Fred Forcella
d. October 17, 1943
Fred Forcella, 75, of Terry, died suddenly at Saint Vincent's Hospital in Billings, due to heart complications.
Fred was born on Oct. 17, 1943 in Butte, to Tileo and Althea (Grefig) Forcella. He grew up on the family ranch at Feely until the family sold it and purchased a ranch north of Whitehall in 1949. Fred graduated from Whitehall High School in 1961. Following high school, Fred went to work for the Flying D Ranch and Frank Shaw until Deloris, the love of his life, graduated from high school. Fred and Deloris (Hedges) were married on May 29, 1965, in Whitehall, where they started their family. Fred and Deloris purchased a small ranch south of Whitehall soon after and began their ranching life. They were blessed with three children. Fred worked several jobs - fencing, carpentry and as a meat cutter in Butte - but his true passion was ranching and, in 1979, Fred and Deloris purchased the family ranch north of Whitehall from his parents. He remained there until 1996, when Fred and Deloris sold the ranch, moved to Terry and opened Forcella Custom Meats in the tiny little Eastern Montana town. Fred continued to ranch with his son Tracy. In 2013, Fred and Deloris sold the Butcher Shop and, that year, the two traveled the Alaskan Highway.
Fred was an avid outdoorsman and horseman. He loved to hunt and fish, and made several trips to Alaska to do so.
He is preceded in death by his parents; aunt and uncle Rita and Frank Forcella; mother and father in-law Howard and Jody Hedges; and grandson Charlie Forcella.
He is survived by his wife, Deloris, Terry; daughter Tammy (Rick) Henderson, Butte; son Tracy (Stefanie) Forcella, Whitehall; daughter Tawni (Cheyenne) Standish, Butte; grandchildren, Justin (Hailey) Forcella, Tyler (Hannah) Forcella, Riley Forcella, Brad Welsh, TJ Heard, Chris (Allison) Henderson, Colleen Henderson, Kim (Ty) Pardee, Sam Henderson; and great-grandchildren Braisley Welsh, Parker Forcella, Declan Forcella and Enzo Pardee; niece Dana (Shane) Escott, Bailey and Cole.
Cremation has taken place and graveside services will be at 11 a.m. Friday, June 21, at the Holy Cross Cemetery in Butte, followed by a luncheon at the McQueen Club, 3250 Hecla St., Butte.
Donations may be made in Fred's honor to a charity of the donor's choice or The Terry Swimming Pool Fund.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Fred Forcella, please visit our flower store.