Daniel John Heppner

Dan Heppner lived life on his own terms. He was somewhat stubborn and opinionated, and nobody told him how to live his life. He always said," I say it like it is" and he was always right because he graduated from "UPS (University of Pablo State from the eighth grade)." His favorite saying, (there were many of them), was "Do unto others before they do it to you but do it first." He was especially stubborn when it came to religion. He wanted to hear nothing about Christianity and stubbornly resisted any attempts by me to share my faith. But God had other plans for him. On March 6, 2025, at St. Pat's Hospital in Missoula, God, through the work of the Holy Spirit, worked a miracle in his life and chose Dan to be His own. Dan confessed that he believed that Jesus died for him and that he was willing to be baptized. He was baptized and became a child of God and three days later, on March 10, 2025, God took him to his heavenly home where we will meet again someday.

Daniel John Heppner was born Oct. 2, 1942, at St. Pat's Hospital in Missoula, to parents Daniel and Estelle (Brower) Heppner. He had one sister, Linda, and was later joined by a younger sister, Carole. I don't know much about Dan's early childhood, but I know his mom and dad moved to Kalispell and he attended first and second grades there. His mom and dad were divorced while living there and his mom moved the family back to Missoula. She got a job at the cafeteria at the stockyards in Missoula. That's where she met Bill Baertsch. They were later married and Bill moved them all up to his farm on Mountain View Road in 1952. Bill adopted all three of Estelle's children and raised them as his own. Dan had many happy memories of his childhood on the farm.

Dan graduated from Ronan High School in 1961. He participated in football and track and rodeoed with best friends, Danny and Chip McAllister. He joined the Navy right after graduating and spent six years serving his country, most of the time on the aircraft carrier USS Virginia. He was anchored offshore Vietnam while the war was going on. He was a fireman aboard ship. He received an honorable discharge from the Navy in 1967 and came back to the farm. He worked a short time for Dupuis Lumber Co. in Polson and was then off to barber school in Spokane. After graduating from barber school, he was unable to find a chair anywhere locally so he got in his old pickup and headed out to find a barber shop with an extra chair. He wound up in Great Falls with very little money. He parked in a service station lot and used the restroom to wash up and slept in his pickup. He was able to find a barber shop that would take him in and the owner let him stay at his place until he could get his feet under him. He also started cutting hair on Malmstrom Airforce Base in Great Falls. He met his first wife while playing cowboy polo. They were married and moved out to property in Vaughn that was owned by his wife's parents. A son, Chad Heppner, was born while living there. He also quit barbering for a time and went to work for Hilde Construction as a mechanic. He kept the gravel crusher and gravel trucks running while they built roads all over Montana. After 14 years, his marriage ended in divorce and he moved back home. He worked with Larry Hoffman in Larry's barber shop in Polson for two years.

He found a place to start his own shop in a building right next to the old Gaiety Theater in Ronan. He later moved to the other side of the street and set up shop where he was until his retirement in 2020.

Dan and I (Susan) met when my brothers, Ted and Bob Decker, decided that I needed to get out and have some fun after my divorce in 1986. They took me out on the town during Pioneer Days and I met Dan at the Valley Club.

We were married July 15, 1989. We moved up to the farm after Dan's stepdad passed away. We had cattle on our farm and we put up hay for ourselves and our neighbors. We sold the cows and quit farming in 2000. Dan adopted my two sons, Matthew and Todd Christensen.

After his retirement in 2020, he moved his barber shop up to the farm and into what we called "The Motel." He cut hair here up until he passed away. We enjoyed many good conversations with people who came up for haircuts. Dan loved nothing more than to get in his old side by side, head up on the hill, and cut firewood. He also enjoyed working in his woodshop where he created many useful and beautiful items that he loved to give away. He would drag everyone into the house to show them what he had made and make them take something home. He had many great conversations with friends and neighbors in that woodshop.

Dan is survived by his wife of 35 years, Susan ("the cook" Decker) Heppner; son Chad Heppner of Coeur d'Alene, Idaho; adopted sons, Matthew (Jessica) and Todd (Shelly) Christensen of Kalispell, MT; grandchildren, Curtiss (Alyssa) Christensen of Kalispell, Caleb (Nina) Christensen of Kalispell, Cassia (Luke) Weber of Hutchinson, Kansas, and Alexis and Damian Christensen of Kalispell. He was blessed with five great-grandchildren, Elliott, Abram, Matthew, Lyra and Kira; brothers-in-law, Ted Decker of Ronan, Bob Decker of Hamilton, Gary (KaDe) Morganton of North Carolina, Gale (Suzie) Decker of Ronan, David (Julie) Decker of Charlo, and Kathy (Jerry) Loscheider, Litchfield Park, Arizona; close cousins, Gary (Sandy) Baertsch of Ronan, Clint Baertsch of Missoula, Loni Baertsch of Coeur d' Alene, Idaho, and Carla, (John) Hilton of Townsend, MT; plus too many cousins and nieces and nephews to number.

Dan was preceded in death by his dad, Dan Heppner; his mom, Estelle (Brower) Heppner; and stepdad, Bill Baertsch; his sisters, Linda (Joe) Cullen and Carole (Larry) Erichson; double cousin, Mike Heppne; and numerous other aunts and uncles on the Baertsch, Heppner and Brower side. He is also survived by many close friends who have become my friends. I especially want to mention our neighbor, Morgan Skinner. He was always ready to help in any circumstance and was an enormous help these past few months. He would be here in two minutes to help with Dan. Thank you, Morgan. You have become part of my family.

Dan will be buried on the property where he lived most of his life. His committal service will be conducted by Pastor Matthew Christensen (adopted son of Dan's and my son) on the home place on Sunday, March16, at 2:30 p.m. There will be a gathering of family and close friends after the committal. No meal. BYOB. I will have coffee, tea and Dan's favorite drink (after Bud Light) Minute Maid Lemonade. Our good friend, Wendy Bartel, is also making some snacks for people to munch on.