Joseph Owen Pronovost
Joseph Owen Pronovost went to be with the
Lord on February 3, 2010, after a long illness.
He was born on March 11, 1917 in Polson MT,
the 2nd child of 8 children born to David & Oliva Pronovost. The
family was transferred to Missoula in 1934 and Joseph graduated from
Missoula High School in 1938 and then attended Electrical Schools in
California.
He took a job with Pacific Naval Contractors
on Midway Island when the Japanese attacked
Pearl Harbor and was on Midway when it was
shelled. He returned to the states and joined the Navy and was
assigned to the USS Oakland. He was taken off ship in Okinawa and
sent to Washington to go to school in Ana Costa. In August of 1945
he was honorably discharged and returned to Missoula where he
married the love of his life Doris Graewin and from this union had 3
daughters.
In 1947 he went to college at MSU. He
graduated in 1951 and went to work for the Bureau of Reclamation in
Billings, MT. In 1954 went to work for The Consulting Engineering
Firm in Worland, WY. In 1957 he accepted a position with General
Dynamics in the space program. He was stationed in Warren Air Force
base in Cheyenne, WY. He was transferred to Plattsburg, NY to
continue work for the space program at Plattsburg Air Force Base. In
1963 he returned to Billings, MT to work for Bureau of Reclamation.
He transferred from the Bureau to the Western Area Power
Administration (W AP A). He worked in this department until his
retirement in 1985.
He enjoyed golfing and was an avid
sportsman. He loved camping, fishing, and boating with his children
and his grandchildren. He enjoyed working in his back yard and
listening to the birds.
He is survived by his wife Doris and 2
daughters Karen Bleibtrey(Jim), and Nancy Metzger (Keith), 7
grandchildren & 3 step-grandchildren, James Teslow, Carson Willis,
Chris Willis (Sarah), Corey Willis, Chase Bleibtrey, Vanessa
Bleibtrey, Sunni Bleibtrey, Jessica Metzger, Nicholas Metzger,
Leslie Metzger, and 2 great grand children, Haiden Willis, & Owen
Willis. He is preceded in death by his parents David & Oliva, 4
brothers, Al, Jean, Dean, and Bill, 3 sisters, Doris, June, Teresa
and his daughter Jeanne Teslow.
Memorials can be sent to the Jeanne Teslow
Nursing Scholarship at St Patrick's Hospital, Missoula, MT, St
Thomas Parish Billings, MT or the memorial of your choice.
Joe you have blessed so many hearts and your
memory will be in our hearts forever. We Love you!
Cremation has taken place. Vigil services will be 7pm Monday at Michelotti-Sawyers Mortuary. Memorial Mass will be 11am Tuesday at St. Thomas the Apostle Church. Interment with military honors will take place at Sunset Memorial Gardens at a later date.
Remembrances
Please leave your name and remembrance in this public guest book. Your comments will be shared on this page and forwarded to the family.
Dear Karen, Jim and family,
I am so sorry to read today in the Missoulian that your father had died. Since my own dad died nearly five years ago, I know what a difficult time this is for you. Please know that you are in my thoughts and prayers. The memories you formed over a lifetime will ensure that he will live on--that you will truly never lose him. I still talk to my dad often and know that, on some level, he hears me.
How sad, though, that it takes a difficult time like this for me to reconnect with you. We retired and moved to Yuma, Arizona in 2005.
Please feel free to contact me any time and if you ever travel down this way, please come and visit us. It's ages since we worked at Gateway together, but I will never forget my worm-eating friend.
Cherie Boehler Fisher
Nancy & family,
Sorry for your loss. Joe will be missed not only by your family but by all that knew and appreciated him.
Steve Staebler
Dorie & family:
My thoughts and prayers are with you at this time. Will contact you at a later date Dorie. You take care.
Elsie Schneider
Dear Dorie, Karen, Nancy and all the family .. Sorry to hear of Joe's passing . my thoughts and prayers are with each of you . wish I lived a bit
closer but my heart is with you .. Love from BevPlease accept my deepest sympathy. His mother, Oliva was related to my mother, Josephine Wishart Mullen...cousins, I believe. I live in Texas, but most of my generation still live in the Polson area. My best to your family..Karen Cook
I'm sorry for your loss. Joe was my first little league baseball coach when I was nine years old. He was patient, calm, and fair--everything a good leader should be. I've coached little league myself for many years now and I like to think that a little bit of that giving back to the community was inspired by Joe's good example. He will be missed.
Mike Moody