Leyton Yearout

Leyton Zane Yearout, 59, of Great Falls, passed away at his home November 28, 2011 of smoke inhalation. A memorial service will be held at First Baptist Church on Saturday, December 10, 2011 at 2 p.m.Schnider Funeral Home is handling arrangements.Leyton was born on February 16, 1952 in Fort Belvoir, Virginia. He spent the first few years of his life in Alaska where his father was stationed in the military before moving to Great Falls in 1957. He attended school in Great Falls and graduated from CMR High School in 1971. He did ranch work in Simms and managed the gun department at OK Hardware in Great Falls before opening up his own gun store with a shooting range on Bootlegger Trail in 1980. Leytons knack in sales began as a little boy at the gun and antique shows where he tagged along with his father and sold pocket knives and other small items at their tables. Not being discouraged with those who said a store in the middle of nowhere could never make it, he later expanded the thriving business to include a separate saddle shop which specialized in antique cowboy gear such as horsehair bridles, silver bits, spurs, and chaps. In 2010, he moved his store to town to a larger facility with an existing antique mall. With a canny ability for turning a vision into reality, he created a remarkable antique firearm and cowboy collectible business under one roof. Aside from running his store, he loved to hunt and outfitted for many years in the Bob Marshall. He was an accomplished marksman and a skilled gunsmith. He also enjoyed fishing, collecting pretty much anything of historical value; but mostly, he loved a good deal.He married Kimberly Garcia in 1988 in Great Falls, and they were married for 18 years. They had two children, Cody Z. Yearout and Emily J. Yearout, both of Great Falls. In addition to his children, he is survived by his sister, Gaila Althoff, of South Dakota, and an uncle, Dean Yearout, of Monarch.He was preceded in death by his parents, Lewis E. Yearout and Thelma (Teddy) Yearout, a brother, Layne E. Yearout, and his grandparents, Joseph Yearout and Alice Yearout, and Otto Harlow and Laura Harlow.