Kurtis Blaine Wieringa, 59, left this life at his home in Anaconda on January 26, 2021 with a couple of friends by his side. He was born on March 24, 1961 to his parents, Joyce and Onno Wieringa.
Kurt had hundreds of friends, two brothers– Ridge and Onno, six nephews- Ashton, Josh, Jarrett, Durgen and Grady [Ridge, Maureen and Carolyn], Onno Shay [Onno and Tana], and his favorite and only niece Siri Anna [Onno and Tana].
Kurt studied engineering, was a Technology Education Major at Montana State and taught Computer Driven Machining. Kurt and his classmate were the first at MSU – and perhaps in Montana – to design and build a super conductor that had no resistance to electricity and repelled magnets. At age 29 he won a National MasterCAM CNC Software “Wildest Part” contest, where he wowed the judges not in what the gadget could do (which was the intended judging criteria), but rather in how beautiful it was. Kurt showed what was possible with MasterCAM Software. Kurt continued throughout his life to design and build creations that uniquely blended form and function.
Kurt then went to work for Envirocon in Missoula, later for Northwind in Idaho Falls, and was a project engineer for a myriad of environmental remediation projects. Working on environmental cleanup projects gave him strong gratification, knowing that he was making the world a cleaner place for future generations.
Kurt’s closest network of people were those that he worked with and met on jobs. His friends have always been endeared to him for his ability to never have seen an engineering situation or logistical problem he couldn’t figure out, for his great generosity, and the countless hand-made Kurt treasures that he made for them. Kurt’s innovative genius was a constant source of amazement and respect.
Kurt’s happiness stemmed from doing things that gave him adrenaline or allowed him to problem solve and create. He loved ice boating, fast and unique vehicles, guns, and gold prospecting.
Life also brought him unexpected experiences having been shot a few times, stabbed once, and being mauled twice by the same Grizzly bear.
In honor of the life that he lived, his family would like to invite friends, family and acquaintances to join an online gathering on February 23rd at 5:30 pm (MST). The gathering will include a slideshow, stories about his life, and an acknowledgement of his endeavors.
For more information, please visit the following website:
www.myfarewelling.com/memorial/kurtis-wieringa
Please visit below to offer a condolence or share a memory of Kurt.
Axelson Funeral and Cremation Services has been privileged to care for Kurt and his family.
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Kent says
RIP my oldest friend, I know where ever you end up I will too, and we will do it all over again… so much fun… so many memories…
Gary Hazen says
I came across this obituary by chance and am saddened to hear he passed at such a young age. I worked with Kurt for several construction seasons in the early 2000s on a remediation project in Montana. When you work with someone on a daily basis you get to know them pretty well and I have to say that much of the obituary is spot on with the Kurt I knew. He was definitely Mr. Montana and liked to tell some of his stories such as when he fought the grizzly bear, and liked to rib me about being a flatlander from the Midwest. I remember going into the restroom of our construction trailer and finding wastebaskets full of gravel from the nearby streams that he was panning for gold. One afternoon when we had a work stoppage he took me and a few others to a canyon on Forest Service land to show us his newly milled .50 BMG rifle and even let us try shooting it. He must have liked me OK because not unlike what he apparently did for others, he made me one of those balancing works of art of a fly fisherman on a horseshoe. He was an honest and genuine guy that I will miss, but can tell you he lived life to the fullest. God bless you Kurt.