Fred A. Booth, 86, passed away Thursday March 24, 2022, at Peace Hospice in Great Falls.  Cremation has taken place and honoring Fred's wishes, he and Peg will be buried on Spring Coulee Ranch and a celebration of life will be held later in the spring. Memorials may be made to the Highwood Public School Foundation or the Highwood Booster Club.

Fred was born March 11, 1936, to Ellen (Anderson) and Arthur Raby in Great Falls, Montana.  He joined big brothers Art and Bill and sister Gwen at the family home in Geraldine. Fred's father died in an accident when he was two. The family continued to live in Geraldine until Ellen married Lee Booth in 1947. The family moved to Great Falls and spent weekends and summers on the family farm in Highwood. Fred adjusted well in Great Falls and made many lifelong friends. He graduated from Great Falls High in 1954. That fall he moved to Bozeman to attend Montana State University. He was a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity and several other campus groups. He worked in a ski shop and loved to ski and fish around Bozeman. In 1957 he was on a committee to choose Bobcat cheerleaders; he found the cutest one, Peggy Anne, and he never let go. Fred graduated from MSU in the spring of 1958 with a degree in Agronomy and lived and loved farming his entire life.

Fred and Peg were married September 28, 1958 in Great Falls and moved to the family farm, Spring Coulee Ranch, north of Highwood. Three daughters completed the family, Laura, Nan and Wendy Sue. Dad was a farmer at heart and taught us the value and satisfaction of hard work. Fred was instrumental in the creation of the Highwood Alkali Association, served on the Highwood School Board and was Past Master of Benton Lodge #25. He served on several farm committees, always wanting to help farmers succeed. In 1982, Fred achieved a lifelong dream and got his private pilot license. He absolutely loved flying his 182 and he and Peg took some great trips, and he was always in the air above Chouteau County checking on crops. They loved to fly to Seattle to see Lauree and family. Besides seeding and harvest, Dad's best time of the year was flying to the coast with Punk and Darold and fishing with Oakland on his boat. Fred and Peg were very active in Republican politics and Dad enjoyed flying his good friend Conrad, and other candidates, to events across the state.

In 1993, Fred and Peg moved to River Street in Fort Benton. Of course, he drove to the farm every day to check on things and 'help out' where he could, including giving a lot of advice.

Fred and Peg made many good friends in their neighbors in Fort Benton. Fred and Pete were known for some pretty good pranks on River Street. Fred and Peg were great Mountaineer fans and followed their grandkids to every baseball, basketball, volleyball, and football game. They never missed a chance to help with the traveling team and all the kids loved them. Big Fred, as the kids called him, and Grama took the kids on many adventures camping in the Shonkins, fishing in Alaska, and a family trip to Seaside. Mostly though, Big Fred was ever present in their lives and his gentle, kind, and generous nature was a gift.

Fred and Peg moved back to the farm in 2007, and Dad loved living the quiet life on the lake.  He spent most days in his pickup, with a few dogs driving around looking at crops. Fred and Peg bought a house in Bozeman in 2008 so they could be near Abby and Kammi. The whole family gathered there and we have some very good memories of Big Fred and Grama and the Bozeman house.

Fred, Dad, Big Fred, Big Papa, whatever you called him, he was a gentle, giant of a man.  He survived some tough times in his life but never dwelt on it and always had a positive attitude.  He was witty; some would say he had a sarcastic humor, and he was kind, loving and generous to a fault. He was a good friend, a dedicated son to Grama and Grampa, a wonderful Dad, and he loved his grandchildren with all his heart.  Fred and Peg had a deep love that we always admired and these last years were hard for them, as he was in care and Mom wasn't able to see him as much as she wanted.  Dad passed 54 days after Mom, and our hearts are lightened knowing that they are together ….Forever and Ever….Amen.

Preceding him in death, his loving wife of 63 years, Peggy Anne Booth; loving daughter Wendy Sue Larson; his parents, Lee and Ellen Booth; and in-laws, Roy and Toni Knudson; as well as his brothers, Art Raby and Bill Raby; sister, Gwen (Dick) Zang; and nephew, Eric Raby.

He is survived by his daughters, Lauree (Tom) Lingenbrink of Woodinville WA, and Nan (Kirby) Granger of Highwood; his grandchildren, Fred (Jacey) Granger, Freddy, Sadie and Collins, Julia (Rick) Haluszka, Ian, Laura and Emily, Sam (Corben) Schedel, Natasha Lingenbrink, Abby Pilati and Kammi Pilati; as well as many nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.

The family would like to thank The Beehive Home for the loving care they all showed Dad, and all of our family.