Patrick Nistler
Memorial Services for Patrick Stephen Nistler were held at 11:00 AM Monday, February 11, 2008. Father
Marcel Vogel celebrated the Funeral Liturgy at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Plentywood; private
scattering of cremated remains will take place later. Military Honors presented by V.F.W. Post 4018 and
American Legion Post 58 of Plentywood followed the funeral service. The Rick Darvis Family, Mike
O'Toole, and all of his nephews and nieces were recognized as Honorary Bearers; Derl Fellon and
Corwin Kanning were ushers. A vigil rite was held at 7:00 PM Sunday at Fulkerson’s in Plentywood. Pat,
52, died January 29, 2008 at Roswell, New Mexico, apparently of natural causes.
Pat – since childhood, “Alfie” to most everyone who knew him – was born at Glendive, Montana January
25, 1956, the son of Richard Louis and Teresa Marie (Goroski) Nistler. In 1964 the family moved to
Plentywood; Pat wrestled for Plentywood High School, where he graduated in 1974. He enlisted in the U.
S. Navy, and served as an Aerographer in the Naval Weather Service, stationed at Diego Garcia in the
Indian Ocean. Honorably discharged in 1978, he entered the University of Montana, and completed a
Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science in 1982. He worked for the Montana State Department
of Revenue in Helena before he moved to Plentywood in 2003.
Memorial Services for Patrick Stephen Nistler were held at 11:00 AM Monday, February 11, 2008. Father
Marcel Vogel celebrated the Funeral Liturgy at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Plentywood; private
scattering of cremated remains will take place later. Military Honors presented by V.F.W. Post 4018 and
American Legion Post 58 of Plentywood followed the funeral service. The Rick Darvis Family, Mike
O'Toole, and all of his nephews and nieces were recognized as Honorary Bearers; Derl Fellon and
Corwin Kanning were ushers. A vigil rite was held at 7:00 PM Sunday at Fulkerson’s in Plentywood. Pat,
52, died January 29, 2008 at Roswell, New Mexico, apparently of natural causes.
Pat – since childhood, “Alfie” to most everyone who knew him – was born at Glendive, Montana January
25, 1956, the son of Richard Louis and Teresa Marie (Goroski) Nistler. In 1964 the family moved to
Plentywood; Pat wrestled for Plentywood High School, where he graduated in 1974. He enlisted in the U.
S. Navy, and served as an Aerographer in the Naval Weather Service, stationed at Diego Garcia in the
Indian Ocean. Honorably discharged in 1978, he entered the University of Montana, and completed a
Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science in 1982. He worked for the Montana State Department
of Revenue in Helena before he moved to Plentywood in 2003.
| . . . . in Memory of . . . . |
| 1956 - 2008 |
Remembering Patrick
Although Pat was gifted with a powerful intellect (as a high school sophomore, he took the SAT exam, and placed in the top 2% nationally)
he struggled all his life with BiPolar disorder. When Pat was “Pat” he was vibrant, outgoing, filled with laughter and fun to be with, but the
darkness of paranoia and intense schizophrenia would overwhelm him suddenly and without warning. He was a lifelong baseball fanatic,
who played the game with his family and friends until the snow was too deep to run the bases; he knew the stats for even minor players and
long-ago teams, and was a Montana Grizzly fan to the core. He loved music of all kinds, Classical, Blues, Country, Rock, Jazz ... and loved
the old comedy shows, such as the 3 Stooges, Jackie Gleason, and Laurel and Hardy. He read everything he could get his hands on, and
had recently taken up digital photography. Even when his illness kept him away from his close family, he never completely burned his
bridges and maintained a circle of close friends that could meet his needs in ways that his family couldn’t.
Pat is survived by his mother, Teresa Garneau, of Plentywood; by four brothers: Joe and Mike Nistler, both of Plentywood; Lawrence Nistler
and his wife Danette, of Polson, Montana; and Louis Nistler and his wife Jeanne, of Herndon, Virginia; and by four sisters: Geralyn Jones
and her husband Alan, of Elko, Nevada; Lynette Ekness and her husband Jeff, and Marilyn Ming, both of Westby, Montana; and Carolyn
Guenther and her husband Kevin, of Billings. He is also survived by 13 nephews and nieces and by his maternal grandmother, Sophia
Goroski, of Dickinson, North Dakota. He was preceded in death by his father, in October, 2006; and by his grandparents, Lawrence and
Irene Nistler and Stephen Goroski.
Fulkerson Funeral Home of Plentywood has charge of arrangement
he struggled all his life with BiPolar disorder. When Pat was “Pat” he was vibrant, outgoing, filled with laughter and fun to be with, but the
darkness of paranoia and intense schizophrenia would overwhelm him suddenly and without warning. He was a lifelong baseball fanatic,
who played the game with his family and friends until the snow was too deep to run the bases; he knew the stats for even minor players and
long-ago teams, and was a Montana Grizzly fan to the core. He loved music of all kinds, Classical, Blues, Country, Rock, Jazz ... and loved
the old comedy shows, such as the 3 Stooges, Jackie Gleason, and Laurel and Hardy. He read everything he could get his hands on, and
had recently taken up digital photography. Even when his illness kept him away from his close family, he never completely burned his
bridges and maintained a circle of close friends that could meet his needs in ways that his family couldn’t.
Pat is survived by his mother, Teresa Garneau, of Plentywood; by four brothers: Joe and Mike Nistler, both of Plentywood; Lawrence Nistler
and his wife Danette, of Polson, Montana; and Louis Nistler and his wife Jeanne, of Herndon, Virginia; and by four sisters: Geralyn Jones
and her husband Alan, of Elko, Nevada; Lynette Ekness and her husband Jeff, and Marilyn Ming, both of Westby, Montana; and Carolyn
Guenther and her husband Kevin, of Billings. He is also survived by 13 nephews and nieces and by his maternal grandmother, Sophia
Goroski, of Dickinson, North Dakota. He was preceded in death by his father, in October, 2006; and by his grandparents, Lawrence and
Irene Nistler and Stephen Goroski.
Fulkerson Funeral Home of Plentywood has charge of arrangement
Vanessa and Howard Engh
Farminton,N.M.
enghdakota@aol.com
Sorry for your loss Robbie,Knew you and your parents when you were little. God Bless.
..........................................................................................................
Jim Paulbeck
Great Meadows NJ
jpaulb@hotmail.com
My deepest sympathy to you all. I have many fond memories of Pat as we grew up. The world will
miss a unique individual. God Bless
Farminton,N.M.
enghdakota@aol.com
Sorry for your loss Robbie,Knew you and your parents when you were little. God Bless.
..........................................................................................................
Jim Paulbeck
Great Meadows NJ
jpaulb@hotmail.com
My deepest sympathy to you all. I have many fond memories of Pat as we grew up. The world will
miss a unique individual. God Bless
