Ivan P. Konen

Ivan P. Konen of Great Falls, Montana passed away on July 29, 2023, at the age of 92.
Ivan was born to Nicholas and Amelia Konen, on March 8, 1931, in Ellensburg, Washington. He was an amazing husband, father, brother, uncle, and friend to so many. Ivan graduated from Fairfield High School in 1949 and went on to farm and work in the Great Falls area. In 1951, he married Jacquelyn Dempsey. They had three fabulous children, Karen, Sandee, and Kelly. After Ivan and Jackie were divorced, Ivan married Patricia Eisner, a teacher in Great Falls in 1964. They soon moved to Fort Benton where Ivan owned a tire business and Pat taught at Fort Benton Elementary. They were very active in the community. They had two children, Jon and Jeri.
Ivan is most known for his talent of service work in so many communities in north central Montana with his tire businesses. At the height of his business in the 1980s, he owned stores in Great Falls, Shelby, and Fort Benton. Little known facts about Ivan that tell a better story, he had several patents for inventions he created to make his job easier in the tire industry…from tire irons, service truck modifications, to bead breakers. He did not speak about his accomplishments as his modest personality and kindness were most known by his customers, family, and friends.
The family brought smiles to Ivan as he thoroughly enjoyed any and all gatherings. As one of 11 brothers and sisters who homesteaded on the Fairfield bench, there was always some type of family event going on over the decades. Again, in the late-1960s, after Ivan and Pat were married, they moved to Fort Benton where Ivan owned and operated D and K. He then purchased it outright and renamed it Ivan’s Tire and Fuel. Ivan was a board member for several years in the United Methodist Church. He was also part of the Masonic Lodge. While living on the river in Fort Benton, Ivan loved tending his irrigated lawn, picking his raspberries and strawberries, and cultivating his large garden. Nothing brought him more joy than working on combines, tractors, and trucks during harvest in north central Montana. He put tires on equipment as far south as Buffalo, MT and as far north as Sage Creek, and everywhere in between.
In 2017, Ivan and Pat moved to Great Falls. They found great pleasure in being part of the Our Savior’s Lutheran Church community. Ivan was part of a morning breakfast group. Ivan was an avid hunter but liked fishing the most. He had several fishing buddies over the years that traveled with him to his favorite locations including Holter Lake, Fairfield irrigations ditches, Fort Peck, Lake Frances, and Otter Creek to name a few. His fishing trips to Alaska on the Kenai and around Ketchikan are still some of his favorite stories to tell. Later in life, a perfect day for him was fishing with one of his brothers in the irrigation ditches and then having coffee while playing cribbage in Fairfield with all his brothers. His love of Montana history, wildlife, and the outdoors was illustrated in his vast art collection of pictures and bronzes. Ivan looked forward to family gatherings as he knew it included hours of pinochle. Additionally, some of his greatest joys came from watching his children and grandchildren in their various activities and sporting events. He spent many hours driving and attending events across Montana.
Ivan is survived by his wife, Patricia Konen; brother, Nick (Marlene) Konen; uncles, Roy (Larry) Konen and Bob (Marge) Konen of Fairfield; sisters, Betty Warehime of Belt, Rita (Clay) Hudak of Great Falls, and Joan Murphy of Butte; children, Karen Warner of Lewiston, ID, Sandee (Tom) Rodgers of Clarkston, WA, Kelly (Renee) Konen of Lapwai, ID, Jon Konen of Columbia Falls, MT, and Jeri Konen of Harlowton, MT; eight grandchildren and 13 great grandchildren. He is preceded in death by his parents, Nicholas and Amelia Konen; brothers, Ed Konen, Leonard Konen, and Arthur Konen; and his sisters, Maxine Kinzer and Norma Munro.
Donations in lieu of flowers can be made to Benefis Peace Hospice or Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Great Falls. Funeral services will be at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church on Friday, August 4, 2023, at 10:00 a.m. Cremation has taken place. Ivan will be laid to rest at Fort Benton Riverside Cemetery in Fort Benton the same day at 3:00 p.m.