Timothy Mullowney

Timothy Michael “Mike” Mullowney was an original, who did things in his own way. He called ‘em as he saw ‘em, and in spite of it (or perhaps because of it), he was extremely well-liked. He maintained friendships that spanned both many years and many miles. Born September 29, 1939, Mike died in his sleep on December 30, 2019 with family by his side. A quintessential country kid, Mike and his sister, Nora, grew up on the family homestead on Mullowney Lane and attended Fratt Elementary and Central Catholic High School. His love of sports coupled with his natural talent made athletics the highlight of his high school and college years. During his high school years, Mike established himself as not only an athlete and but also a scholar. He earned 10 varsity letters playing football, basketball and on the track team. His all state record time in the 220 yard dash stood for nearly 20 years. Playing for the Yellowjackets from 1958-1962, Mike earned his nickname, “Bulldog.” In 1961, Mike was named team captain and was awarded the team's Outstanding Player of the Year. A die-hard Eastern Montana College alum, Mike maintains these school history all-time records: second in points (149), second in kickoff returns (58) and first in kickoff yards (1536). After also lettering in track and field from 1960-1962, Mike went on to coach the Yellowjacket track and field and cross-country teams from 1965-1981. He did so with distinction, coaching dozens of men and women who became NAIA and Frontier Conference qualifiers and champions. He was selected coach of the year eight times and served on the NAIA Track and Field Games Committee for four years, serving as chair for two. His teams went undefeated in league cross country meets for 15 straight years. In 2011 Mike was inducted into the MSU Billings Yellowjacket Athletics Hall of Fame. Mike married Lavina E. Guertin of Poplar, MT in 1959 and together they had five children, Doug, Tim, Lynn, PJ and Jim. Their marriage ended in 1973, but the sense of family endured. Mike was generous in his way; one rarely left his company without being gifted a textbook, package of Ritz crackers or - later in life – some device Verizon ‘gave' him. When asked what he wanted for any birthday, Father's Day or Christmas, Dad's unwavering response was, “Just good kids.” Daunted as children by this request, we'd always press for a less demanding alternative. And then buy him Brut cologne or Old Spice. It isn't possible to encapsulate Dad's life - with its 80 years' worth of anecdotes, accomplishments and escapades - in this brief space. He was a true renaissance man. There were few things he wouldn't or couldn't do (and there are plenty of things he shouldn't have done). He'd balk at the word, ‘renaissance' and say that was like “trying to polish a turd.” His heart was great, his demeanor gruff and his patience for BS absolutely non-existent. He was rarely idle and while his occupations were many, at his core, Dad was always an educator and a coach – first at EMC and toward the end of his career as a teacher and principal with the Absarokee Schools. During his time there, Dad developed and published a history textbook, Montana: A State of Treasures. The collaboration with Roger Clawson and others was illustrated by Stan Lynde. His work also included: farming, ranching, security/ investigating, brand inspector, art gallery manager and ag credit. He ran the convenience store near Little Bighorn Battlefield in Crow Agency. It was during this time that he was adopted into the Crow Tribe by Corn Little Light and given the name “Shining Light Across Running Water.” Dad was a Reserve Deputy Sheriff, owned M & M Trailer Sales and Yellowstone Ice Company and worked on set of the 1979 Raquel Welch film, “The Legend of Walks Far Woman”. He relished his work with National Geographic and inexplicably served on the Montana State Board of Plumbers and the Montana State Board of Psychologists. Dad liked Abba, bacon, the Irish Rovers, duct tape and WD-40, white pick-up trucks, smoked meat with sweet-hot mustard, Johnny Horton, Hershey bars (the big ones), Swiss Miss, Oreos, and more bacon. His love language was meat. Dad was preceded in death by his parents, Tim and Edith Mullowney of Billings. He is survived by a sister, Nora (Rodd Lautt), the wife of his youth, Lavina Guertin (John Christian), his cherished companion “Sparky” Dianna Garlock, his five children and their spouses: Doug (Yvonne), Tim (Wendi), Lynn (Ned Cabrera), P.J. (Iris), and Jim Mullowney, all of Billings, as well as twenty-three grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He was a most proud father and grandfather. He frequently bestowed on his progeny a familiar utterance of affection, “Ah hell. Smartass,” followed by a grin, or similar expressions with a grimace, as warranted. The family extends a special thanks to the caring providers at TenderNest Assisted Living and Stillwater Hospice, as well as to the many friends who brightened his life especially as it came to an end. If you are so inclined, gifts in Dad's memory may be given to your charity of choice. A memorial is planned for March in Billings. Details to follow. Written by T. Shamus Mullowney on December 31, 2019. Grandpa Mike died yesterday. I've been trying all day to put some words to the page, to try and process my thoughts and feelings, and to ultimately pay tribute to one of the most important people in my life. But every time I tried to write something, it devolved into random memories. So, I decided just to write down some things I learned from him. -Try everything once. -Every problem has a solution. Some solutions are just messier than others. -Do not drink another man's last Brisk iced tea. Especially don't tell him you poured it out because you didn't like it. -Don't say "whoa" in a mudhole. -Teenagers are always hungry. Feed them well, and they'll move mountains. -A good story doesn't necessarily care about how true it is. -If you accidentally shoot two deer with one bullet, don't tell anyone until you buy another tag. Then tell everyone. -Never underestimate the value of a quick nap. -Shotguns have more kick than you might think. Brace properly. -Hammocks are a good deal. -Good music is good music. Even if it's Abba. -Never turn down a free breakfast. -Even if someone is giving you a hard time, try to treat them with courtesy and respect. You can always call them an a****** later. -Verizon is not to be trusted. -If you're not picky about your ingredients, you can mix your own weed killer that will eliminate 100% of the plant life in a given area (and kill the ground for years to come). -Grouchy old men are absolutely full of it. -There's opportunity in everything. Don't dwell on failure. I loved Grandpa Mike with all my heart. He had his own ways, and wasn't much bothered by what others thought. He gave me respect when I didn't have any for myself. He always knew when I needed someone just to be there, and he never pried when I was feeling down. He taught me how to treat folks. I'm going to miss him every day until we meet again, but I'm so tremendously thankful for his love and guidance.