Gary Ray Ropp

LOLO ~ Gary Ray Ropp, 90, of Lolo passed away Tuesday, July 1, 2025 in his home he lived in for 40 years.

He was born on June 10, 1935 in Pingree, Idaho to Charles and Alta Ropp. He was raised in St. Maries Idaho until his father passed away when he was eight. Shortly after they moved to Spokane valley and settled down. As a young man he was educated at West Valley High School. While in high school he loved playing sports where he was a catcher for the baseball team, center for the football team, and also played on the basketball team. He worked very hard during the summers as a farm hand and at the gas station and garage on Evergreen and Trent with his uncle.

On June 25,1955 he married Donna Belle Midkiff in North Port Washington. He met her there on her parent’s homestead where he fell madly in love and started courting her two years prior to marriage. They lived in Spokane Valley, Washington where they raised 3 children. They lived there for a long time as he worked in a meat packing plant, coaching baseball, and sharing his love for the outdoors. In 1983 they finally settled in Lolo where he set up his business selling life insurance.

He loved working on his property, gardening, hunting, fishing, hiking, camping, swimming, going for a drive, BBQs, fish fries, taking long walks by the river near his home, and traveling.

He always shared his love for adventuring in the outdoors and living life to the fullest. He was the best son, husband, dad, uncle, cousin, grandfather, great grandfather anyone could have asked for. His smile, laugh, and stories will be truly missed.

Proceeded in death by his sister Sarah Lanelle Wolf, brother Richard Charles Ropp, and his wife Donna Belle Ropp.

Survivors include his children Sandy and Alfred Finch of Lolo and their children Amy Finch and Jason Whitlock of Missoula, Jeremy and Katie Finch of Lolo, and Naomi and Jonathan Wicks of Helena with their two kids Amelia and Jonathan; Jeffrey and Sherri Ropp of Oregon with their children Adam Ropp and Rachel D’Alessandris of Oregon and Halie Ropp of Oregon; Russ and Karen Ropp of Nevada along with their child Cierra and John Tregaskis and their daughter Kylie of Nevada.

His funeral will be held at 1 p.m. on Tuesday July 22, 2025 at Sunset Memorial Funeral Home in Missoula. Burial will immediately follow at Sunset Memorial Gardens.