Hamilton – Lyle Julian Instness, 97, was born August 15, 1921, in Froid, MT, to Helmer and Clara Insteness.  He grew up in the Froid area.  Two of his very best friends were brothers, George and Vernon Waters.  They were called the 3 musketeers.  He joined the Navy and was stationed in Pasco, WA and then went to Guadalcanal during WWII.  His friend, Vernon, came there for R & R, and Lyle was the last to see him, as he fell to the enemy a couple of weeks later.

Lyle was the oldest of six children.  Still living are sister, Lorraine Wulf (Helena, MT), brother Galen Insteness (Sitka, AK), and baby sister Cheryl Huggins (Olympia, WA).  Before entering the Navy, Lyle married Marjorie McKenzie, with whom he raised three children.  Dennis his oldest son, lives in Rio Linda, CA, Richard (Julie) live in Citrus Heights, CA, and daughter Jeannine (Bob) Rath live in Auburn, CA.

In 1938, Lyle dated Laura Baker – 50 years later they were wed on April 2, 1988.  Along with Laura came four step-children.  Lauraine (Bill) of Hamilton, MT, Sheila (Darrell) Heim from Williamsburg, VA, Wanda Johnson from Othello, WA and Bill (Elaine) Running of Gallatin, MT.  Lyle broke his hip in 2016, and Wanda has been a caregiver for him since he was able to return to his home in August of 2016, until the present.

Lyle was an electrician by trade, owning his own business in Sacramento, CA.  His first love was music.  He always had a song in his heart and his head.  Coming from a musical family, he played and sang in bands locally for years.  He also loved being outdoors, keeping his yard in tip-top shape, and growing a large garden until his accident in 2016.

He was preceded in death by his parents, two sisters Delores and Avis, his best friend Vernon and George Waters, his brother-in-law and great friend Homer Wulf, and brother-in-law James Huggins.

He leaves his children, step-children, 7 grandchildren, and 6 great grandchildren, as well as wife Laura and former wife Marjorie.

Services celebrating Lyle's life will be held at the United Methodist American Baptist Church in Hamilton on Wednesday, December 19, at 3 PM.  There will also be a memorial gathering in California, at a later date to be announced.