Sydney Bruce Switzer, 89, Of Libby
A lifetime Libby resident, Sydney Bruce Switzer passed away on January 19th, 2023 at Libby Care Center. Bruce was born December 17th, 1934 in the old Libby Hospital on 2nd Street with Dr. Kairns attending. The parents were Waneta and Earl Switzer of Libby, who lived in the family home of the grandparents on Louisiana Ave. built around 1912. There were two older brothers, Don and Roger and two sisters, Shirley and Norma.
Bruce started school in the old grade school building located on the corner of Louisiana and Lincoln boulevard, and graduated from the old high school in 1954. Bruce was on the high school track team running the 440 and he played football on the football field where the legion baseball Field is now located. He sang with the high school choir group as well. Bruce also participated in a local boxing club in the basement of the Kootenai Mercantile building.
He worked at the St.Regis Mill and later the Champion Mill in between his tours of duty in the Army. Bruce did basic training at Fort Ord, California as a National Guard soldier and then on to Paris, France. Another tour of duty started at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri and onto Giessen, Germany in the regular Army. He did three tours of duty in the army altogether. He also worked for the US Forest Service, fighting forest fires and at one time had a job delivering mail for the US postal service in downtown Libby. Bruce tried his hand at mining by going to Wallace, Idaho and working for the US Antimony Corp. and the Bunker Hill Mining Corp., where he developed a real love for underground mining. Bruce constructed his own mineshaft on a claim of Flower Creek with two partners and named it the Flower Creek Mining Company, but never hit pay dirt as the miners called it even at 80ft. down in solid bedrock.
Bruce also traveled to Australia one summer to try the life down under, but decided Montana was a better place for him. Bruce was a member of the old Presbyterian Church on Lincoln boulevard, which later moved to Mahoney road. He sang in the church choir, when the Presbyterian Church closed their doors he attended church at Christ Lutheran Church with his friend Larry Knight. He was also a very active member of the Odd Fellows Lodge with his friends, John and Teddy Beebe. Bruce was a long time member of the Montana Historical Society as well.
After retiring, Bruce enjoyed coffee time in the morning at Rosauers with friends and he especially enjoyed Thursday morning breakfast with the Christian Church men and good friends, John Knutson and Bill Armstrong. Bruce was preceded in death by his parents, Earl and Wanita Switzer, brother Don Switzer and (Lydia), brother Roger Switzer of Coeur d’alene, Idaho, sister Shirley Mason of Bellingham, Washington and sister Norma Karnes and good friends, Larry Knight and Fritz Vignali.
Bruce is survived by several loving nieces, sister-in-law Helga Switzer and nephews. A big thanks to Ed Cosgriff, Bruce’s roommate who so patiently put up with his daily routines. We wish to extend our thanks to the good people of the Boundary County Community, Libby Care Center and Christ Lutheran Church for the care of the extended to Sydney switzer, better known as Bruce. There will be a memorial service for Bruce at Christ Lutheran Church on June 7th, 2023 at 11:00 a.m. with a military burial at the Libby cemetery.
William Kelly Carr, 67, Of Libby
Kelly Carr was born to Capt. Wm. Kelly Carr Sr. and Patricia A. Carr on May 6, 1956, in Albany New York. William “Kelly” Carr Jr. died in Libby, Montana, on May 7, 2023, after a lengthy battle with a variety of medical problems. Kelly was the first of four children, and as a “Military Brat”, the family lived in many places including Virginia, Florida, California, and Morocco to name a few.
After High School, Kelly attended the Naval Academy Prep School in Newport, Rhode Island, he attended Cypress College in Cypress, CA., and Cal State Long Beach, where he studied Ocean Engineering. After college Kelly worked in Heavy Construction as a Superintendent, and eventually went on to be an estimator in the last 15 years of his career.
At Cypress College, Kelly met Patricia Weiss. They were married in 1977. Kelly and Pat have 3 children Kelly, Katherine, and Kristal. Kelly loved being involved with his children, coaching baseball, softball and building the baseball field for the Senior Little League when they lived in Palmdale, California. He also loved camping and fishing with the family. Many family trips were spent at Silver Lake near Mammoth, CA. He also loved to go duck hunting with his brother-in-law Steve and friends in the Sacramento Delta.
After retiring from the Carpenters Union, Kelly and Patty moved to Libby, Montana. It is not where they planned on staying, but the people that they met in Libby changed their minds, and it became their forever home. Kelly thought he had already found Heaven when he found Libby. Their daughter Katherine and granddaughter Madison moved with Kelly and Pat to Libby. Madison was the light of Kelly’s life. He most of all enjoyed sharing with Madison the beauty of nature and the warmth and friendship that they found in Libby.
Kelly was preceded in death by his sister Bridget Carr.
Kelly is survived by his wife Patricia of 45 years; son Kelly Carr and wife Sheena of Studio City, CA; daughter Katherine Carr and granddaughter Madison Carr of Libby; daughter Kristal Leonard, husband Glenn and Grandsons Colin and Carter of Kalispell; brother Kevin Carr, wife Becky and stepson Shane of Libby; Sister Moira Bradshaw, husband Toby and niece Bridget of Normandy Park, WA; brother-in-Law Steve Weiss and wife Judy of Lakeside, MT.
A memorial gathering for family and friends will be held later in the summer. Arrangements are under the care of the Schnackenberg Funeral Home of Libby. Condolences and memories may be shared online by visiting www.schnackenbergfh.com.