Tim Ishler

Our hearts were broken when Tim went on to his new gig without us, but we could hear Dawn hollering like she used to: "ISHLER!"


Caption: Beloved local musician Tim Ishler passed peacefully into the next picking parlor during the early morning hours of Sunday, June 22, 2008. A celebration of Tim's life will take place at Council Grove State Park at 3 p.m. Sunday, July 6, with a potluck dinner at Larry's Six Mile Tavern in Huson to follow the ceremony.
Of the hundreds of people who knew Tim you could count on all of them to say, "Tim is my best friend." Our best friend, Tim Ishler, always full of surprises, passed away in his sleep Sunday, June 22, 2008.

Tim made his grand entrance into this world March 13, 1959, joinng his mother, Sigrid Olsen), father, Paul and brothers Danny and Wayne.

Denise Roat became Tim's wife in 1983. They added son Lonnie to the troupe in 1985 and daughter Sammi in 1987. They built their home and life in Alberton until the marriage ended.

Later Tim married Dawn Snyder who preceded him in death in 2007.

Tim's musical genius won the" Gong Show "in 1976 and found a place in the Missoula music scene in such bands as "The Timtations", "Southbound" and "Hot Diggity" with Denise and many other bands mentioned in Jamie Kelly's June 27th Missoulian article about Tim.

If Tim's many musical instruments and their cases could talk, they would tell many harrowing tales of bullet holes and blood on the banjo, rides to gigs, all-nighters at Weiser, Idaho, and of surviving fire.

For stories of Tim by friends and family, join Lonnie and Sammi at Council Grove State Park on Mullen Road at 3 pm Sunday, July 6, 2008.

A potluck will follow at Larry's Six Mile in Huson.

Musical celebrations and benefit events for the family will be announced on a later date.

Contributions to Tim's children will help keep Tim's property and realize his dreams for them. The family has established (406) 241-2571 as a message number.

--Kristi Thisselle
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