Fred Thackeray, 84, died at home of natural causes in Havre on Sept. 15, 2008.
Services will be at the Community Alliance Church in Havre on Saturday, Sept. 20, 2008, at 2 p.m. In lieu of donations, send flowers. A scholarship fund may be established at a later date. Fred was born on the Thackeray ranch in the Bears Paw Mountains on Feb. 16, 1924. He attended elementary school in the Bears Paws and high school in Havre until he was drafted into the Army in 1943. He served until 1946. He was awarded an honorary high school diploma from Dodson High School in 1994. He married Gladys Astrid Crites on June 29, 1947. They moved to Dodson where Fred owned a service station and auto repair shop. In 1956, he ran the first buses for the Dodson School District and continued for nearly 40 years. Fred bought his first combine in 1957, eventually running harvest crews from as far south as Oklahoma, back to Montana and into Canada for many years. He served as mayor of Dodson for over 25 years. Fred won top car salesman of the year two times for the Northwestern district which includes several states. In later years he often judged the auto mechanic competition at Montana State University- Northern. However, he was most honored to be known as Grandpa Fred to countless youngsters. He is survived by his wife of 61 years, Gladys; his son, Darryll (Sharon) Thackery; daughters Jacalyn (Donald) Carey of Cut Bank and Tammy (Bobby) Voise of Billings and Dodson; bothers, Webster and Raymond Thackeray and families; grandchildren, Susan Schmelle and Monica Thackeray; and two greatgrandchildren, Jackson and Gavin Schmelle.
