Eldon J. McNicol, 77, passed away of natural causes on July 15, 2015 in Helena. He was born November 17, 1937 in Great Falls to Murray and Margaret McNicol. He was a 1955 graduate of Great Falls High School.
E.J. McNicol graduated with a degree in Mechanical Engineering from Montana State College in 1959. It was at Montana State that McNicol met his future wife of 54 years, Patricia Plumlee. They were married on the Montana State campus on November 25, 1960.
In addition to his wife Patricia, McNicol is survived by son, James McNicol and wife Cindy of Farmington, New Mexico; daughter, Susan McNicol and friend Kate Herron of Helena; and daughter, Marcia Rohrer and husband Travis of Helena. Other survivors include granddaughter Sheila, husband Maurice Quaintance, and baby Kyra of Jacksonville, Florida; grandson Michael McNicol of Farmington, New Mexico; and sister-in-law Carol Irwin and husband Gary of Moraga, California.
McNicol, known to some as “Mick” and to others as “Mac”, worked 21 years for The Anaconda Company in Columbia Falls and in the Great Falls area. The McNicol family lived for nineteen years on Smelter Hill, near Black Eagle. After the closure of Anaconda, McNicol spent eighteen years with Montana Power Company in Colstrip; at Rainbow Dam, near Great Falls; and in Butte. Eldon McNicol was a Registered Professional Engineer in Montana and he held Montana Water, Waste Water, and Water Treatment Operators Licenses. He had an Honorable Discharge from the US Naval Reserve.
Organizations to which McNicol belonged include: American Society of Mechanical Engineers; American Institute of Mining, Metallurgical, and Petroleum Engineers; Montana Society of Engineers; Great Falls Jaycees; Great Falls Area Chamber of Commerce, Black Eagle Civic Club; Forward Great Falls; Junior Achievement of Great Falls; Colstrip Townsite Expansion Property Owner’s Association; Rosebud Photo Society; Montana Dixieland Society; and the Montana Historical Society. For several years he was an Adult Education and Community College photography instructor for Miles Community College, Colstrip Public Schools, and Great Falls Public Schools.
McNicol’s photos have appeared in “Montana, the Magazine of Western History”, “Montana Magazine”, and “The Mississippi Rag”, a nationally-distributed music newspaper published in Minneapolis. His pictures also appeared in several publications of the Montana Travel Office and other state publications. For ten years McNicol was the volunteer photographer for Montana’s Dixieland Jazz Festivals in Helena, Great Falls, and Kalispell.
Remains have been cremated; no memorials are necessary. Please visit below to offer a condolence to the family or to share a memory of Eldon.
Service Schedule
Services are pending at this time or no services will be held. If available, please see obituary for more information.
Service Schedule
Services are pending at this time or no services will be held. If available, please see obituary for more information.
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Gary & Joy Novota says
Pat & family – We are saddened to hear of your loss, & we know the difficulties of a final good-bye. We send to you our sympathies with many years of memories of the days of jazz, the music, the fun, the costumes….we did have a good time, didn’t we? Thank you for being part of those special moments in time! May you find healing & peace with God’s blessings to you & your family.
Becca Kohl and Kirby Lambert says
Mr. Eldon McNicol, with gracious wife Pat at his side, was one of highlights of our Thursday evenings at the Montana Historical Society. No one had a finer memory or capacity for putting together disparate events to inform us about Montana’s past. Eldon’s photographs and willingness to help identify sites and activities from long ago have been a great help to us in the Photo Archives over the years. Our hearts go out to you for this too-soon loss; we will miss his insightful comments and witty asides.
Theresa Oakley says
Pat, Sue, Marcia and Jim: Mick was a fun loving man. He will forever in my mind be “cute”. I am still missing the tap tap on my window when he was out for his morning stroll. Gary will miss trading “6rs” and car magazines and talking about the weekend’s Home Companion. There are so many things to miss about him. His hugs would take your breath away but they were so sincere. I love you Mick; we all miss you. You added fun to the lives of those you encountered and I am glad you are part of my life and happy to have called you a friend. Just as I told you, “someday you will lead the parade”. XO XO
Marie McNicol Mowat says
Pat and family: I am so sorry to hear of Eldon’s passing. Although we didn’t see much of each other over the years, I always enjoyed our talks when we did get together. He was a wonderful man and a great photographer. He was my double-cousin and he will be missed. My prayers are with you.
