Allan James Leverson, 73

Allan James Leverson was born Aug. 29, 1944, in Sherburn, Minnesota, and died May 3, 2018, in Whitefish.

He was preceded in death by his parents Vernon and Leona.

He is survived by his dear friend Pam Green, brothers Dennis, Darell and Rick, and sisters Retha and Renee Ward. Renee lives in Kalispell.

Al said he was born because there was an extra seat on a tractor. He left the farm in the mid-1960s and arrived in Montana with little more than a farmer’s work ethic.

He worked various jobs in the valley. He dabbled in carpentry when possible, but slow-growth Whitefish of those days offered few opportunities. He operated Big Mountain’s early snow grooming equipment. Repairing grooming equipment on the slopes at night during storms persuaded Al to learn to ski and join the ski patrol.

Al and Mike Conklin joined forces and began building houses. The two ski bums persevered through lean years in a partnership that lasted decades. The two “old school builders” turned out quality homes. Many customers have fond memories of sitting at the job site at day’s end drinking beer with Al and Mike. They watched their home rise from piles of lumber as they became friends with these two characters — and characters they were.

Hollywood discovered Whitefish. Jim Nabors aka Gomer Pyle, moved to Whitefish and chose Mike and Al to build his home.

“Yeah, we have become carpenters for the stars” they would joke in the evenings at their “office,” the Great Northern Bar. It was there that they met with their subcontractors to discuss their projects.

They never advertised or put a sign in front of their projects. Instead they depended on word of mouth, their reputation and their longevity in Whitefish.

Carrying a sandwich in his nail pouch, Al would grab a bite now and then as they seldom stopped for lunch.

Few friends knew about Al’s health problems. He kept it to himself. Matt and Bambi Cole, his neighbors, checked in on him as did Pam Green. Kidney failure forced him to move in with Pam in Whitefish. Pam cared for him during his last weeks. Pam, Matt and Bambi, Mike Conklin and Pat Muri drove Al to Kalispell for daily dialysis.

Hopes of arresting the kidney failure failed. On May 3, Al collapsed while Pam helped him dress.

Whitefish benefited when Al left that tractor seat and the farm. His friendship, his admirable work ethic and understated sense of humor will be remembered. His friends will celebrate the good fortune to have known him at his beloved home in Haskell Basin at 2 p.m. June 3.