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1924 Rueben 2021

Rueben Kinzle

August 28, 1924 — November 18, 2021

With loved ones by his side, Rueben Kinzle passed away Thursday, November 18, 2021, at the age of 97.

Rube was born in Eden, Idaho August 28, 1924. He grew up in Deer Lodge, Ronan, and St. Ignatius, Montana. Every year he took six weeks off from school to help with the sugar beet harvest, but despite that Rube graduated from Mission High School in 1943.

On January 5, 1948, Rube married Betty Lou Simon in Deer Lodge. By 1950, Betty and Rube moved to Missoula where they settled to grow their family.

Rube had a storied career — at first he worked as a powder monkey, lumberjack, sawmill operator, and bakery delivery driver. He worked for and eventually bought the Mount Jumbo Potato Chip factory, running it with Betty for many years. Later he was salesman for Missoula's Coca Cola bottling company before retiring in 1989. The only constant in his career was his strong work ethic and his desire to provide a good life for his family, which he did.

Rube and Betty spent weekends at Flathead Lake, entertaining family and friends. After retirement, they traveled with their 5th-wheel trailer, and spent many winters in Lake Elsinore, Calif., visiting their son, daughter-in-law, grandchildren and a multitude of dear friends from various places.

In his later years, as a widower, Rube met Marian Nelson and they became good friends for nearly a decade.

Most of all Rube is remembered for his love of a good game of crib, telling sly jokes, making funny faces, and being sweet and loving to all.

Rube is survived by daughter Pat Grant and son-in-law Keith Grant of Missoula, son Donald of Washington, son GK Khalsa and daughter-in-law Atma Khalsa of Murrieta, Calif; grandsons Satshabad Khalsa and Prithipal Khalsa; and great-grandson Keith Grant, as well as his sister Alma Kinzle of Redding, Calif. and brother and sister-in-law Samuel and Addie of Missoula.

He is preceded in death by his parents Magdelina and Wilhelm Kinzle, Betty, his wife of 60 years, his brothers Otto, Art, Bill, Ted, Fred and Oscar, his sister Edna Jovin, and his grandson James Rueben (JR) Grant, with all of whom he’s playing cribbage in heaven right now.

Private interment at Missoula City Cemetery will be at a later date.
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