David Robert Osterman was born to Mary (Kelleher) and Herman Osterman on June 28, 1943, on the family dairy farm in Monarch. Dave was the 8th of 9 children, and he spent his first 13 years on the family homestead. When his mother became sick the family moved to Great Falls and she died shortly after. Dave moved out of his father’s house at the age of 16 to live with his sister, Mary, and attend Catholic Central High School for a few years. He moved back to Monarch to help take care of his sister Bernice and he graduated from Neihart High School in 1961 as Valedictorian.
After graduating he moved to Great Falls and began working at Triangle Tire. He became the business owner of Triangle Tire with his brother Bud until 1978. He began a new career with Food Service of America for 10 years while also working part-time at his Belt home fixing tires out of his garage. In 1988, Food Service of America closed their doors in Great Falls and Dave had the opportunity to move with the company. Dave decided to open his tire business at his home full time. He worked tires from 1961 to 2010. Dave worked for the Belt Public Schools for 27 years as a bus driver and had lots of fond memories of all the students he carried to school and to sporting events. He retired from Belt Public Schools in 2015.
He was in the US Army Reserves from 1964 to 1970.
Dave met Louise Byre in 1963 through mutual friends. Dave and Louise were married on January 30, 1965. They were married for 57 years, just short of 58 years as Louise passed away this past November, 2022, from cancer. Dave and Louise were inseparable. Dave and Louise had 5 children, Craig, Brenda, Clint, Tanya, and Preston “PJ.” PJ passed away in an automobile accident in April of 1999. In 2008 Dave and Louise began building a cabin they bought in Monarch and soon after in 2010, they decided to retire and sell their home in Belt and live out a dream of Dave’s, to live below the farm and homestead where he was born.
Dave’s most memorable time was when he took his children camping, snowmobiling, ATV and motorcycling, boating, and hunting. Dave was a devout follower of the Belt Huskies and even the past two years when he was unable to attend events he always found someone who would keep him updated on how the Huskies played. He was proud of his children’s accomplishments. He never missed any of their sporting events, music performances, or their school plays.
Dave is survived by his children, Craig and Shannon Osterman of Belt, Brenda and Vern Wheeler of Spokane, Clint Osterman of Belgrade, Tanya and Scott Mycke of Conrad; 11 grandchildren; 5 great-grandchildren; and many other beloved family and friends. To read the complete obituary and share condolences, click here to visit the Schnider Funeral Home website.
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