John Martin MANDEVILLE

BOZEMAN — John Martin Mandeville died Tuesday of natural causes. He was born, as John would say, “at a very early age,” on Dec. 28, 1921, in Bozeman to Gordon and Millie (Burtch) Mandeville.John married Donna Duntsch in 1944. He lived and worked from his birth to his death on the family farm and ranch, homesteaded by his grandparents in 1896. John and Donna spent 62 years enjoying the home and family they created together.In 1966, John took up auctioneering establishing his future with an estate sale for Alice Barnett. He was often heard comparing auctioneering to what he understood even better, his marriage. “It’s like getting married: if you’re not enthusiastic, it never works out.” That profession became a passion for John and his family and he presided over countless charity auctions until his retirement from auctioneering in 1995. In 2003, John was inducted into the Montana Auctioneer Association Hall of Fame. John’s community service was extensive. He served as public administrator of Gallatin County for eight years, president of Gallatin County Farm Bureau, county president of the American Dairy Association; he served on the Darigold board of directors for nine years and as its president for two years. He was granted the Outstanding Farmer of the Year award by the Jaycees in 1955.John organized the first local rural fire department, “The Furious Fire Fighters,” and served as its unofficial chief. John was a member of the Bozeman Noon Rotary Club, and was past president of Rotary and co-chairman of the Polio Plus Committee. His outstanding service to Rotary was recognized with the Paul Harris Rotary service award and Rotarian of the year award in 1990. John also served as a member of the Bozeman Chamber of Commerce, past director of the Green Coats and chairman of the Chamber of Commerce Agriculture Committee. Other awards include the Bozeman Area Chamber of Commerce Sperry Award in 1994, 4-H Partner Award in 1980, and Montana Winter Fair Hall of Fame in 1994.John was not only passionate about community service, but he was also a consistent supporter of fraternal services. John was a DeMolay master councilor, DeMolay advisory board chairman, holder of the Chevalier Degree of DeMolay, master mason and past master of Gallatin Lodge 6, holder of Legion of Honor Degree for outstanding leadership and service to humanity, member of Algeria Shrine, member of Lily of the Valley 4 Eastern Star, member of York Rite and past eminent Commander of Knights Templar, past High Priest Zona Chapter 12, member of Red Cross of Constantine (an honorary degree), and past grand chaplain of Masons of Montana.The loss of John, who was a loving husband, brother, father, grandfather and great-grandfather, will resonate loudly within his family and community. We were blessed to have a great leader as our family figurehead. His values will be carried forward with the ideas he instilled.His survivors are his wife, Donna; children, Steve (Sunny Ray) Mandeville, Lloyd (Charlie) Mandeville, Letha (Ralph) Stark, Craig (Connie) Mandeville; sister, Ella Mae (John) Cromer; grandchildren, respectively, Jarrod, Michelle, Kevin, Alesha, Kristen (Shae), Ryan, Erin, Meghan (Jason), Jonna, Dale (Sara), Valli (Kurt), Kara (Zak); great-grandchildren, Kyler Stark, Toby Casidy, Huston Mandeville, Olivia Mandeville and Sabrina Mandeville.Funeral services are 10 a.m. Saturday at First Presbyterian Church, Bozeman, with burial in Sunset Hills Cemetery.Memorials: First Presbyterian Building Fund, 26 W. Babcock, Bozeman 59715, or to the Heart of the Valley Humane Society, Box 11390, Bozeman 59719.