Ernest “Ernie” Tordale passed away on September 28, 2024, at Peace Hospice in Great Falls. He was born in Great Falls, MT on October 22, 1944, to Alvina (Ruff) and Erling Tordale. He graduated from Fairfield High School in 1963.
Ernie joined the service and was based at March Air Force Base in California. He was home on leave when he met the love of his life, Karen Maxwell, at a dance on New Years Eve 1964. They were later married in Billings, MT in November 1965. In May of 1966, they welcomed their son, Jason, into the world.
Ernie was discharged from the service and returned to Montana in 1967. They lived in Choteau, MT where he worked for his uncle, Herman Tordale, and then moved to Great Falls, MT where he worked for Boeing on Malmstrom Air Force Base and later for the Anaconda Company.
Later that same year, they welcomed their daughter, Charla, to the family in October of 1967. In 1968, they bought their first home with acreage in Greenfield.
In 1971, Ernie went to work for Mountain Bell working as a lineman and later that year took another position within the company as an installer/repair man that led them to the farm near Ledger, MT outside of Conrad, MT where they would spend many years to come. He retired from the phone company in 2007 but continue to run cattle and work on the farm until December 2014. He faced many obstacles when it came to his health, and he and Karen needed to be closer to medical facilities and doctors, so they made the move to Great Falls, MT in 2016 where he resided until his passing.
He leaves behind his wife, Karen, of 58 years; daughter, Charla (Dennis) Rearden; daughter in law, Cathy Tordale; granddaughters, Kelly (Jason) Carroll and Delaney (Ian) McIntosh; grandsons, Derek (Jen) VandenBos and Darin (Christi) VandenBos; 13 great-grandchildren; sisters, Shirlie (Harold) Klinker and Linda (Dave) Brownell; brother, Stan (Diane) Tordale; in addition to many special nieces and nephews.
A Celebration of Life will be held on Friday October 4 at 2:00 PM in Conrad at the New Life Church.
To read the complete obituary and share condolences, click here to visit the Schnider Funeral Home website.
