James Dunn

James Michael Dunn, 61, of Broadview, Montana, passed away unexpectedly on Saturday, May 29, 2021, of a heart attack while on an ATV riding in the woods on a beautiful sunny day with his family and friends. Jim was born in Detroit Lakes, Minnesota, on September 14, 1959. His family moved from Frazee, Minnesota in 1965, to Billings, Montana, where he grew up on Sunnyview Lane. He attended West High School, class of 1978. Jim married his high school sweetheart Connie Karen Hayes on August 4, 1979. They started a family and moved to the Broadview area to raise their kids in the country. In 1993 Jim and Connie moved with their two children to Soldotna, Alaska, to fulfill a lifelong dream of living in the last frontier. They thrived in Alaska, working, fishing, and seeing their children grown and on their own. In 2011, he and Connie bought Jim's next lifelong dream of a small farm out in the country in Broadview, Montana. Here he enjoyed all the busyness of the upkeep of equipment, raising his various animals, and being in the big sky country. Everything was always in tip-top shape on his watch. Jim loved the outdoors and enjoyed hunting, fishing, and hiking. He was an avid reader, loved listening to his music, and cooking for family and friends. Jim liked to keep busy and always had projects or improvement ideas he was working on or tinkering with. Jim was a man of all trades and worked many careers throughout his life; he started working very young with his newspaper route as a schoolboy. Nothing ever slowed him down. Throughout his years, he worked in autobody, logging, and truck driving. He always liked to learn new skills. At age 49, Jim went back to school to be a marine captain in Alaska. For many years he was a heavy equipment operator in the oil fields of Alaska and North Dakota. Finally, as of late, one of his favorite jobs of delivering fuel to all his many friends and neighbors around the country towns, farms, and ranches of the Billings area for Town & Country. Jim is survived by his wife Connie, daughter Sarah (Doug) Karpstein of Broadview, son Tom (Shelley) Dunn of Anchorage, AK. and his five grandchildren, Lee & Lauren Karpstein, and Kylee, Lyla, & Henry Dunn. Jim is also survived by his brother Matt (Chris) Dunn of Billings and sister Cheryl (Tim) Fisher of Mt Vernon, WA. Jim is preceded in death by his parents, Pat & Pat Dunn, his brothers Tony & Steve, and his sister Kim Cunningham. All his experiences in his life lead Jim to find numerous friends and acquaintances wherever he went. He was always available to help a friend or neighbor whenever needed. For those of you whose lives have been touched by knowing Jim, the family would like you to know that they are sorry for your loss as well. Thank you all for being a part of Jim's life.