Darlene & Tom Sharpe says
Dear Pat and Family: We are so terribly sorry to learn of Eldon’s passing. Our deepest
sympathies are with you all. Our twelve years as neighbors in Colstrip are remembered
as a high point of our lives due in great part to you and Eldon. His pictures were always so very interesting and special. We still have some on our wall. Eldon will be long remembered by all who knew him. God Bless you all.
Rita (Kornder) Lott says
Jim and family,
I remember you well from Anaconda Hill where Mary, Jamie and I spent so much time together.
I want you to know that I’m thinking of you and your family through such a time of loss.
May your hearts find comfort in time and may his good heart live on and through you.
Rita (Kornder) Lott
Julie Massaro says
Sue,
I’m sorry to read about the loss of your Dad. May his memory be kept alive in your heart.
Hugs to you,
Julie Massaro
Cheryl Crowson and Joanie Werner says
Dearest Pat and Family,
We will truly miss Mick! We will miss his wit and him stopping by while he was walking just to say Hello and we were lucky enough to get one of his famous hugs!
Thank you for allowing us to be your bankers and friends!
Our heartfelt Sympothy to all of you!
Cheryl & Joanie, Stockman Bank, Elite Travel Club
P.S. Thank you for all the fun travels and memories with MWB Summit Club.
Patti Marshall says
Dear Sue, Marcia and family,
I was so sorry to hear of your Dad’s passing. Please know that you are all in my thoughts and prayers during this time. I know your wonderful memories of your Dad will lift you up. God bless.
Patti Marshall
Mary Mouat says
Dear McNicol Family and especially Sue–So sorry to read the obituary about your Dad this morning. I never met him but have long enjoyed the beautiful photograph MONTANA–A Stage of Dramatic proportions–in our home. As it happens I am sitting at the computer writing this note with that framed photograph to my immediate left with his signature looking down on me. I was given this work of art as a part of a wonderful going away celebration many years ago. Thank you Sue!!! I won’t ever forget your Dad and certainly not YOU! Hug to you and Kate!!! So many memories!!! And now this beautiful photograph to remind me of your Dad’s legacy!
Alana LaRock says
So sorry to read about Eldon’s passing. I so enjoyed working with both of you during your time here in Butte and your transition to Helena. My prayers are with you and your family. Keep your memories close to your heart. Sympathies to all of you.
Dan Berube says
Pat and Family,
I’m very sorry to have learned about Eldon’s passing. You have my sincere sympathy. It was great to have had the opportunity to work with Eldon and to enjoy having him and the family as neighbors in the Colstrip years. He was a fine community citizen, and a conscientious and skilled management employee. I’m very sorry for your loss,
Mark Pidcock says
Jim and family…
I am so sorry to hear about your loss. I remember your father from all those times we played sports together back in Great Falls. May you and your family find peace in this difficult time.
Mark Pidcock
Johanna Bulman says
I was shocked to hear of Eldon’s passing. Eldon and I regularly corresponded at Christmas and exchanged news about the family. I always looked forward to seeing his photograph on the calendar he sent. My condolences to Pat and family.
kay wearley (knight) says
Dear family of Eldon,
I am a friend from Eldon’s past- his mother Margaret was a friend of my mother, Val. I believe they played bridge together ( cards I know and think it was bridge) and so Eldon and I were “bridge pals”, together because of our mothers; this was grade school time. I always enjoyed Eldon’s company; he was such a very nice boy and pretended to not mind that I was a girl! I’ve wondered at times over the years where he ended up spending his life as I totally lost track of him as I did so many others. I’m so glad to learn he had a happy life and a loving family. My prayer is for you, his family, to treasure the memories.
LaVae and Sam Atkins says
So sorry to hear of Eldons passing and for your loss! I knew him in high school and my husband knew him thru Power Co. He was a very nice person….Always! . Love and prayers to you and his family
Susie Wollan says
I have known Eldon & Pat ever since Eldon joined our Colstrip MPC Construction family 30 some years ago. Eldon has been my friend and mentor thru the years. He had great work ethics and was an astounding teacher. I owe my interest in photography to his adult education classes and encouragement. Last Christmas I was still seeking his advise on a digital camera for a gift. He always had jelly beans on his office desk for those who stopped by. I will treasure his prized photos he gave me. When we meet again in the hereafter, he will no doubt greet me by saying, “Hi Suz – the light is perfect for photos up here. Miss you my friend.