In Memoriam
MTEA extends sincere condolences to the families and communities of our deceased traffic educators. The teachers mentioned here were actively teaching at the time of their deaths, were recently retired, and/or served on the MTEA board of directors.
Dan Marinkovich (1926-2020)
Dan Marinkovich was born April 1, 1926 and lived a long and full life until his passing on December 11, 2020 in Missoula, Montana. Dan taught driver education to teens and college students in Miles City, and teens in Anaconda and Philipsburg. He entered the profession in the 1960s, retiring in 2008, but that didn't end his cherished identity as a Traffic Educator. He kept his Montana educator license and his approval to teach traffic education active, because he so valued the profession and his role in it. In fact, Dan was MTEA's first president in 1967 (and elected again in 1999) and attended almost every MTEA conference since 1976, the year of the first MTEA conference.
Dan's dedication to teaching was wide and varied: he held endorsements in History, Health Enhancement, School Counselor, and Traffic Education. He was a longtime teacher, but also served as principal and superintendent in Anaconda. He also played basketball while a student at the University of Montana and found the time to coach basketball at Custer County High School and Miles City Community. Dan brightened the day of all who met him, listened to his stories, and were made to feel special and appreciated by his cheerful and friendly nature. He will be missed, but fondly remembered for his gentle leadership and his desire to keep learning new things.
Read personal remembrances about Dan Marinkovich.
Dan Marinkovich was born April 1, 1926 and lived a long and full life until his passing on December 11, 2020 in Missoula, Montana. Dan taught driver education to teens and college students in Miles City, and teens in Anaconda and Philipsburg. He entered the profession in the 1960s, retiring in 2008, but that didn't end his cherished identity as a Traffic Educator. He kept his Montana educator license and his approval to teach traffic education active, because he so valued the profession and his role in it. In fact, Dan was MTEA's first president in 1967 (and elected again in 1999) and attended almost every MTEA conference since 1976, the year of the first MTEA conference.
Dan's dedication to teaching was wide and varied: he held endorsements in History, Health Enhancement, School Counselor, and Traffic Education. He was a longtime teacher, but also served as principal and superintendent in Anaconda. He also played basketball while a student at the University of Montana and found the time to coach basketball at Custer County High School and Miles City Community. Dan brightened the day of all who met him, listened to his stories, and were made to feel special and appreciated by his cheerful and friendly nature. He will be missed, but fondly remembered for his gentle leadership and his desire to keep learning new things.
Read personal remembrances about Dan Marinkovich.
Dustin Sturm (1968-2019)
Absarokee High School traffic educator, Career and Technical Education professional, and former superintendent, Dustin "Dusty" Sturm, passed away after a tragic accident on July 4, 2019. An investigation by the sheriff’s office and Montana Highway Patrol determined Sturm was driving a John Deere Gator utility vehicle when it rolled down a steep ravine. Sturm had recently retired as superintendent of schools in Absarokee. Sturm was a dedicated and much admired teacher who, since 2001, taught traffic education at Winnett, Roy, and Absarokee school districts.
Stillwater County News - July 11, 2019
Full obituary.
Absarokee High School traffic educator, Career and Technical Education professional, and former superintendent, Dustin "Dusty" Sturm, passed away after a tragic accident on July 4, 2019. An investigation by the sheriff’s office and Montana Highway Patrol determined Sturm was driving a John Deere Gator utility vehicle when it rolled down a steep ravine. Sturm had recently retired as superintendent of schools in Absarokee. Sturm was a dedicated and much admired teacher who, since 2001, taught traffic education at Winnett, Roy, and Absarokee school districts.
Stillwater County News - July 11, 2019
Full obituary.
