The Missoulian, Sunday, November 7, 2003.
Missoula MT

Harold 'Bud' Lake

MISSOULA - Montana is a little less Western with the passing of Missoula
icon Harold "Bud" Lake on Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2003.

Bud's roots were firmly planted in the lifestyle and values of the
Westerner, where a man is only as good as his word.  This simple ideology
served Bud well through his many successful business ventures and a life
full of good friends, good times and a loving family.

Bud was born in Maywood, Mo., on June 4, 1913.  The youngest of four
children born to Bill and Alma Lake.

Bud's dad was restless by nature and the family lived in Missouri,
Montana, Colorado, Illinois and Wyoming before coming back to Montana
and settling in Hamilton, where Bud graduated from high school in 1931.

Bud worked for Safeway in the meat department after he finished school.
This experience eventually led to Bud and some partners starting their
own grocery store, the Economy Foods store in Hamilton.  This business
grew to include seven stores in Hamilton, Missoula, Ronan, Plains,
Kalispell, Stevensville and Hungry Horse.

When Bud moved to Missoula to manage the store, he met Mary McConkey
and they were married Sept. 30, 1939.  Shortly, the young couple moved
to Kalispell where they started their family and lived until 1950 when
the Economy Foods partnership was dissolved.

While in Kalispell, Bud and partner Bob Rooker started a rodeo contracting
business called the Hellgate Rodeo Co.  When Bud moved back to Missoula,
he became a partner with Oral Zumwalt in the Zumwalt and Lake Rodeo Co.

Rodeo was a love that Bud never outgrew.  He enjoyed the sport whether
he was producing one, working as the arena director of simply watching.

Bud was a true entrepreneur and his energy for doing business never
tired.  His businesses were varied and included an interest in the
Missoula Livestock Auction, a livestock trucking company, the Bud Lake
Truck Stop on Highway 10 West, the Clearwater Junction, a partnership
in the Sammons Trucking Co. and along with his brother, Paul, he owned
the Westerner, a western clothing store on Higgins Avenue in Missoula.
There were car dealerships, restaurants, service stations and ranches
from Nevada to Montana.

While Bud was involved in these businesses, he was buying and selling
"dirt."

In the late '50s, he and a partner bought 700 acres in the lower Miller
Creek area and were involved in the initial development along 39th Street.
Bud and business partner, Jay McAfee, not only bought real estate in
Montana, but also in Wickenburg and Sedona, Ariz.

While these ventures are the successful business accomplishments of
Bud Lake, the thread of passion that defines the man was his horses.
He always said, "I see a little good in them all."  In his corrals you
might find the most royally bred race horse next to a snorty bronc and
he loved them equally.  He had a great eye for a horse and there was
nothing he enjoyed more.

The ranch at Frenchtown hosted horse sales where 100 head would be sold
in an afternoon and Bud owned them all.  When he got that bunch sold
he would start over buying more at horse sales throughout the West.
If he had too many horses he bought more land to put them on.

Bud was a busy man throughout his life, but he made time for the things
that mattered most to him - family and friends.

He always had time to stop and shake a hand, visit or lend someone a
helping hand.  It was not uncommon for the phone to ring in the middle of
the night and someone who needed gas or grocery money was not turned down.

He was involved in many organizations throughout the years and was one
of the original members of the Goodfellows Club.

Survivors include his daughter, Lorraine Smith and her husband Ben of
Camden, S.C.; sons, William Lake and his wife Carol of Phoenix, Robert
Lake and his wife Julie and their children, Sean and Britt of Missoula
and Daniel Lake of Billings; and sister, Dee Smaus of Hamilton.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Mary; a sister, Madeline Clark of
Maywood, Mo.; a brother, Paul Lake of Missoula; and an infant grandson,
Patrick Justin of Missoula.

Services will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 11, at St. Francis Xavier
Church, 420 W. Pine.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Goodfellows Club, P.O.
Box 7369, Missoula, MT 59807 or Alzheimer's Association, 225 N. Michigan
Ave., 17th Floor, Chicago, IL 60601-7633.