Gordon Ellis Guffey passed away peacefully in Butte, MT on Friday, October 13, 2023 with his loving daughter, Shannon, by his side, after receiving visits from many grandkids and great grandkids throughout the day.
Born on April 24, 1940, in New Rockford, ND to Alma and Orville Guffey, Gordy was one of seven children. He enjoyed playing all sports growing up in the small town of Brinsmade, ND. Gordy joined the Army when he was just over 18 and remembers those years as some of the most fun of his life. He was a veteran of the US army during the Cold War, spending time in Germany. He was proud that he made the Army National Boxing team.
Gordy married Mary Lee Klima on March 2, 1963. They lived in various communities throughout North Dakota while he worked for the Northern Pacific Railroad. Their daughter, Shannon, was born in Bismarck, ND and Jody was born in Jamestown, ND. The family relocated to Great Falls, MT in 1974 where Gordy worked for the Montana Power Company as an operator at Black Eagle Dam.
His home in Great Falls was a place of love and a haven for his nine grandchildren. They enjoyed the days when he would take them outside to pick apples off his trees each year, and he also included his grandkids in training his hunting dogs, having them hide the retrieving dummy for his black lab, Jetta, to find. He took pride in having well-trained hunting dogs.
April 24, 1940 – October 13, 2023
He enjoyed camping, mining for sapphires, riding motorcycles and snowmobiles, and he had a passion for hunting and fishing. In 2007, he took first place in the Fresno Challenge fishing tournament in Havre, with his son-in-law Pat. He was also an excellent hunter and has some very nice mounts to show for it. He enjoyed taking his grandchildren hunting, fishing, and donating his time to children’s fishing tournaments.
He is survived by his two daughters, Shannon (Pat) Patterson of Red Lodge MT, and Jody (Matt) Quinn of Annandale, VA; his nine grandchildren, Jordan (Jerilyn) Patterson, McKayla (Nate) Haack, Danika (Colter) Clark, all of Butte MT, Dylan Patterson (Morgan Roehm) of Bozeman MT, and Jon (Nicole) Quinn, Braeden Quinn, Maddi (Myles) Sperry all of Missoula MT, Kailyn Quinn (Brett Cumming) of Granby CO, and Megan Quinn (Adam Giese) of Butte MT; and his 6 great grandchildren: Ruby, Lyla & Kaius Gordon Haack, Eamonn & Eira Clark, and Owen Quinn.
Survivors also include his sisters, Shirley Vincent of Devils Lake, ND, Sharon (Richard) Halvorson and Sylvia Allen of Austin, TX; sisters-in-law, Darlene (Chuck) Struble, Roberta (Karl) Wilhelm, and Linda (Gary) Kraft; and several nieces and nephews.
To read the complete obituary and share condolences, click here to visit the Axelson Funeral Home website.
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