Russell Bruce King

Russell Bruce (Mick) King passed away peacefully at his home in Noxon, Montana on December 20, 2019 at the age of 89.  Bruce was born January 14, 1930 and joins his beloved Betty who passed away on January 3, 2019, and his two sons, Rusty and Andy in heaven.  Bruce is survived by his son Joel King and wife Lani, from Noxon and his daughter Cathy Perry and her husband Robert, who reside in Colorado Springs.

Over the years, Bruce provided for his family with employment both local and away from home.  He operated heavy road construction equipment, drove a local school bus, worked at the LP Lumber Mill, was the butcher at the McKee General Store, and mined ore in the SilverMark Mine on the West Fork Branch of Pilgrim Creek, but what he really enjoyed was farming on the ranch that he and Betty purchased in 1954.  Initially, the family farm operated as a dairy and all milk that was produced being shipped to Sandpoint to the milk plant to be used to make ice cream, butter, and cottage cheese.  However, once his work force (his kids) grew up, he switched to raising stock cows.  Bruce loved checking on his Herefords.  It didn’t get any better than finding healthy, happy cows with lots of fat little calves running around during the summer.  He and Betty would check on the cows daily as the cows grazed on his land up the canyon.

Bruce loved his family, his neighbors, and friends.  He loved his farm, Noxon, and the state of Montana.  He and Betty traveled the state to visit museums, points of interest areas, and battlefields.  He was a Montana history buff and had answers to questions readily available for anyone that asked.

Bruce loved to hunt elk.  Deer were readily available on the farm but he was challenged when he hunted elk.  Many elk hunts started early in the morning on the King Ranch and would always end at the King Ranch where all would gather to tell their stories, share their experiences, eat hot beef stew or soup, and fresh homemade apple pie.

Bruce often told his family that he LIVED his life.  There wasn’t much he would change or do different if given another chance, and he didn’t feel he missed much during his time on this earth.  A celebration of his life will be held in the spring.