Loyal Schaffner "Buck" Baertsch

Loyal "Buck" Baertsch was born at the family homestead in the area known as Hog Heaven (Nirada, MT) on July 4, 1919. He was one of seven children born to Oscar Andrew and Bertha Rowe Baertsch. The Hog Heaven homestead was staked in 1909 and worked until 1920.
In 1920 Oscar moved from Hog Heaven to the vicinity of the small town site of Proctor, west of Dayton, Montana on the Etta Haefer Homestead. The homestead was located on Dayton Creek which flows downstream from Lake Mary Ronan. The Farmstead was 50 acres interspaced among other pioneer settlers' property and the lands of the Kootenai Indians led by Chief Koostatah.
Buck and his brothers and sisters continued to grow up on the new homestead in a log home that still stands in part today. The home was constructed from two homes brought together. One part was said to be the original home of Chief Koostatah. The Baertsch kids attended school in Proctor. Their life continued in this beautiful Montana valley setting until 1938 when the family moved to Polson, Montana
Buck attended Polson High School, graduating in 1939 where he met his soul mate, Dorothy Marie Mosley, of Polson. They were married in May of 1939. Buck and Dorothy lived and worked in Polson. They celebrated seventy-four years of marriage this past spring.
During World War II, Buck and Dorothy moved to Portland, where Buck worked in the Portland Ship Yard as a welder in support of the America's war efforts.
Buck and Dorothy had two children. Larry was born in Polson and Linda was born in Portland.
In January 1945 Buck received his induction notice after taking his physical and was enlisted into the U.S. Army. While the family moved back to Polson, Buck went to Fort Douglas, Utah and took his basic and advance training at Fort Wolters, Texas. He trained as a Combat Engineer with specialties in metal work, welding, and carpentry. In addition, he was licensed a as a heavy equipment truck driver. He was assigned to duty overseas in the Philippines, where he worked on the reconstruction of the country's bridges destroyed by the battles to regain the Islands from the Japanese. Some of his work was under hostile fire.
Buck was discharged in October 1946 as a Technical Sergeant 5 from the Service being awarded the Good Conduct medal, the World War II Victory Medal and the Asiatic Pacific Service Medal. He returned to Polson to work for his father-in-Law, Jess Mosley. Together they operated the Mosley Freight business that had been serving the Polson area as a subsidiary for Consolidated Freightways, providing local delivery for incoming freight and also providing pick-up, storage and delivery services.
Buck purchased the Mosley freight business from Jess, operating it from 1947-1950'S. After selling the business, Buck went to work for the Flathead Irrigation Project. The Project started in the 1930's as part of the nation-wide push for rural electrification. He worked for the Federal Irrigation Project on the Power side from 1959-1981. The Project was responsible for making electrical power available to residential and commercial customers throughout the project's area of responsibility.


He worked for the Polson School District as a school bus driver for six years. Buck's bus route encompassed the Turtle lake area off of Highway 35. He enjoyed driving the Team and Pep buses for the Polson Pirates in their athletic endeavors. In addition, he drove students to special events such as visiting the State capital.

When he retired from the School District bus transport, Buck's time was spent between his home on Highway 35 and his recreational cabin on Jim Creek, Swan River Valley. The Cabin Site started in 1971 and still goes strong today. From tents to camp trailers to a mobile home with a cover to, finally, a modern cabin, the site has been utilized by the Baertsch and Read families for fishing, hunting, cutting wood, picking huckleberries, and just plain enjoying living a rustic life in the wilds of the Swan Valley.

The following are some of the activities Buck and his wife Dorothy are or have been involved with:
Early member of the Polson Outdoors, Inc
Member of the Polson Volunteer Fire Department for 20 years. Making the rank of fire Captain and upon retiring was given the rank of Retired Fire Chief
Member of the Back country Horsemen of Western Montana for over thirty-five years.
Life member of the Spark and Throttle Club and Montana Chapter of the Model A Club.
Founding member of the Lake County Search and Rescue for 20 years. Notable among his experiences was the search for the USN Navy pilot whose plane went down in Flathead Lake.
Buck and Dorothy bowled on local league teams in Polson for many years.
Member of Veterans of Foreign Wars and the American Legion. Buck was very proud to be a veteran!
Buck is survived by his wife Dorothy; his daughter Linda (Ray) Read of Helena; a brother Oscar Bartech of Polson, a sister Lillian LeDesky of Great Falls; four grand children, Todd (Kim) Baertsch of Polson, Mike Baertsch of Butte, Scott (Rikki) Read of Helena, and Cory (Angie) Read of Boise. Four great grandchildren Tara Baertsch of Harlowton, Shelby Baertsch, a student in Nebraska; Taylor Langus of Reno, NV; Justice and Logan Read of Boise and Regan and Lynsey Read of Helena.
Preceding him in death were his parents, Oscar and Bertha Baertsch, his son Larry Baertsch, three brothers, Ralph Baertsch of Helena, L.G. "Bill" Baertsch of Polson, John Baertsch of Helena and one sister, Mercedes LeDesky of Kalispell.
Services will be held at Grogan Funeral Home, Polson at 11:00 a.m. with internment immediately following at Lakeview Cemetery. A reception will be held at Grogan's after internment.
In lieu of flowers donations can go to Mission Valley Animal Shelter, Life Savers Animal Rescue of Polson, the North Lake County Public Library or charity of choice.

Read Loyal "Buck" Baertsch's Obituary and Guestbook on www.groganfuneralhome.com.