Clifford 'Kip' Knote, 80

Some people make friends everywhere they go. Kip Knote was one of them.

He was born on July 1, 1945, in Minot, North Dakota. He found his knack for all things mechanical on the family farm by overhauling a tractor at a very young age. The family moved to Great Falls when he was 8 years old. He came to the Flathead Valley in the early 1960s. He had many talents which allowed him to have many different jobs, such as carpenter, marine mechanic, auto mechanic and many others. He built and raced several stock cars over the years to feed his love of going fast. He really loved to cook and weld, which led to a couple of trailer-mounted barbecues and many years of catering pig roasts on his weekends. He was the first to get on the floor and roughhouse with the children and grandchildren at any family gathering.

He was the kind of father and grandfather who could fix everything and loved to tell stories. His humor, his kindness, and his quiet strength will be carried forward by his wife, Glenda; his children, Kipper Knote, Cory Knote, Mick Tucker and Trish Tucker; sisters, Beverly Mader, Marilyn Grismer, Charyl Knote, Donette Mader, Leanne Larson and Rhea Harthun and his grandchildren.

A celebration of his life will be held on May 17 at 11 a.m. at Del’s in Somers.