Luke Rivers

Luke, the traveler, body worn out, took the final exit of his 90-year journey on April 16, 2020. Luke's trip began November 12, 1929, at his parents' residence in Anaconda. He died all of four blocks away at the residence he and his wife, Dona, made into their mutually loved and cherished "home" for the past 54 years. Between those four blocks and 90 years, Luke traveled nearly one million miles on busy interstate highways and lonesome country roads. An adventure and story in the making always seemed to accompany him. There was a night spent in a Mexican jail; outrunning a bear AND his young daughter in Banff, Canada; a Chicago Bus driver, with a bit of friendly advice for Luke, to "park that thing (the VW bug Luke was driving), before you get yourself killed"; driving all night with his brother-in-law on the Baja Peninsula only to have the sun come up on the wrong shoulder; trusting his 16-year-old grandson to pilot him through Los Angeles traffic; letting his two middle school aged grandsons bury their wallets on a San Diego beach the while they swam in the surf. After his grandson got his learner's permit, the two embarked on a trip to California. His grandson was stopped for speeding on Donner's Pass. After the Nevada State trooper left the young driver with just a warning to "take it easy", Luke simply said to his rattled grandson, "Welcome to the Club!"
While growing up, his children were often strategically deployed by Dona to "go ask your dad to go for a ride" if Luke was moping around the house when the hum of the road called to him. Luke's "rides" might be to Bozeman for a Pickle Barrel sandwich or to Seattle for dinner at 13 Coins. More than one friend of the Rivers kids made a mid-day call home asking if they could go on a spur of the moment trip with the Rivers crew. "No, Mom, I'm not kidding you. No, I don't know where we are going for sure or for how long. Mr. Rivers said we'll call when we stop for the night and, oh, he wants to know if I can be packed in half an hour".
Luke was the eighth of nine children born to Louis and Mary (Traynor) Rivers. At the age of 6, Luke's mother and brother Leo died of scarlet fever. Soon after Luke and his next oldest brother, Jack, would take their first trip outside of Anaconda when they were driven in a borrowed car to the St. Joseph's Orphans' Home. The catholic nuns, from the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth, raised Luke and Jack at the Helena Orphanage until they matriculated out as teenagers to be reunited with their younger brother Paul in Anaconda. For most of Luke's high school years he, Paul, and Jack raised themselves while their dad sent rent and grocery money home from Washington state where he was working on the construction of the Hanford Nuclear Facility. Luke graduated from St. Peters High School in 1947 then put himself through Carroll College where he graduated with an B.A. in Business-Administration in 1951. While at Carroll, Luke not only excelled academically but also on the football field, playing his final two years for legendary coach, John Gagliardi. Luke's senior season saw the Saints win the Montana Collegiate Championship, while Luke, the team captain, earned a nomination to the Little-All-American team and interest from the Los Angeles Rams of the National Football League. Luke served as an assistant coach for two years after graduation and was inducted into the Carroll College Hall of Fame in 1978.
Luke met his future wife, Dona Smith, on the college's fall picnic, stealing her affections away from his roommate and lifelong friend Hank Burgess. Luke proposed marriage to Dona on Valentine's Day while sitting on a doghouse in her backyard. He liked to joke that he has been in the doghouse ever since. The couple married on May 26, 1951. Luke graduated from college the next day and went to work as the business manager at Carroll College the day after graduation. Luke would go on to earn his MBA from the University of Arizona and then his CPA, while teaching accounting at Carroll College.
Operation Pedro Pan, the exodus of Cuban children from their homeland in reaction to the communist coup led by Fidel Castro, landed many school aged children at St. Joseph's Orphanage in Helena. At the time, Luke and Dona's small Helena home was already bulging with six of their own children, yet they welcomed Ana and Martha Plasencia, two Cuban evacuees, sheltered at the Orphanage, into their home until the two sisters could be reunited with their parents and younger brother.
In 1966 Luke and Dona moved to Anaconda where Luke established an accounting practice that survives him through his youngest son. When Luke was a practicing CPA, he traditionally left on a post-tax season trip the day after the April 15th tax deadline. It was not lost on any of his family that Luke decided to leave on his final journey when he did.
