- (Ref photo of Randy attached to his obituary)
Randy Drollinger was born May 22,1955, in Kalispell. Following a logging accident, Randy was "called home by the Lord" on June 6, 2016, at the age of 61.
Randy attended Peterson Elementary and graduated from Flathead in 1973. He met the love of his life, Vernell Boreson, at a dance. They married in 1975, and their son, Ryan, was born in 1976. Daughter Melissa followed in 1978. Randy and Vernell celebrated their 40th anniversary last September.
Randy started his career in the house-building industry but found that logging was his passion. He was a legendary crane operator. His logging family included Ureco ('78-'83), Roberts Logging ('83-'85), Kelly Logging ('85-2012), Smith Logging ('12-'14), Gall Logging ('14-'16) and most recently Roberts Logging.
Randy was a member of the church of Christ. He loved his family and friends. Summer days would find "Papa" boating on a lake, pulling his grandkids on a tube. Fall days were for hunting. He was a jokester and never knew a stranger. He wouldn't hesitate if he saw someone who needed a ride or roadside assistance. He was at home in the woods and died doing what he loved.
Randy is survived by his wife, Vernell; children, Ryan Drollinger and Melissa and Frank Liebig, all of Kalispell; grandchildren, Leah, Rebekah and Timothy Liebig of Kalispell, and Ryan Drollinger Jr. of Winnett; siblings, Monte Drollinger of Seattle, Ashley Drollinger of Kalispell, Allison Drollinger-Thrush of Wasilla, Alaska, and Brian Drollinger of Columbia Falls; stepsiblings, Linda Andersen of Billings, Mike Kirk of Kalispell, Jim Kirk of Little Rock, Colorado; Uncle Bill and Aunt Barb Dye of Kalispell; numerous cousins, nephews and nieces.
He was preceded in death by his father, Wesley Drollinger; mother, Beverly (Dye, Drollinger) Kirk; stepfather, Ed Kirk, and brothers Wade and Marlow Drollinger.
Memorial services will be held at 10 a.m. on Saturday, June 11, at the Flathead County Fairgrounds Expo Building.
Randy Scott Drollinger, 61, of Kalispell died Monday when a tree fell on him at a logging camp near Lake Mary Ronan.
About half a dozen fellow crew members worked unsuccessfully to revive Drollinger. "That crew did a heroic job trying to save his life," Lake County Sheriff Don Bell said.
They performed cardio-pulmonary resuscitation while waiting for emergency responders.
Chief Cliff Volunteer Fire Department and the ALERT medical helicopter went to the Camp Tuffit Road location.
The helicopter crew guided ground crews to the accident scene before landing on a nearby ridge. The roads were in considerable disrepair, were confusing and hindered emergency responders' arrival, Bell said.
"The camp was in an area that was logged 20 years ago," Bell said.
Polson Ambulance was dispatched but turned around before it reached the scene.
Drollinger was pronounced dead by Lake County Sheriff Deputy Coroner Nathan White.
The logging camp is located about eight miles south of Lake Mary Ronan.
By MICHELLE LOVATO/Lake County Leader
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1955 - 2016 (61 years)
