Gerald Goudreau

Gerald R. Goudreau, 69, died April 16, 2015, at the Ray Hickey Hospice House in Vancouver, Wash.

He was born March 11, 1946, in Fitchburg, Mass. to Raymond and Jean (Krapf) Goudreau. Gerry graduated from Fitchburg High School in 1964 after participating in both football and basketball.

He loved to ski in New England and Europe and ultimately moved to Vail, Colo., in 1969. In the winter, he would ski and work on the trail crews, and in the summer he developed his journeyman carpenter skills.

Gerry married Kathy Nevius in 1972. Their daughter Lucy was born in Denver in 1975. In 1977, they moved to Columbia Falls. Their son Jeff was born in 1978 in Whitefish.

Gerry continued to work as a carpenter for the next 30 years, honing his skills as a finish carpenter. He enjoyed hunting and competitive shooting, both pistol and archery, as well as trap shooting.

In 2001, Gerry married Vonne Stroisch in Kalispell and moved to Vancouver, Wash.

Gerry was preceded in death by his parents and numerous aunts and uncles.

He is survived by his wife Vonne at the family home; daughter Lucy Dodson, and Troy Williams and grandsons Kaden Bradley and Austin and Wyatt Dodson, all of Columbia Falls; son Jeff Goudreau and wife Lindsay and grandchildren Cove and Greta, all of Columbia Falls; stepdaughters Theresa Stroisch and Kevin Dingle, of Durham N.C., and Shauna Stroisch, of Sacramento, Calif.; stepgranddaughter Jenna Gudgin, of Seattle; sisters Susan Kalagher and husband Jerry, and Joyce Goudreau, all of Massachusetts; and former wife Kathy Lockhart, of Kalispell.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Southwest Washington Coastal Conservation Association t www.ccawashington.org/donate or a charity of choice.

A celebration of life will be held at 1079 Hodgson Road, Columbia Falls on Sunday, April 26, 2015, from 3 to 6 p.m. Call 406-862-3206 or 406-250-4570 for directions.