A few years after the move to Anaconda, Luke became a professor at Montana Tech, teaching both day and evening classes for nearly twenty years. As a professor, Luke came well prepared to class, demanding the same from his students. When one underclassmen's effort was lacking, Luke succinctly counseled the student, "You are wasting your money and my time!" As he neared retirement from teaching, Luke shepherded the current business degree offered by Montana Tech through accreditation from the Montana Board of Regents.
Luke cherished his family, taking his girls and their horses around the western states for O-mok-sees and cheering on his two boys during their Copperhead football days. Luke took the most delight in attending his grandchildren's games, concerts, matches, meets and school programs; T-ball, baseball, hockey, soccer, football, cross-country, boxing, drumline, band concerts, Eagle Scout ceremonies, Madrigal Dinner performances at MSU, state championship football, Regional Select Hockey tournaments and National Championship College Football. If his grandchild was participating, he made a point of being there. The relative importance or stature of the event did not matter to Luke. It was simply the opportunity, what Luke felt was his absolute good fortune to "be there" to see his grandchildren.
Luke loved to travel and worked hard researching, also known as asking the bartender, where to have an exceptional meal in whatever locale he was visiting. Over time Luke developed a fine dining route that he would travel every few years, with favorite restaurants in Coeur d Alene, Calgary, Spokane, Leavenworth, Seattle, Portland, Pocatello, and Elko. The past few years Luke and his daughters enjoyed annual road trips through the Canadian Rockies and Pacific Coast visiting his favorite eateries along the way. Luke's favorite out of town establishments were Borries in Great Falls and Lydia's in Butte. Luke had a very special relationship with the Mattson and Barclay families at Barclay II, where Shawn Harris affectionately greeted Luke with, "Hello, Grumpy" while providing exceptional service to Luke. Luke's proudest "discovery" by far was The Buena Vista, on Fisherman's Wharf, in San Francisco. Famous for their Irish Coffee, Luke brought the recipe back to Anaconda to share with local bartenders so he could enjoy the drink when out on the town. This past New Year's Luke was chauffeured by two of his grandsons, Riley and Kelan, on what would be his last road trip, to San Francisco for the sole purpose of having one final Irish Coffee at the Buena Vista.
Luke was preceded in death by his daughter Michelle ‘Mike' Teilborg, Son-in-law John ‘Pete' Peterson , his parents and all his siblings and their spouses: Jim (Therese) Rivers, Mary (Leo) Smith, Robert Rivers, Louis Rivers, Francis Rivers, Leo Rivers, Jack (Vi) Rivers and Paul Rivers. Luke is survived by his wife Dona,; daughters and sons-in-law, Sheila (Nate) Wilson, Annie (Mike) Furukawa and Mary (Bill) Hunt; son and daughter-in-law, Bob (Theresa) Rivers; son-in-law, Tom Teilborg; daughter Deb Peterson, and son Rich Rivers; grandchildren and (spouses): Patrick (Shad) Scott-Wilson, Melinda (Brandon) Allen, Tom (Haley) Wilson, Jennie (Greg) Coen, Michael (Bridget) Teilborg, Sadie Teilborg, John (Catherine) Casagranda, Chris Furukawa, James Furukawa, Zach Rivers, Jake Rivers, Caitlin Rivers, Eli (Sayward) Hunt, Jared (Elizabeth) Hunt, Ryan (Faith Pickering) Rivers, Connor (Jeanne) Rivers, Riley Rivers and Kelan Rivers; great-grandchildren: Deacon, Ellie, John, George, Hank, Gunner, Tucker and Declan.
Luke has been cremated. His family looks forward to hugs and laughs with friends and family in a celebration of his life this summer at the family cabin on Warm Springs Creek. Notification will be provided when more normalcy returns to all our lives.
Luke and his family are very grateful for the wonderful ladies at Anaconda Pintler Hospice, who provided loving care to Luke and comfort to Dona and the family the past two months of Luke's life.
In lieu of flowers, the family would be greatly honored by a donation to the Anaconda Pintler Hospice at 118 E. 7th St. Ste. 1A, Anaconda, MT 59711

A Celebration of Luke and Dona's Life will be held on Saturday, September 11, 2021 at the Rivers Family Cabin, 1117 Warm Springs Creek Rd. at 1:00 p.m. A luncheon and toast will follow. Valet parking will be provided for those with mobility issues.

Directions – Traveling West on MT HWY 1 after passing mile marker 19, turn right on Warm Springs Creek Road, proceed 1 mile to the first residence on the left. Location will be marked.