Tim Tew

Tim Tew was born in 1955, to Jim and Lavonne Tew in Wolf Point, MT. He spent the first years of his life on the family ranch on the Big Dry near Circle, MT. His stories of growing up there often involved being bucked off his Shetland pony regularly on the way to attend a one-room schoolhouse. At age 9, Tim’s family bought and moved to the Grassy Mountain Ranch near White Sulphur Springs. Tim grew to love all things involving horses, having learned to ride shortly after learning to walk. He was a fair hand with cattle by the age of 5. Tim and his dad won the MRA State Team Roping title when Tim was only 17. Tim rode as a pickup man for the Mike Quinn Rodeo Company in his teens, eventually “picking up” his first wife, Terri (Boom) Tew of Livingston. They married in 1975, and moved to Deer Lodge, where Tim was working as a cowboy for Rock Creek Cattle Company. He proved his worth and, at the young age of 25, became Cow Boss of the large operation. His three daughters were born during that time. In 1988, the opportunity arose for Tim to run a small ranch called Skunk Creek on the Rocky Mountain Front near Wolf Creek. In 1989, the ranch owners moved Tim and his family to the newly acquired 25,000 acre LF Ranch west of Augusta. There his managerial skills were tested by the wildlife paradise, and he and co-worker, Bob Chesmore successfully turned the LF into a profitable cattle ranch. His time as manager there brought many more adventures on horseback, but also more than a few encounters with bears, wolves, deer, elk, and illegal hunters. His time at the LF lasted 28 years, at which point his life saw some big changes; retirement and the end of his marriage with Terri. After a lifetime of managing ranches for others, Tim bought his own ranch in 2016, and enjoyed the freedom of retirement. In 2017, he fulfilled a dream and spent a year in the backcountry with his second wife, Heidi (Carlbom) Tew as they worked for Sun Canyon Lodge. He spent the best summer of his life in the outdoors with his horses, chopping wood, keeping the fire burning, and helping Heidi entertain guests. We can only imagine the stories that flew around camp with Tim holding court. Tim was diagnosed with an aggressive pulmonary disease in the spring of 2018, and fought the good fight as long as he could. He died with his boots on at his ranch in November of 2019. Tim loved people; he was mischievous, and loved it when others were too, especially his three daughters. He loved a good party and was ever the entertainer. He was an excellent dancer and danced as long as he could, even when his oxygen tank tried to cut in. He had a lot of unbelievable experiences in his life that made for great stories, from moving cows horseback with a broken neck, to finding himself in the middle of a fresh bear kill on more than one occasion. He was a supportive dad through many years of sports, music events, and 4-H (he even learned to shear sheep). He loved packing into the backcountry, and had a strong appreciation for a good string of mules. But most of all, Tim was a man with a personality and stature that filled a room, and he won’t be easily forgotten. Tim is survived by wife, Heidi Tew; daughters, Erin (Wes) Stockwell, Emily (Cody) Gulick and Hailey (Rhett) Young; 3 grandchildren; mother, Lavonne Tew; sister, Susan (Jerry) Blohm; brothers, Clint Tew and Clay (Roxie) Tew; and many nieces and nephews. Never one for somber events, Tim requested a party in lieu of a funeral. Memorials may be made to Montana 4-H.