Posted: 12/28/03

God was given a precious gift on Christmas Day when Alvin C. Feller joined his heavenly family.

Al was born to Alvin C. and Lola Robinson Feller March 31, 1911, on the Feller farm outside Groton, S.D. Al, along with his five brothers and several Feller cousins were well-known throughout South Dakota as the Feller Band and Baseball Team. Al, known as Dutch, still holds baseball records for pitching.

Al worked on the Feller farm until age 23. He then attended Northern State Teachers College, graduating in 1937. He taught business classes, coached basketball and baseball, and was a high school principal for five years.

On June 1, 1942, Al married Dorothy Bolan in Centerville, S.D. One month later he was drafted and entered the Army Air Force. Al was stationed at McChord Air Field in Tacoma, Wash. He attended Officer Candidate School in Miami Beach, Fla. During the war Al was stationed at Herington, Kan., and Bolling Field, Washington, D.C. He was discharged as a captain on Aug. 16, 1946.

Al and family, which now included children, Dianne and Doug, moved to Tacoma, where Al taught at Tacoma Business College. Al then bought an insurance agency in Raymond, Wash., living there for nine years, during which time the family was completed with the births of Denise and Debra.

The Feller family moved to Helena in December 1956, and Al became a partner in the Hal Wheat Insurance Clinic. Later he purchased the T. B. Miller Insurance Agency, which he sold to Montana International where he worked part time until his retirement in 1981.

During Al's career, he was very involved in community service and activities. In Raymond, Wash., he was president of the Lions Club, commander of The American Legion, president of the Independent Insurance Agents Association, and served on the Board of Trustees for the Raymond Methodist Church. He belonged to the Masonic Lodge and coached Little League Baseball.

In Helena, he was president of Kiwanis Club, commander of the American Legion, served on the Board of Trustees of St. Paul's United Methodist Church and held offices in the Independent Insurance Agents Association. He continued to be an active Mason and was general manager of the American Legion Baseball League.

Al was an avid sports participant and fan. He received trophies in baseball, basketball, bowling and golf. When Al was pitcher/manager of the South Dakota semipro baseball team, he pitched three consecutive shut-outs in the state tournament followed by two shutouts in the national tournament at Battle Creek, Mich. His hole-in-one at Green Meadow Golf Course was a highlight of his golf game. Al also loved playing cribbage, bridge, and any card game, and taught his children and grandchildren how to play. He was also an avid gardener for the past 45 years.

He was preceded in death by his seven siblings, his father, and his mother who passed away when Al was five years old.

Al loved life and instilled that spirit in his family. He will be greatly missed by his wife of 61 years, Dorothy, and his four children: Dianne (Carl) Johnson of Highlands Ranch, Colo.; Doug (Cathy) Feller of Wickenburg, Ariz.; Denise Feller of East Helena; and Debra (Nate) Simmons of Maple Valley, Wash.; his half-sister, Marian Warner of Oregon City, Ore.; sister-in-law, Nadine Wiest of Helena, and several nieces and nephews.

He took special pride in his grandchildren: Wade (Linsey) Feller of East Helena; Jill Feller of East Helena; Eric Johnson of Naperville, Ill.; Mark Johnson of Columbia, Mo. He helped raise Wade and Jill and even into his 90s continued his involvement by attending Jill's college basketball games, and serving as a groomsman in Wade's wedding. Emily Mae Feller, great-granddaughter, was the joy of his life over the last 18 months.

Private services will be held at 2 p.m., Monday at Hagler-Anderson Mortuary. Memorials may be sent to Volunteer Services, Fort Harrison, MT, 59602.