Donald "Donnie" Ekert

Don (Donnie) Ekert was born on October 12, 1950, in Great Falls, Montana, to Gustav (Buzz) and Florence Ekert. The middle child between his two sisters, Cheryl (Rich Dunshee) and Barbara (Craig Jorgensen), Don grew up surrounded by love, laughter, and plenty of friendly competition.

From an early age, Don’s passion for sports was clear. With his dad coaching Little League, he learned the value of teamwork, dedication, and having fun while giving your all. At Great Falls High School, Don excelled in football, track, baseball, and wrestling—graduating in 1969 with numerous awards and lifelong memories.

Offered a baseball scholarship to Colorado State, Don instead chose to attend Western Montana College in Dillon, MT on a football scholarship. After a career-ending knee injury, he turned his determination toward education, earning degrees in K–12 Education and Industrial Technology, as well as a Master’s degree.

In April 1974, Don’s life changed when he met the love of his life, Laurie Snippen, on a blind date. At the time, Don was teaching and coaching football and wrestling at Brady High School, and Laurie was finishing her nursing degree at Montana State University. That December, the two married and made Great Falls their lifelong home.

Don poured his heart into teaching, coaching, and mentoring students for more than 40 years. He worked tirelessly—often juggling three or four jobs at once—and found his dream position teaching Industrial Technology at his alma mater, Great Falls High School. Over the years, he also served as a State Wrestling Official, taught Driver’s Education, and coached wherever he was needed. Summers found him delivering Coca-Cola or working at the Montana State Fair, helping set up the Central Park and Four Seasons Arena stages for performers like Barbara Mandrell and George Strait.

Outside of work, Don lived life to the fullest. He loved camping, fishing, and hunting with family, and treasured time spent at Swan Lake- Laurie’s family vacation spot that became their place for more than 50 years of shared memories. Whether slalom skiing, pulling his family on the tube, or simply sitting by the fire, Swan Lake was Don’s happy place. He also had a lifelong love for classic cars, proudly owning a ’55 Chevy and a C5 Corvette.

Family was everything to Don. He and Laurie raised two daughters, Dusti (Ekert) Zimmer and Lacy Ekert, and gained two wonderful sons-in-law, Ryan Zimmer and Michael Padberg. Don was endlessly proud of Dusti’s work as a Behavioral Health Executive and private practice owner, and Lacy, the Chief Partnership Officer for the Cincinnati Bengals. His greatest joy came from being “Grampa” to Parker and Peyton Zimmer—cheering them on at basketball and golf games every chance he got. His amazing family also includes the following families: Dunshee Family, Jorgensen Family, Campbell Family, Blevins Family, Laabs/Johnson Family … and all others we remember in our hearts.

Don also loved to travel, catching NASCAR races, NFL games, and rodeos while visiting family, or just hitting the road with Laurie and their beloved dog, Lady.

Never one to sit still, Don treasured his friendships deeply. He could always be found sharing coffee, lunch, and laughter with “the guys”—his lifelong group of high school and college buddies who meant the world to him. Those friendships brought him immense happiness and countless good memories.

Don passed away peacefully on October 21, 2025, surrounded by his loving family. He will be deeply missed and forever remembered for his warmth, humor, hard work, and love of life.

Per Don’s wishes, a private family memorial will be held, with a Celebration of Life to follow at a later date for family and friends to gather and share memories of a life well lived. His family would love for all to come and share memories made with Don to continue his wishes of “keeping us all in touch.”