Allan Faechner

Allan Donald Faechner, 80, of Great Falls passed peacefully away March 8, 2014.A celebration of Als life will be Thursday, March 13, 2014 at 1:00 p.m., at Hillcrest Lawn Memorial Chapel. A coffee and dessert reception will follow the service.Allan was born to Samuel and Corinne Faechner on May 26, 1933. He was born in Havre, but would often claim Box Elder as his birth place, as he was raised there until the age of 11 when his family moved to Great Falls. He graduated, proudly, as a Bison, in 1951, from Great Falls High School.While at GFHS Al shined on the basketball court where he was voted All-State his senior year for the Bison. After graduating, he attended Northern Montana College in Havre on a basketball scholarship and also played on the Northern baseball team. He was a darn good catcher. He was voted Mr. Basketball by his teammates in 1952. In 2007, Al was inducted into the MSU-Northern Athletic Hall of Fame.In 1953 he was drafted into the Army during the Korean War. He served two years in a unit specializing in code breaking. After his Tour of Duty he returned home, where he married his college sweetheart, Joyce Ferrin. She was from Glasgow and they met while attending Northern.Al graduated from The College of Great Falls in 1957 with a degree in Business Administration while Joyce worked as a school teacher. He started his career at the First Westside Bank where he worked for 10 years.In 1967 Al and Joyce, with their four children, moved to Glasgow where he worked as Vice President of the First Security Bank. Then in 1970 they moved back to Great Falls where Al took a job as a financial advisor with D.A. Davidson, a job he loved for 29 years in a city he equally loved. He retired in 1998.Al was committed to giving back to his communities. He was a generous donor to Box Elder Schools where he donates a scholarship each year, as well as a member of the GFHS Class of 1951 scholarship committee that awards scholarships to local students. While in Glasgow, he was President of the Glasgow Sports Club, where he promoted sporting events in the area. In Great Falls he was also President of the Multi-Sports Complex for a time when he, his friends and community leaders laid the groundwork and built the Complex. In 1976, he received the Legion of Honor Award for the Great Falls Demolay for Outstanding Service to the Community. He was a past President of the Exchange Club of Great Falls and a past President of the Westside Optimist Club. He was a member of the Civic Center Board from 2002-2006. Our Dad liked people and taught his children the importance of treating others with respect. It was this quality that made him work so well with people to create a better community. Great Falls has lost a dedicated advocate.Outside of his civic duty, Al enjoyed playing softball and golfing. He was an avid sports fan. His sons and friends always teased him that he didnt necessarily have good taste in the teams he liked. He enjoyed the family cabin in Lincoln and knocking back some beers now and again. Al had a great sense of humor. He loved to tell jokes and laugh with friends and family. Al will be most remembered by his hard work ethic, his sense of humor, and his extreme generosity.He was a very dedicated and loving father. He was fond of saying he had three sons and a favorite daughter. He spent countless hours teaching and coaching his sons and their teams. He was bound and determined to help all his children graduate from college and though his patience was tested, he managed to hold on to hope and help us get through.Some of Als fondest memories are when he drove the circuit around Montana as a basketball official. He had funny stories of being booed and ran out of gyms by over-zealous fans or maybe by his over-zealous whistle blowing. He waited anxiously for the spring tournaments and loved March Madness. Hours after his passing his Box Elder boys won the Class C State Championship. Hes smiling right nowthat much we know. Al leaves behind Joyce, his dedicated wife of 59 years, and his four children; Jerry Faechner of Big Timber, Glen {Tracy} Faechner of Missoula; and granddaughter, Kellen; Jolee {John} Vondra of Billings and grandchildren, Michael, Molly, Rebecca, Jacob, and Luke; Randy {Chrissy} Faechner of Great Falls and grandson, Prosper. He loved his kids and adored his grandkids. Papa was good.To the many Great Falls doctors, nurses, support staff, and especially friends who cared for and supported our Father over the yearsthank you. You are all special!In lieu of flowers, send memorials to: Great Falls High School Class of 1951 Scholarship Fund.