Leonard Alfred Roark, 93, was born October 16, 1927, to Lawrence Roark and Mary (Lewis) Roark in Big Sandy, MT. He passed away peacefully on November 16, 2020, at Highgate Senior Living in Great Falls, where he had resided since July of this year.
While working for the Choteau County road department, operating a D7 Caterpillar, he was having dinner at the local hotel when the love of his life caught his eye. He was introduced to Betty Terry by her brother, Glen. Leonard made her his wife on June 29, 1946. They lived in Big Sandy until April of 1953 when they moved to Sunburst with their first 3 children in tow, and the 4th on the way.
Leonard worked for Hardrock Oil for 16 years and the family lived in company housing which in later years they purchased and finished raising their family there. When things slowed down in the oilfield, Leonard accepted the manager position at the Cenex Cooperative which kept him busy for the next seven years. After leaving that position, he worked for the gas company and later did mechanical work in his own shop and operated his backhoe until he accepted a position managing the school bus garage.
He worked for several years maintaining the Sunburst cemetery between winters spent traveling south with Betty. During their years in Sunburst, Leonard was an active member of the small community participating in many activities including Little League, Boy Scouts, and driving ambulance.
To read the complete obituary and share condolences, visit the O'Connor Funeral Home website.
