Dennis' Obituary
Dennis William McGurran, aged 87 of Vaughn, passed away early Sunday morning on February 12, 2023, the last remaining child of Henry Daniel McGurran and Florence Ura Bresnahan. His beloved Kansas City Chiefs won the Super Bowl that afternoon.
Dennis was delivered by a mid-wife on June 18, 1935, the 7th of 9 children, on the family farm in Cavalier, ND. He attended High School at St. James Academy in Grand Forks, ND where he excelled in athletics. His hockey team was beaten by one goal in the championship game at a regional tournament, the winner being sent to play in a tournament in Japan. The only victim of his hockey career were his front teeth at age 15. He received the George Phelps Trophy for most outstanding football player (he was also captain) his senior year. In February of 1955 at age 19, he survived a fire, jumping from the second story of his oldest brother Bud's TV repair shop. He received burns on his hands (severe), arms, and face.
Dennis joined the Army on July 9, 1958 as a Field Artillery Surveyor, spending two years at Fort Lewis, WA then two years in the reserves in Great Falls, MT. He met his future wife, Diane Guile, at a dance in Grand Forks, ND. They later married on November 19, 1958, in Denver, CO. Their loving bond of 64 years produced four children, Dan, Dave, Mark, and Shellie. In September of 1963, Dennis and Diane bought a house in a new housing development (Big Sky Vista) in Vaughn. Nine months later (June 9th) their “brand new house” had water up to the light switches, compliments of the 1964 Sun River flood.
Dennis loved the outdoors, camping with his family and teaching his boys to hunt and fish (later they would drag him on Gardiner late elk hunts and fly-in fishing trips to Canada). He was a baseball coach, intense horseshoe thrower (with his brothers) and on many championship pool teams with his sons, Dan and Dave. Dennis was a lifelong painter, founding McGurran Painting early in his career. Through painting he met Jim Bishop, a self-taught artist who would spark an interest in collecting art and remain a dear friend for life.
In 1973 after years of family camping trips to various places in Montana and Canada, Dennis and Diane purchased mountain property in Wolf Creek. His pride and joy, “The Cabin,” was built in 1987 by family and carpentry/masonry friends. Other memories we will always cherish are two Alaskan cruises, Irish potato cakes, his tomato garden, and his constant attendance at his children's and then later grandchildren's sporting events. Words we would use to describe Dad would include kind, fun, genuine, generous, and easy-going. He was a very witty Irishman and a dad second to none!
Dennis is survived by his wife, Diane; sons, Dan (Tricia) and Mark (Jackie); daughter, Shellie Heckman (Darwin); grandchildren, Bo, Sara (Dan), Ty, Chase (Mark), Trevor, Bridger, Cade, and Walker (Shellie); and great-grandchildren, Reese, Keelan, Brynn, and Mac (all Trevor and Tana). His son, Dave, passed away in 2018.
A celebration of life for this devoted Irishman will be held March 17, 2023, at 2:00 p.m. in Fairfield, MT at the Faith Bible Church with a reception to follow. Please share a memory on Dad's obituary guestbook on the Schnider Funeral Home website (www.SchniderFuneralHome.com).
