Lawrence Frances (Larry) LaVallie

Fort Belknap, MT

Lawrence Frances (Larry) LaVallie, 79, of Ft. Belknap, passed away at the Malta Retirement Center of complications from diabetes.  A wake was held June 20, 2016 at 5:00PM at St. Paul’s Mission Parish.  Funeral services were held at St. Paul’s Mission Church on Tuesday, June 21, 2016 at 11 AM with Father Cory presiding.  Burial will follow in the St. Paul’s Mission Cemetery.  Larry was born April, 17, 1937 in Ft. Belknap, MT to Estelle Big Beaver Mount and raised by his step father, Robert Bob Mount and grandma Carrie Big Beaver. He attended St. Paul’s Mission School where he completed first through tenth grade.  The family then moved to Harlem where he graduated from Harlem High School in 1956.  He attended Northern Montana College and studied electrical, as he did in the Navy.  In 1958 he joined the US Navy and served four years.  After his discharge, he traveled through the western part of the US for a few years with his brother Georgie.  He married Jackie Martindale and they later divorced.  He then met and married Karen Roos.  They lived in Idaho Falls and Salt Lake City, Utah.  They later divorced.  In the later 90’s and early 2000’s he enjoyed life to the fullest with his 3rd companion, “Skip”, traveling throughout the US, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico.  This friendship ended when “Skip” passed away in 2005. Larry was a licensed realtor, working in Idaho Falls, ID Salt Lake City, UT, Richmond, Virginia and Tucson, AZ.  He enjoyed dancing at the Pow Wows all over the western states, but his favorite was coming home to dance at our local Pow Wow over the last 20 years. The past year and a half, Larry had open heart surgery and suffered a stroke.  Larry returned “Home” at the end of March and entered the Hi Line Retirement Center on April 1, 2016. Larry made his final journey “home” surrounded by his loving family, Barbara Mount Long Knife (Mike Neely), Carrie Stiffarm and family, Jeff Stiffarm and family, Carol Stiffarm and family, Christy Stiffarm and family, Caroline Brown, Mona Horn and family, Sharon Brown and family, Susan Brown Messerly and family, Roy Brown and family and Virgie Brown, Ramona Messerly, Dean Messerly and family, Sheila Messerly and family, Glen Messerly and family.  His nieces, Carol “Puddy” LaVallie and family and nephews Edward “Tyke” LaVallie and family, Sherman LaVallie and family.  Larry is preceded in death by his mother and stepfather Estelle and Robert Mount, brothers Edward “George” LaVallie, Lois Mount, John Jay Mount, Tommy Mount, Donnie Mount, Willie Mount and sisters, Mildred Christenson, Marie LaRoque, and nephes Daniel “Lil Man” Messerly Jr., Julian Rodriguez Stiffarm, and many life long friends.

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