Melvin Harold Sandvick

MALTA-Melvin Harold Sandvick, 79, retired Phillips County Road Department and Hillside Cemetery Sexton, passed away at the Advanced Medical Hospital in Billings, on Thursday, April 12, 2018, due to severe head trauma.

The family will receive friends at 7 p.m. on Thursday, April 19, 2018, at Kirkwood Memorial Chapel. Funeral services will be 11 a.m. on Friday, April 20 at the Kirkwood Memorial Chapel. Lunch will follow the services at the V.F.W. Club. Interment will be in the Hillside Cemetery in Dodson. Condolences to the family may be left at http://www.kirkwoodfuneralhome.com.

Harold, as he preferred to be called, was born in Malta, Mont., on November 4, 1938, to Martin and Hazel (Krumweide) Sandvick. He served in the U.S. Army from December 1961 until November 1962 when he received a Hardship Discharge to return to the Ranch. Harold was the only son and had four sisters; Betty, Sandra, Violet, and Sharon.

Harold married Betty Peterson in 1966 and together they had nine children. He worked on the ranch in South Philips County, Regina, Mont., until 1976, at which time he moved his family to Malta. They then moved to Dodson where he worked for the county road department and as the Sexton for the Hillside Cemetery for 20+ years. He retired from the county in 2000.

He enjoyed fishing, hunting, spending time with his children, sitting on his porch listening to his eight-track player while having a drink with his friends. In later years, he enjoyed taking drives in the country with his dog, Chico.

Harold would give the shirt off his back for anyone who needed it. He enjoyed doing odd jobs for people such as sharpening chainsaws, fixing vehicles or whatever people needed. Harold was a happy-go-lucky person, with a hello and a smile.

Survivors include his children, Yvette (Dave) Hurley of Tucson, Ariz; Mellissa Sandvick of Kalispell; Elizabeth (Colin) House of Columbia Falls; Christopher (Lindi Campbell) Sandvick of Malta; Nathaniel Sandvick of Columbia Falls; Yasmine (Chris Weigand) Sandvick of Kila; Levi Sandvick of Malta; Karessa Sandvick of Malta; and sister, Betty Crestman.

Grandchildren, Lance (Amanda) Walsh, Zach Gard, Danielle Gard, Aspen Baker, Fritz Laos, Isabella Laos, Jordanne (John) Lyon, D.J. Southwick, Marissa Sandvick, Vanessa Mann, Valin Sandvick, Bostyn Marshall, Carrera Hilton, Dayton Hilton and Sequoia Weigand. Great-Grandchildren, Addyson Gard, Ryder Walsh, Colt Walsh, Jean Lyon and Jeffery Lyon.

He was preceded in death by his parents Martin and Hazel Sandvick, sisters; Violet Able, Sandra Kolczak and Sharon Wombold; daughter, Shantel Sandvick; grandsons, Martin Sandvick Kuszmaul and Lance Corporal Jeremy Sandvick Monroe.