Robert Liston

Robert D. Liston, 82, of Great Falls, an Air Force veteran and a retired HVAC specialist for the Air Force and Deaconess Hospital, passed away on June 20, 2012, of natural causes at Peace Hospice.Vigil service will be held at 7:00 p.m. on Friday, July 6, 2012 at Holy Spirit Catholic Church. Funeral liturgy will be at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, July 7, 2012, also at Holy Spirit Catholic Church with Father Dick Schlosser presiding. Burial of ashes with military honors will follow at Mount Olivet Cemetery. Schnider Funeral Home is handling arrangements.Robert Darrell Liston was born on January 29, 1930.He was the first of three children born to Rita and Darrell Liston of Morgantown, West Virginia.He was raised and attended school in Morgantown.At the age of seventeen he enlisted in the Army Air Corps.He was trained in refrigeration and air conditioning at York Institute in Pennsylvania. He was stationed at many military bases during his career in the Air Force and served in the Korean War and the Vietnam Conflict.In 1950, while stationed at Ellsworth Air Force Base outside Rapid City, South Dakota, he met Rosemary Kammerer who became the love of his life.They were married on February 3, 1951 and had six children. These children were born at four different locations due to reassignments in the Air Force.In 1960, he was assigned to Vandenberg Air Force Base in California to help with the development of the military missile program.In 1962, he was transferred to Malmstrom Air Force Base outside of Great Falls, Montana. There he assisted with the installation and maintenance of the missiles in north central Montana. In April 1964, he was severely burned in a helicopter crash at a missile site near the town of Roy, MT. The helicopter was completely destroyed in the crash and ensuing fire. He spent the last six years of his military career at Malmstrom.Shortly after arriving at Malmstrom, he met Grady Bobo who became a very good friend until Gradys death in 2011.They raised their families together having many combined fishing and hunting trips with their sons.His love of Montana with its fishing and hunting opportunities made Montana his choice of location upon retirement from the Air Force in the fall of 1968.After retiring from the military, he started a second career as a maintenance engineer at Montana Deaconess Hospital in 1968.He worked there until April 1991 when he had his second retirement.After leaving the working world, he found enjoyment playing golf, traveling and camping with his recreational vehicle and serving as a volunteer at the Visitor Center in Great Falls. There he had the opportunity to share his knowledge of Montana, its roads and tourist destinations with visitors to the Great Falls area. He was recognized by the Governor of Montana, the Mayor of Great Falls, and Senators John Tester and Max Baucus for being the longest volunteer, 21 years, at the Visitor Center. He recently retired from his volunteer work due to illness.He is survived by his wife, Rosemary; his six children, Ken Liston and wife Julie of Helena, Tom Liston and wife Patti of Great Falls, Bob Liston Jr.and wife Janet of Kalispell, Doug Liston and wife Sherri of Helena, Cyndie Einan and husband John of Great Falls, and Rod Liston and wife Desiree of Bella Vista, Arkansas; ten grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; and brother and sister-in-law, William and June Liston of Great Falls.He was preceded in death by his parents and a sister Margaret Ann Beck.Memorials are suggested to Peace Hospice, 1101 26th St. S., Great Falls, MT 59405 or Holy Spirit Catholic Church, 201 44th St. S., Great Falls, MT. 59405.Condolences may be posted online at www.schniderfuneralhome.com