Donald Grimlie

Donald D. “Curley” Grimlie passed away March 8, 2023, at his home, due to natural causes.

Curley was born on May 5, 1933, on the family farm near Estelline, SD to Hjalmer and Alice (Christianson) Grimlie.  The family later moved to a farm near Astoria, SD where he attended school, graduating  from Astoria High School in 1951. Curley then moved to Brookings, SD where he attended South Dakota State University majoring in civil engineering.

Curley served in the Army from January 13, 1954, to January 12, 1956, as a Paratrooper and Field Artillery Operations and Intelligence Specialist.

Following his discharge from the Army, he worked for more than 50 years in the oilfields. His work with numerous major oil companies including Halliburton (23 years) included supervising drilling and completion of geothermal wells in southern CA, oil and gas wells in most of the western states and offshore in TX and LA.  He also worked in remote regions in Peru, Ecuador and Venezuela, managing drilling and completion of oil wells. Curley spent the last 6 years of his career as an Independent Petroleum Consultant working in the Bakken Oilfield.

Curley was very active in the Kalispell Noon Lions Club.  For several years he served as Treasurer and later as Chairman of the Rifle Raffle fundraiser and was on the Lions Park and Eyeglasses committees.  He enjoyed fly fishing, traveling, telling “oilfield” stories and besting his wife in their daily cribbage games.  He looked forward to picking huckleberries and blackberries with friends every summer. As his health declined, he was the “berry guard” at the pickup while his wife and friends picked.

Curly was preceded in death by his parents; brother’s Blaine and Roger; daughter Patricia; son-in law Rodney Patik; sister-in law Maryls Grimlie and nephew Mark Nelson.

He is survived by his wife Terry; sister, Wanda Nelson; brother, Terry Grimlie; son Mike (Sindy); daughters Toni Patik and Catherine (Brian) Gillespie; 9 grandchildren; 7 great-grandchildren and several nieces and great nephew’s.

Services will be held on March 25, 11:00 AM at St. Matthews Catholic Church, with a reception to follow directly after the service. A Committal service with Military Honors will be held at 2:00 P.M. at Glacier Memorial gardens.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the Kalispell Lions, P. O. Box 321, Kalispell, MT  59903 or a charity of your choice. The family would also like to extend our gratitude to the ENHABIT Hospice staff for their loving and dedicated care.

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