Dennis Bryan Maercklein

Dennis Bryan Maercklein died on January 23rd at the age of 83. He was born in Sheboygan, Wisconsin on July 2nd 1936 to Richard and Catherine Maercklein. He joined the U.S Air Force and served in Vietnam. After 20 years of service he retired as a Captain working in counseling for drug addiction. In 1979 he married Geraldine Hanson and they moved to Thompson Falls, Mt. where he continued his work as a counselor as head of the State Tri-County Out-Patient Addiction Services. Later he moved to Missoula to work as director for the Addiction Treatment Program at the Providence Center in St. Patrick Hospital. With his many years of dedication to the treatment of addiction he continued to have a profound effect on hundreds of patients and their families. He volunteered at the beginning of First Night Missoula lending his artistic and computer skills. He retired in 1999.

After his retirement he remained involved in the community volunteering at the Senior Center, and spending quality time with friends. He had an innate ability to see others needs and reach out to them. We will miss him. He leaves behind his children Lisa Greenwood, Steve Maercklein, Valery Maercklein, his grandchildren Jordan Greenwood, Joeseph Greenwood and Jeremy Greenwood, his brother Doug Maercklein, his wife Geraldine Maercklein and his step-daughter, Genna Hanson. His burial will be at the Western Montana State Veteran’s Cemetery on Jan. 29th at 11:00 am. Arrangements are under the care of Garden City Funeral Home.