Vernon Bennie Lautt

Vernon Bennie Lautt passed away April 28, 2021. He was born Sept. 6, 1942, to Ben and Katie Lautt in Hardin, where he grew up. He later joined the U.S. Army and served his country from 1960 to 1963. After he was honorably discharged he met and married Coletta Nepper. They were wed Aug. 24, 1963.

Vernon was a worker and most people who knew him could vouch for that. He was a union laborer and came to Libby in 1967 to work on the Libby Dam. Little did he know that was where he and Coletta would make their home and raise their children.

Vernon worked on the Libby Dam mainly as a driller and a blaster, also known as a powder monkey. He later did other jobs as needed until the construction of the dam was finished. After that he stayed on as a union worker and worked road construction. We really cannot explain what all he did, but we do know he did whatever they wanted.

Vern loved to work and that made him the best employee anyone could want. After going stir crazy in retirement, he took on some newspaper delivery jobs. He delivered for the Spokesman Review, Great Falls Tribune, Missoulian and the Daily Inter Lake. Up to a few months before his passing, he delivered for his daughter at the Kootenai Valley Record.

A favorite job he took on was working for the Libby Public School District as the guy on the lawn mower. Vern loved mowing the school lawns and giving all the people a bad time. He was a very quiet guy and really liked the tranquility of mowing the lawns, and for those that knew him, knew he heard very little.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Ben and Katie Lautt, and a son, Wesley Lautt.

Survivors include his wife of 57 years, Coletta; daughter, Rhonda (Lee) Bothman; son, Rodney Lautt; grandsons, Thommas Lautt and Brandon Collier; granddaughters, Brittney Lautt and Paige (Riley) Jaynes; and eight great-grandchildren.

Vern will be laid to rest with his son at the Custer Battlefield on May 28, 2021 in Crow Agency. On May 15, at 1 p.m., the family invites anyone who would like to share stories and enjoy a variety of desserts, which Vern loved, at the Fred Brown Pavilion in Libby.

Arrangements are by Schnackenberg Funeral Home in Libby. Online condolences and memories may be shared at www.schnackenbergfh.com.