Edward Loren 'Ed' Hines, 81

Edward Loren Hines, "Ed" to his friends and family, 81, passed away early Monday morning, Sept. 25, 2006, at his home in Kalispell after a short battle with pancreatic cancer.

He was born Feb. 12, 1925, in Great Falls, to James Thomas and Jeanette (Swain) Hines. Ed was the seventh of seven children. His father was an engineer for the Great Northern Railway and spent much of his time in Shelby. Because there were seven children in the family, moving everyone to Shelby was not a feasible option. As such, Ed spent his formative years in Great Falls, attending school locally all the way through his freshman year of high school.

In 1929, 11 years after "proving up," his mother returned to the family homestead in Floweree, with her sons to begin farming again. The homestead soon became home for Ed during his summers off from school in Great Falls. He worked hard when he worked, but always found time in the evenings to play baseball with the local kids and brother Warren, and occasionally head to the river for a swim.

In January 1941, Ed moved on to Shelby and enrolled in high school there. He was a popular student and exemplary athlete. During his senior year in 1943-1944, he was captain of the football team and even starred in a school play. It was during this time that he met and fell for his future wife, Betty Jean Addy. Introduced through friends, the two quickly became an item.

In 1943, Ed learned he was being drafted into the Army. Because he was drafted during his senior year, the Army allowed him to complete his education, which he did in six months. Prior to shipping off to boot camp in February 1944, he married his high school sweetheart, Betty Jean, and even managed to get in a short honeymoon to Chicago.

Thankfully, Ed's time with the Army's newly formed Signal Corps division was relatively peaceful. After several months of training, stationed in Bournemouth, England, with the rest of the 3325th SIAM (Signal Information And Monitoring) Company, Ed made the trip to the European mainland in the fall of 1944.

Sadly, it was during this journey east that Ed learned of the passing of his brother, Warren, killed in action in northern France. Ed pressed on, encountering little of the enemy other than an occasional strafing by a passing fighter plane.

When V-E Day finally arrived in May 1945, he found himself in Pilsen, Czechoslovakia, mere miles from the Russians and as far east as any of the U.S. Armed Forces had gotten during World War II. After the war ended, Ed was stationed in Munich, Germany, with the 301st Signal Battalion where he was promoted to staff sergeant and put in charge of a 50-man teletype platoon. He remained in Germany until his honorable discharge from the Army in May 1946.

Upon his return to the states in 1946, Ed went straight to work for his father-in-law at Addy Motor Company in Shelby, and settled down to begin raising a family with Betty. During his time in Shelby, Ed was actively involved in the community, presiding not only as the president of the Chamber of Commerce but also as the (at the time) youngest exalted ruler of Elks Lodge No. 1696, from 1955-56. He remained a trustee of Lodge No. 1696 for five years. Betty and Ed resided in Shelby, until 1962, when they decided to strike off for Kalispell, with their four children to open their own Chrysler dealership.

Ed's community involvement continued in Kalispell, where he soon became a director of the Chamber of Commerce as well as the director of both the Montana Auto Dealers Association and the Northwest Chrysler Plymouth Advertising board for 10 years. In 1967, Ed was even named Kalispell Boss of the Year. All this and he still found a way to run a successful dealership, Hines Chrysler Plymouth, for nearly 20 years from 1962-1981.

As Ed and Betty's family grew up, the allure of nearby Flathead Lake grew stronger. In 1971, they purchased a 24-foot Fiberform boat, expecting it to be their summer "home on the lake." But in 1972, they stumbled upon a little cabin on Caroline Point and knew almost immediately that the boat was no match for a true home on the lake. The rest, as they say, is history. That little cabin remains in the family to this day.

In 1982, Betty tragically lost her battle with cancer and passed away peacefully at their home in Kalispell. During their life together, Ed and Betty loved to travel. They found themselves in Hawaii on occasion, and even ventured as far away as the Philippines, where they weathered Super Typhoon Irma in November of 1981. After Betty's passing, Ed continued to travel frequently, visiting the Europe of his time in the Army and venturing out with his RV. But he always found himself back in Kalispell.

In his later years, he enjoyed taking road trips, golfing, cycling and walking alongside his trusted golden retriever, Max, and his very special friend, Joyce.

Ed was preceded in death by first wife, Betty; parents, James T. and Jeanette Hines; brothers, Warren and Bill; sisters, Geraldine and Roselene; and great-grandson, Jasper.

Ed is survived by his sister, Genevieve Shryne; and brother, James Hines; his four children, Beth Calkins of Mukilteo, Wash., and children, Jeremy and Melissa, and Kirstie and Seth; Thomas and Olivia of Kalispell, and children, Eric and Samantha and Tara, and their mother Randy; Donald and Rachelle of Kalispell, and daughter Addy; and Barbara and Dennis Peterson of Odessa, Texas, and children, Cody, Drew, Gage, Shelby and Landon; and many nieces and nephews. The most recent additions to the family are twin great-granddaughters, Quinn and Clara.

Memorial services for Edward Loren Hines will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 30, at Epworth United Methodist Church, with Pastor John "Kelly" Addy officiating.

The family suggests that memorials be sent to Home Options Hospice, 175 Commons Loop, Suite 100, Kalispell, MT 59901; or Virginia Mason Foundation, P.O. Box 1930, MS D1-M, Seattle, WA 98111.

Johnson Mortuary and Cremation is caring for Ed's family.

This paid obituary is being run again at the request of the family.