Arthur Richard Tynes

Arthur Richard Tynes passed away on January 10, 2022. He was born on October 1, 1926, in Great Falls at Columbus Hospital, and met his future wife Mary Kittams one day later at her birth on October 2 in the same hospital. Art grew up attending Franklin School and later GFHS, Class of 1944, where he again met Mary at the time of their 16th birthdays. After serving in the Navy until the end of WWII, he and Mary were wed in 1946. They started their adventure through college, first at MSU and then Oregon State, finishing after 15 years with a PhD and 5 children. He met his goal of becoming a research physicist working at Bell Labs in NJ, where he worked for 30 years culminating his career with the first transAtlantic fiber optic communications cable. His second goal was to enjoy retirement back in Montana at his beloved Smith River cabin with lots of family and friends. Art was preceded in death by his parents, Walter E. Tynes and mother Elizabeth McQuire Tynes; and siblings, Walter (Elizabeth) E. Tynes Jr., Dorothy (John) Bruce, and Robert C. Tynes. Survivors include his (first) wife of 75 years, Mary Kittams Tynes; and children, Richard D. Tynes, Cathlyn (John) Dutzer, Julianne (John) Holiday, Ronald (Jennifer) E. Tynes, and Randall F. Tynes; 9 grandchildren; and 1 great-grandson. Additional family survivors include brother-in-law, Donald Russell (age 100), sisters-in-law LaVerne Tynes, and Lorene Kittams (age 97); cousin Joseph McQuire; and numerous nieces and nephews with a special mention of Nancy Bruce Gray, who held Mary’s hand at Art’s bedside. He is also survived by Sheryl Tynes-Sailor, Eugene Tynes, Kelley Tynes and Gary Kittams. Remember Art with a daily “salad” (2 olives in a martini)! A family memorial gathering will be planned for later this summer.