each Sunday, the Good Lord was with me and my family.”
“It might be rising before dawn Sunday morning, saddling Roany and looking at that hump in his back, praying to the Lord. Roan and I need to come to a better understanding, for the trail ahead of us is a long one before we reach greener pastures.”
“I might be on a swather on a hot Sunday. The Good Lord knows I need to make hay. When harvest rolls around, I am on the combine and Mom is driving the truck.”
Then he said, “You kids color and play with toy trucks and tractors on the floor of ‘ole red’. At lunch time, we eat the spread Mom makes in the shade of the truck bed. Lord knows it’s been family time well spent.”
He added, “Seeding comes and kids are in school, we’re burning both ends, but summer is fading and it’s getting cool. Rain soon, we ask the Lord. Maybe one good year and we can buy that used Ford. Then, shipping time and our big pay day.”
“Sorting on Sunday, the Lord says it’s okay. Snowing, blowing – 40 below and struggling to calve. Feeding, doctoring, spreading straw, suckling a heifer and newborn calf. One is born in the creek, and you’re just in time. With the help of the Good Lord, now he’s doing fine.
“The Lord knows it’s not all work every day. Why, when there’s a break, your Mom and I will take you kids fishing or go up South Fork and camp a night or two. Maybe we’ll ride through the herd and do some chokecherry picking. Maybe we’ll go out on a full moonlight night on the snowmobile, even start a campfire. We’ll let you roast marshmallows, with the coals hot and bright. There’s so much to do!”
“Lord knows we do our best. And there’s time He can put us through quite a test. When Sunday rolls around, I know He’s with me, no matter where I am found.”
Author: Staff
Our Staff account is used to publish submitted content. If you have content that was published under this account, and wish to have your name as author, please contact us at (406) 952-3021
