Kenneth 'Pa' Bales, 98

Kenneth “Pa” Bales, 98, of Ferndale, passed away May 19, 2017, at Lake View Care Center in Bigfork.

Pa was born Sept. 13, 1918, in “2nd Point,” Montana, at his ranch homestead. He did several types of work for his neighbors, and construction on the Fort Peck Dam. He also worked for the Civilian Conservation Corps. In the last part of the 1930s his homestead was covered up by water from the Fort Peck Dam. His family moved to Indiana where he worked at a resort in Ohio and met his wife to be, Lillian Ioleen Miller.

In 1939 they were married and had a son Kenneth Duane, who was born in 1942. Soon they packed up and moved to Redondo Beach in Southern California. Pa worked there as a mechanic at Mission Auto Garage. The garage owners were both killed in a plane crash so he went into business for himself as owner and operator of Bales Brothers Garage. By this time a daughter Jeannie and another son Donald were born. Jeannie was lucky enough to be born on Pa’s birthday. Later on, he needed a larger building and lot as his garage had done well picking up towing for the Redondo Police Deptartment and others in surrounding cities. He hired more employees and bought more tow trucks while he expanded his business. All along, his wife Ioleen (Granny) worked by his side as co-owner, bookkeeper, mechanic and she also drove the biggest tow truck they had.

In 1962 he sold his business and moved to Oroville, California. He drove CAT for Morrison Knudsen on the Oroville Dam and other construction. When the dam was completed he took on the job of head janitorial maintenance at Palermo School. He and his wife were founding members of the Hill Top Jeep Club of Culver City, California, and the Ophir Gopher Jeep Club of Oroville. In 1987 Pa and Granny made 11 trips in his moving truck to move from Oroville to Bigfork where Jennie was. Then they became members of the Ford V-8 Club of America and the local Flathead Pioneer Auto Club.

Pa and Granny were married for 68 years when she passed in 2007 at the age of 86. Together they built three homes, enjoyed collecting anything and everything, refinished collectables and antiques, collecting selling and restoring old cars and trucks, swap meets and garage sales. He knew every car part of the 1930 Fords. Pa was well known for his knowledge of old cars far and wide throughout the U.S. He and his close friend, Doug Morton traveled all over the U.S. just to see and buy old car parts. Pa always said he didn’t know why Doug had taken a liking to him but just to meet him you’d know why. He never met a man, woman or child who didn’t like him. He danced for the first time in his life at Lake View Care Center at the age of 98.

Pa is survived by daughter Jeannie Bales, son Donald (Hop) Bales, sister Hoyt Tye, brother-in-law Herbert Hunter, daughter-in-law and husband Brenda and Bobbie Guard; grandchildren Belinda Wessel, Tina DesRosiers, Dayna Haulderman, Ronda McGrath, Erika Bales, Frankie Bales, Donald Bales, Alisha Bales and Kenny Bales; great-grandchildren Danny McGrath, Mina Bales, Ronin Bales, Grant Wessel, Brad Wessel, Breanne Wessel, Britney DesRosies, Karlee DesRosies; great-great-grandchild Khole DesRosies; and several cousins, nieces, nephews and special friends and old car buddies.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Pioneer Auto Club in Kalispell.

Online condolences may be submitted at www.buffalohillfh.com. Buffalo Hill Funeral Home is caring for the family.