Christian "Chris" Tweeten

Christian “Chris” Tweeten passed away at his home in Missoula on July 3rd. He was a big man with a gentle heart, quick wit and razor sharp mind. His family will miss his presence and quirky sayings: “that’s the nicest one of those I’ve ever seen,” “that was an unfortunate wardrobe choice,” “mud in your eye,” “thank you for the meal, I enjoyed it immensely,” “it gives me the pip.”

Chris was born in Rockville Centre, New York on March 29, 1953, the third child of Raymond and Virginia Tweeten. The family moved to Montana in 1961 and settled in Havre, where Ray had a car dealership. Chris skipped the first grade because he already knew how to read and his teacher could not keep him busy. He graduated from Havre High School in 1970 and while there he found two lifelong passions: choral music and debate. He also met his four best friends and golf buddies: Chris Young, Dave Fjosee, Eric Erickson, and Steve Clawson.

After high school Chris attended MSU Northern for two years and added another passion: musi-cal theater, performing with the Northern Montana Repertory Theater and Badlands Players. He then transferred to the University of Montana, earning a BA in 1974 and a Juris Doctor in 1977. After law school, he clerked for U.S. District Judge William Jameson in Billings. In 1979 he moved to Helena and began a 30-year career in public service at the Montana Attorney General’s Of-fice, working for five Montana Attorneys General, including as Chief Counsel for AG Joe Ma-zurek.

Chris loved being a prosecutor for the State of Montana; it was his calling. He was a gifted writer and compelling advocate in the courtroom, having argued several consequential cases before the Montana Supreme Court. He was also a skilled negotiator, leading work toward the 1998 To-bacco Settlement, which established the Tobacco Trust Fund and Tobacco Prevention Fund, and financed the Montana Children’s Health Insurance Program. He served on and chaired the Reserved Water Rights Compact Commission, created by the Legislature to negotiate federal and tribal water rights claims. The Commission shepherded 18 water compacts to resolution and approval between 1985 and 2015, including the highly contentious Confederated Salish and Koo-tenai Tribes Compact. Chris put in long hours on difficult cases, to the betterment of the rule of law and communities across Montana.

For many years Chris was active in the State Bar Association, serving as its President in 2008-2009. While his career as an attorney defined his public life, he had a colorful and endearing life away from work as well.

In 1980, long before dating apps, he met his future wife, Jeanne Whelan on a blind date at the Rialto Bar in Helena. He asked her to go to the movies, and they married a year later in 1981 at the Cathedral of St. Helena.

Chris lived a full life despite numerous health setbacks, including Polycystic Kidney Disease, an inherited condition. The last 24 years of his life, he benefitted from the selfless gift of a trans-planted kidney from an anonymous donor. He sang in five choirs (Helena Chamber Chorale, Musikanten Montana, Missoula Mendelssohn Club, Dolce Canto, and the church choir at Mis-soula Holy Spirit Episcopal). Chris was a golfer, Griz fan, baseball buff (Yankees and Nationals), and devotee to five family dogs: Otto, Mugsy, Tipsy, Roxie, and Blondie. He and Jeanne cheered on the Grizzlies, spent weekends at Flathead Lake, and traveled the world with their friends Howard Sterner and Barbara Daugharty.

Chris is survived by Jeanne and sons Andy (Ben), of Minneapolis, and Jon, of Missoula. Both of their sons have also chosen careers in public service, and Chris was immensely proud of them.

He is also survived by his sister Gina (Stan) Farnham, of Stevensville, brother Hank (Donna) Tweeten, of Havre, stepbrothers Kim (Nola) Peterson, of Havre, and Mark Peterson, of Havre, sister-in-law Marianne Whelan, of Las Vegas, and several nieces and nephews.

In recent months, when his transplanted kidney began to fail, Chris faced numerous hospitaliza-tions with quiet courage. Chris and his family share deep thanks to the many healthcare provid-ers he saw at Providence St. Patrick Health, Community Medical Center, Riverside Health and Rehabilitation, Partners in Home Care, and Fresenius Kidney Care.

Chris loved life and his family and was deeply grateful for his time here on Earth.

To honor Chris, memorial donations may be sent to the Polycystic Kidney Disease Foundation or the University of Montana Foundation.

A memorial service will be held Saturday, July 11 at 11:00 a.m. at Holy Spirit Episcopal Church in Missoula.