Roy E. Kallevig was born on October 28, 1928, in Fairview, Montana to Julia L. and John J. Kallevig.

Roy had a lot of nicknames from family, including Roy Boy (from his wife Gloria), Pops, Papa Roy, and Gramps. He went to school in Fairview and Sidney through 8th grade. His mother passed away when he was 13, which is when he started his working career helping his dad collecting city garbage, mowing (with horses) the Sidney golf course fairways and roughs, and digging graves in Sidney and surrounding communities. At age 18, he worked for Lalonde Construction building roads west of Circle, and from there he went to work for “Kallevig Brother Excavating,” which was owned by his two older brothers - Cliff and Chet. He operated a Gradahl backhoe, digging basements and installing septic tanks and drain fields, and installing water and sewer for smaller communities like Froid and Medicine Lake.

Pops met his soon to be bride of 68 years while installing a new septic/sewer system on a farm south of Westby in 1949, Gloria Nielsen. They were married December 5, 1950 in Sidney and shortly thereafter moved to the San Diego naval base. Pops served in the Navy during the Korean Conflict for three years and was aboard four different aircraft carriers as an airplane hydraulics mechanic. During their stay in San Diego, Garth was born in 1952. Upon their return to Sidney in 1954, Jamie was born, followed by Brent in 1956 and Valeri in 1959. The house they moved in to in 1954 is the house Pops still lived in until his passing.

Pops working career continued with Kallevig Brothers Excavating in the spring, summer and fall months and then he worked campaigns at Holly Sugar in the winter months when the ground was too frozen to excavate. Pops went to work full time as a master mechanic for Holly Sugar in 1965, and then in 1979 bought a used HopTo Backhoe and joined the ranks of the self-employed, digging basements, cleaning out irrigation laterals, and installing septic systems. When things slowed down in the excavating business, he sold the HopTo and went to work full time for the road and bridge crew of Richland County as an equipment operator.

Pops and Gloria spent ten late “honeymoon years” in their little bungalow in Arizona during the winters from 1994 to 2004 and made a ton of friends and memories.

Pops retired from the county in 1994 and continued working mowing county road right of ways in the fall until 2008, when Gloria needed 24-7 care at home. Gloria passed away in 2009.

Pops had a few special words in his vocabulary: if things were all in order, he used the word “copecetic”. Around family, if things weren’t in order, he used the word “shucks”. When we said goodbye to Pops he would say “we’ll see ya when I see ya.” That last line changed to “we’ll see you in heaven” this past week at Saint Vincent Hospital in Billings, where he spent his final days with all four of his children. Pops had a strong faith. He taught all of us by example great work ethic, positive “can do” attitudes, and the importance of prayer and faithful worship.

Praise the Lord for 94 years for our dad, Pops, Gramps, Papa Roy, and Roy Boy, from all his children, sons and daughters in law, grandchildren, great grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and friends.

Roy passed away on Wednesday, March 15, 2023, at St. Vincent’s Healthcare in Billings, MT.

Roy is survived by his children, Garth (Joyce) Kallevig, Jamie (Gary) Beaudry, Brent Kallevig, and Valeri (Kim) Getchell; siblings Doris Ehlke and Shirley Martini; sister-in-law, Martha Kallevig; grandchildren, Wendy (Josh) Ruggles and their children Colton and Carson, Bradly Kallevig, Cody Roy (Brielle) and son Kalen, Brian (Sarah) Beaudry and their children Abby (Svend) and Owen, Erica (Corey) Thorson and their children Beau (Katie), Isabella, Ivan, Zion, and Koda, Kallie (Micah) Charles and their children Lily, Oliver, Luke, Rylynn, Melina and Chloe, Brant (Leanna), Treavor (Alex) Mosbaugh, Brittny Renee (Shane) Asbury and their children Briggs, Garrett, and Maverick, Mitchell (MiKayla) Kallevig and their children Klayton Roy and Brynlee, Matthew (Madison) Getchell and their children Charlie and Terrin, and Sean Getchell, as well as many nieces and nephews who called him their favorite uncle.

Roy is preceded by his parents, John and Julia Kallevig; siblings, Pearl (Joseph) Boland, Clifford (Vivian) Kallevig, Mabel (Darold) Jones, Chet (Annie) Kallevig, Gladys (Sig) Andreason, LaVern (Del) Kallevig, Hazel (Bill) Banta, Leonard Kallevig, Phyllis (Wes) Smith; brothers-in-law Adrian Ehlke and Howard Martini; and infant sister Vera Kallevig.