Beverly Jean Gallik

Beverly J. Gallik “Bev”, 82, passed away on January 25, 2022, from Parkinson’s disease.



Bev was born on June 24, 1939, in Great Falls, MT, the oldest child of Arthur and Eleanor “Sis” Freeman of Sand Coulee, MT.



She grew up in Sand Coulee where she spent nearly every weekend of the summer on the banks of the Smith River and Rock Creek, a drainage of the Smith River “The River”. The trek to “The River” entailed hair-raising jeep rides along the road descending into (and out of) Rock Creek where rolling the jeep was a major fear. Fishing wasn’t Bev’s favorite pastime so she would bring books and read instead, a passion she enjoyed throughout her life.



Bev graduated from Stockett-Sand Coulee High School (Centerville) in 1957. Following graduation she worked for the phone company—Mountain Bell. She became one of its youngest supervisors. Bev met her future husband, Kenneth Gallik “Ken”, at her Senior Prom. They married in November 1959 in Great Falls, MT.



Upon Ken’s graduation from the engineering school at Montana State College, she became the only one of her siblings to “get beyond the bridge” near her childhood Sand Coulee home, as they moved to California where their son Brian was born. They moved numerous times during their early marriage: California, Nevada, Colorado where their daughter Sandra was born, Utah, Idaho, and back to their beloved Montana. They lived in Missoula, Great Falls where their daughter Carol was born, Billings, and, finally, Bozeman in 1971. Bev lived in Bozeman until October of 2021 when she moved to a memory care facility in Helena, MT.



Bev studied at Eastern Montana College (now MSU-Billings) and Montana State University where she was known to challenge the grades her instructors gave her assignments—and she would obtain the higher grade. Bev also earned a real estate license, worked as a pharmacy technician at Baxter Pharmacy and volunteered as a Gallatin County election worker/official for several years.



In addition to participating in her kids’ many school activities, and welcoming their many friends into her home (making sure to keep her kitchen’s infamous “candy drawer” fully stocked), Bev was a tremendous cook, made sure her kids’ clothes were always ironed for school, and was a fantastic seamstress. She sewed many of her daughters’ clothes and sewed the whole family coats, ski outfits and more from Frostline Kits. She enjoyed hiking with BWAGs, skiing, watching movies, shopping for bargains, reading books and storytelling. She loved to travel. Bev was always looking for another adventure to expand her horizons. In addition to numerous locations in the US mainland (the several Smithsonian Museums were a hit!), she and Ken took a cruise to Alaska, travelled to Europe, Costa Rica and China. The trip to China was her all-time favorite trip. She and Ken also worked many summers building their beautiful ”cabin,” on Dalton Mountain, near Lincoln, MT. Spending time at the cabin with family was a highlight—especially when the grandkids were around.



Bev was preceded in death by her parents and her grandson Sean Noel Gallik.



She is survived by her husband of 62 years, Ken; son Brian Gallik (Amy) of Bozeman; daughters Sandra Chuang (Yueh) of Helena, and Carol Melchior (Gary) of Montana City; grandchildren September Harper (Matt) of Bozeman, Keir Gallik (Gaby Romo) of Aspen, CO, and Renee Chuang-Kragten (Blake) of San Diego, CA; great-grandchildren Liam and Nora Harper (Bozeman); her sisters Audrey Bridgeford and Darlene Kovack; her brother Raymond Freeman (Mary Ann), and Dale Calvert (Joanie) who was raised with the family as a brother (all from Sand Coulee); numerous nieces and nephews; and two step grandchildren Derek and Kayla Verzuh of Bozeman.



Bev’s last months in Bozeman were made more enjoyable than they would have been otherwise by the help provided by Amanda Sutton.



A private celebration of life will be held in the near future.



Those wishing to send a memorial are asked to donate to either the Arbor Day Foundation (www.arborday.org) or to the Parkinson’s Foundation (www.parkinson.org).