Donald Patton Blumfield

Donald “Don” Patton Blumfield of Cave Creek, AZ and Great Falls passed away July 3, 2018 at 83 after a battle with Parkinson’s disease. A family graveside service will be held July 27, 2018 at Highland Cemetery followed by a celebration of life at the Great Falls Country Club around 11:00 a.m. Arrangements are in the care of Schnider Funeral Home. Donald was born and raised in Great Falls to Olive and George Blumfield on April 3, 1935. Don and his big brother, George Jr., enjoyed many kid adventures, including hockey and Soapbox Derby events. Don took the Montana derby contest by storm around the year 1942 with his homemade car they named “Donnie’s Dud.” Don and George also shared a love of cars and motorcycles throughout their lives. Attending Great Falls High School with the class of 1953, Don chose to get his GED and graduated from pilot school at the US Naval Training Center in San Diego, California in 1952. Following his time in the Navy, Don attended the University of Montana where he taught ski lessons and enjoyed many great times with his Sigma Chi fraternity brothers. Missoula is where he met his life love, Mary Bosley, who was a Kappa Alpha Theta across the street from his beloved Sigma Chi house. After graduating from the U of M business school, the two married and had three children. Lori, Scott and Lisa were raised in Great Falls where Don ran a successful real estate company, Blumfield Agency that his father passed down. The family of five remained in Great Falls until the late 1980’s when Mary and Don moved to Scottsdale, Arizona. Shortly after the move, Mary died suddenly of cancer. Don continued to sell real estate in Arizona, Nevada, and Montana and had a small car lot in Arizona. His passion for cars that started as far back as the soap box derby days, continued throughout his life. He loved attending auctions, buying, selling and restoring anything with a motor. He also enjoyed playing golf and attended the annual Sigma Chi golf tournament. A member of the University of Montana Alumni Association, Don helped with the Cat vs. Griz game held at Dukes bar in Scottsdale, Arizona. Don loved the sunshine, jazz music, fishing, snow and waterskiing, golf, and playing pool. Before moving back to Great Falls, he lived in Missoula at Grizzly Peak Retirement where he hustled pool with the locals, packing his newly purchased pawnshop cue. He was preceded in death by his parents, George and Olive Blumfield and loving wife, Mary. Don is survived by a daughter, Laurie (Ed) of Long Island, NY; son Scott (Bromley) of Great Falls; and daughter Lisa (Mark) of Lolo; brother George (Marlene) of Palmdale, CA; niece Molly (Charles) Steele; nephew Danny Blumfield; Bosley family members; and grandchildren Lacy and Dru (Jerry) Dawson, Dane and Brock Sandillo, Josie and Cal Gibson, and Maggie, Will, Trew and Tag Rittel. A big thank you to all the skilled and caring workers at Grizzly Peak, Missoula, Bluebird Assisted Living, Great Falls, Renaissance Assisted Living, Great Falls, the Veterans Administration, Big Sky Waiver program and Hospice of Great Falls. It takes a village, and we so appreciate all the help. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Hospice of Great Falls, Veterans Administration or cars for veterans.