Robert Rutledge (1951-2015)
Fergus High School traffic educator, Robert Rutledge, passed away suddenly on November 10, 2015. Rutledge received his teaching degree in 1973. He lived and worked in many communities: Deer Lodge, Ekalaka, Roy, Opheim, and Fairfield. Along with traffic education and other subjects, he taught history and Health/PE and coached many different sports, especially football. Suffering from polycystic kidney disease, Robert was granted a second chance at life after receiving a kidney transplant in 1991. He took full advantage of that life-giving opportunity, and in 1992 earned a Master's Degree in school counseling from MSU-Northern. At the time of his passing, he was working as a guidance counselor at Fergus High School in Lewistown.
Full obituary.
Fergus High School traffic educator, Robert Rutledge, passed away suddenly on November 10, 2015. Rutledge received his teaching degree in 1973. He lived and worked in many communities: Deer Lodge, Ekalaka, Roy, Opheim, and Fairfield. Along with traffic education and other subjects, he taught history and Health/PE and coached many different sports, especially football. Suffering from polycystic kidney disease, Robert was granted a second chance at life after receiving a kidney transplant in 1991. He took full advantage of that life-giving opportunity, and in 1992 earned a Master's Degree in school counseling from MSU-Northern. At the time of his passing, he was working as a guidance counselor at Fergus High School in Lewistown.
Full obituary.
Barbara Lockman (1956-2015)
The traffic education community lost a beloved traffic education teacher and active MTEA board member on September 14. Excerpts below are from the obituary published in the Helena Independent Record on September 17, 2015.
After a nine-month battle with cancer, Barbara Ann Lockman passed away at the age of 59 in Laurel, surrounded by family. Barb worked as a physical education teacher at Poplar Schools, as the Sidney Middle School librarian, and as a Helena Middle School librarian and driver education instructor for the Helena School District. Barb was a wonderful daughter, beloved sister, and favorite "auntie" to her nieces and nephews. To her family and friends Barb was a beloved burst of energy, always there to love and serve with fierce devotion, to fill their lives with mischievous smiles and humor and to instill in her nieces and nephews a deep love of nature, adventure and lifelong learning.
The traffic education community lost a beloved traffic education teacher and active MTEA board member on September 14. Excerpts below are from the obituary published in the Helena Independent Record on September 17, 2015.
After a nine-month battle with cancer, Barbara Ann Lockman passed away at the age of 59 in Laurel, surrounded by family. Barb worked as a physical education teacher at Poplar Schools, as the Sidney Middle School librarian, and as a Helena Middle School librarian and driver education instructor for the Helena School District. Barb was a wonderful daughter, beloved sister, and favorite "auntie" to her nieces and nephews. To her family and friends Barb was a beloved burst of energy, always there to love and serve with fierce devotion, to fill their lives with mischievous smiles and humor and to instill in her nieces and nephews a deep love of nature, adventure and lifelong learning.
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Dick Shipporeit (1941-2014)
Missoulian (11-23-2014) Western Montana Lives: Dick Schipporeit rode shotgun with 3 generations Excerpted from the Missoulian article: Four decades of Missoula high school students learned the rules of the road under Dick Schipporeit's calm guidance. By his last years teaching at Sentinel High School, students were remarking how he'd taught their moms to drive. So Schipporeit's passing last week touched generations of Missoula residents, past and present, who remembered him fondly as their teacher, or their children's teacher. In honor of his passing, we present a story written on June 6, 2008, by Rob Chaney, while Schipporeit was still behind the wheel with Missoula's youngest drivers. Read on and you'll understand why he is, and will be, missed and remembered. |
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Shayne Flinders (1958-2014)
Billings Gazette Obituary - Shayne Flinders Circle High School teacher, track and basketball coach, and driver's education teacher. |
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Stephen Woodden (1956-2012)
Billings Gazette Obituary - Stephen Merle Woodden Red Lodge High School teacher - health enhancement and driver's education. |
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David Huff (1950-2012)
Traffic Education Director (1998-2011) Montana Office of Public Instruction, Helena, MT http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/davidhuff In 2014, MTEA established the David Huff Memorial Scholarship to encourage new traffic education instructors to attend the annual spring conference. |
