Albert Henry 'Big Al' Koenig, 78
Early the morning of April 15, 2019, Al passed away at Hospice of the Valley, Thunderbird facility near Phoenix, after suffering a severe stroke on April 8, 2019. Al was 78.
Al was born Feb. 14, 1941, in Kalispell to Louis and Jeannette (Kleinhans) Koenig. He was the youngest of three children. Al attended grade K-5 at Kalispell public school, at which time he transferred to Ronan public school where he attended until graduation from Ronan High School, Class of 1959. He then moved to Bozeman and attended Montana State College graduating with a business degree in 1964. During his time at MSC he married Carolyn Klimas from Big Sandy and together they had four children. The couple eventually divorced.
Al served in the Army during ROTC in Bozeman as well as time spent in Fort Ord, California, where he achieved the rank of captain. In 1968 Al was honorably discharged and moved his family to Helena.
Al had several types of jobs through the years beginning at First National Bank in Helena fresh out of college and the service. He then began a new venture in over-the-road trucking with his own company, A and C Trucking. Al would run up to three trucks at A and C leased to both Dick Irvine and later M.S. Molitor Trucking. In later years Al would drive truck for and with many friends including Skinner Ent., Mike Wetherall, JS Transport, K&D Trucking, Big Sky Trucking and, most recently, the family business in Belgrade, Scenic City Trucking.
Al met Renee Cartwright in 1994 and they were married June 12, 1999. They enjoyed hobbies such as attending auctions and buying, selling, and collecting antiques, serving on the Gallatin Valley Historic Preservation board, taking the Model T to parades, going to car shows and steam-powered farm equipment shows, watching rodeos, camping, and traveling South in the winter. Al was also a member of the Owner Operators and Independent Driver Association (OOIDA).
Al loved spending time with family and friends and going to family reunions and school reunions and visiting with his old classmates. Al especially loved going to his grandkids’ events.
Al was preceded in death by both of his parents, and uncle and aunt, Ben and Leticia Johnson; brothers-in-law, Jesse Eayrs and Dale Fuller; and several cousins.
Al is survived by his wife, Renee; and his children, Shawn (Shelly), Michelle Calvo (Bill), Corey (Michele), and Kim Cross (Bill). Al is also survived by several grandchildren, Angie Manteufel (Paul), Ashley, Albert Koenig; Maddie, Paige, Raegan Calvo, Logan (Ellie), Lane, Lindsay Koenig, Cody (Shanna), Kaden, and Cooper Cross. Mike and Colleen Cartwright and their kids, Shawn and Jacob; and two great- grandchildren, Gabriel and Makena Manteufel. Al is survived by both his sisters, Louise Eayrs and Dorothy Fuller.
A memorial service will be held at noon on May 11 at Bozeman United Methodist Church, with a reception to follow at Scenic City Trucking’s shop at 2239 Amsterdam Road, Belgrade.
In lieu of flowers, Al’s family suggests donations to the Heart of the Valley animal shelter or the American Cancer Society, or Bozeman Deaconess Foundation.
Special thanks to the night shift (Larena) at Hospice of the Valley, Glendale, Arizona.
Arrangements are in the care of Dokken-Nelson Funeral Service; www.dokkennelson.com