Greg Howlett, age 74, of East Helena

On the morning of January 29, 2024, Greg passed away peacefully at his home in East Helena, MT, surrounded by his family at the age of 74.

Greg was born in Columbus, MT on March 16, 1949, the third son of Jack and Jean Howlett. This bright-eyed, apple-cheeked boy charmed everyone around him right from the start.

Stories from his youth paint the picture of a loving and lovable boy with mischievous eyes and smile. He spoke fondly of weekend family camping trips where his father taught them how to identify plants and birds, and his mother prepared wonderful campfire meals. A favorite destination was Camp Mimanagish along the Boulder River, where he raced little boats made of pine bark with his brothers and scared his little sister with frogs and snakes hidden in his pockets. He returned many times as an adult to share this special place with his own family, reliving stories and making new memories, loving especially time spent fishing with his kids.

After graduating high school and attending a year of college, Greg moved to Columbia Falls, MT where he hoped to join the workforce at the aluminum plant. After being told there were no openings, he returned every morning to inquire about available positions until the day someone didn’t show up and was handed the job on the spot.

Greg enlisted in the Navy in the spring of 1969 but was critically injured weeks later in an auto accident involving a drunk driver where two friends lost their lives. As bad as it was, he believed the accident likely saved his life. He was thrown through the rear window and suffered a broken neck and back, collapsed lungs, and shattered skull. He was given little chance to survive yet learned to walk again and never stopped developing ways to work independently.

On July 25, 1970, Greg married Rita Rae East and achieved his goal of walking unaided down the aisle. Together they had three children, Jeff, Nick, and Kelley before designing and building their permanent home in East Helena, MT. After losing Rita Rae to illness in 1980, he provided and cared for his three young children, learning to curl his daughter’s hair and becoming a great cook. Many evenings were spent driving around in the dune buggy spinning doughnuts by the smelter and grabbing ‘squirrel’ ice cream cones from A&W on the way home.

While helping friends re-roof their house, Greg was introduced to Benilde Sarrico and her child, Dandilion (Mija). Benilde quickly became his ‘Sunshine’, and they were married on April 15, 1983. Soon came Jessie, then Angie to complete this blending of families. When asked what he wanted for birthdays or Father’s Days, his reply was always simply a happy family. He embraced any opportunity to get together and loved cheering on kids and grandkids in all our endeavors – from local events to multiple trips to the National NAIA Football Championships. He was our biggest fan, eager to celebrate our successes and provide a safe place to land when we fell.

Greg worked many years for the Montana Department of Transportation, but his true passion was welding. After retiring from the state, he designed and fabricated boat trailers for a local marine shop, functional tools and equipment for friends and neighbors, garden and yard decorations, and shelves and tables for his children. There wasn’t anything he couldn’t build or fix and was always our first call whenever we were stumped.

Greg found his love of hunting later in life with the help of incredible friends and family who developed creative ways to get him out and positioned to take his perfect shot. These empowering adventures provided a sense of pride and colorful stories he loved telling. He made the best jerky with his homemade spice blend and beamed every time he shared it.

In April 2018, he received the devastating diagnosis of Multiple Myeloma and Stage IV Prostate cancers. As with every other challenge, he accepted it and handled it his own way. He put all his energy into doing everything within his control to maximize his time and quality of life. In doing so, he gave us the gift of more memories with him smiling, laughing, hunting, singing, and his unforgettable one-liners. In the end, when asked how he was doing, he’d smile and say, “Pretty good for a kid – I’ve been better, but I’ve been worse.” Despite the setbacks and hardships in his life, he remained resolute and well rooted in his faith, praying daily for loved ones and others alike. He felt closest to God in the mountains often saying, “This is my church.”

We will miss his witty quips and warm, eager smiles, the stories and the laughter, the music and the advice, and the daily calls and texts just to say, “Good morning, I love you.” He was one of the good ones, as they say, who just made everything better.

Greg was preceded in death by his first wife Rita Rae (East) Howlett and parents Jack and Jean Howlett.

Greg is survived by his wife Benilde Howlett, children and their families Jeff Howlett and wife Heather (Christian Ker and wife Taylor Ker, Josephine, and Taylor); Nick Howlett and wife Sandy (Brooke); Kelley Helfrich and husband Nathan; Dandilion Cloverdale; Jessie Howlett and husband Travis Bennett (Ariah Loppie, Adele Bennett); Angie Howlett (Marcus). Great-grandchildren Tatum, Riley, and Jackson Ker. Siblings David Howlett and husband Roberto Cid, Bob Howlett and wife Kathy, Susan Howlett and husband David Bauman, and numerous nieces and nephews.

A private family gathering has been planned for this spring. While Greg enjoyed volunteering at the local Food Share with his wife and grandchildren, please donate to the cause of your choosing in lieu of flowers.