Walter T. Irion

Walter T. Irion, 94, was born into eternity on March 10, 2022. An Interment Service will be held on March 25th for commitment at Hillcrest Mausoleum at 1 PM, followed by services at Westside Methodist Church at 2 PM. 

Walter was born March 1, 1928, to parents Emanuel and Matilda Irion on the homestead outside of Terry, Montana. Eight years later the family moved to the Fairfield Bench Northwest of Great Falls. As the youngest son still in high school during WWII, he was not allowed to serve but remained home to work the farm. 

After graduating in 1946 from Power High School, the first in his family to do so, he moved to Great Falls. His first job off the farm was at Caterpillar Company, where he worked in the Accounting Department. He attributed the experience of learning bookkeeping to his later success in his own business. He soon discovered he could make more money working construction as a carpenter. Always a hard worker, within a year he was foreman of his crew and had enrolled in a four- year apprentice program. He graduated with his Journeyman’s Certificate from the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners. In 1958 he ventured out on his own and enjoyed a successful general contracting business in Great Falls for the next forty years, building numerous homes and businesses around Great Falls. He was most proud of building the Sunnyside Methodist Church (now Sovereign Grace Church) and the remodeling of his own church, Westside Methodist Church.

Walter was a believer in education and was very proud that all three of his children and all six of his granddaughters graduated from college. In 2021, recognizing the importance of his own apprenticeship program to the success of his business, he endowed the Ruby C. and Walter T. Irion Scholarship through the University of Montana Foundation, providing a $4000 scholarship to second year students pursuing a Certificate of Applied Sciences – Construction Management Degree. The scholarship will be awarded annually to a student with financial need, with preference given to students from Great Falls.

Walter met his soulmate, partner, and best friend Ruby Dent Bauer at the bowling alley, and they were wed a year and half later in 1950.  They enjoyed sixty-five years together until the passing of Ruby in 2015. Walter was actively involved in raising their three children, helping establish Boy Scout Troup 5 at Westside Methodist and coaching the Boy’s Church League basketball team at the YMCA for many years.  He was also active in volunteering at the Y-Men’s Tree Lot, building two offices for the local food bank and numerous other community projects.  He enjoyed fishing on Holter Lake, bird hunting on the Fairfield Bench and dancing with Ruby at the Elks, Eagles and Moose Lodges.  He and Ruby also traveled extensively, seeing much of the world. 

He was preceded in death by his loving wife Ruby, daughter Sherry Bauer Miner, his parents Emanuel and Matilda and his nine brother and sisters.

Walter is survived by his two sons, Gary (Billie) Bauer and David (Ellen) Irion, six granddaughters, eight great- grandchildren and one great- great granddaughter.

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