Roger Croghan

Roger Croghan was born in Biloxi, Mississippi on February 15, 1957, to Gene Croghan and Barbara (Sheffels) Croghan. When he was a toddler, the family moved to Great Falls. Roger was raised on the family farm and graduated from Great Falls High in 1975. He received his private pilot license when he was 16 and immediately obtained his multi engine instrument and instructor license by the time he was 18. He attended Montana State University and graduated from A&P school (Aviation Maintenance Technology) in Helena. He worked for Arlin Aircraft off and on over the years in Belgrade, Montana, and started his own crop-dusting business, after being mentored by Bill Lohse in Carter, Montana. Another mentor was Craig Fountain from Idaho, with whom Roger flew off and on for years. Roger sprayed crops in Ohio, Wisconsin, Idaho, Nevada, and Montana. With his wife Renae (Willard) Croghan they lived in Three Forks where Roger managed the airport. Their son Joe was born in 1981 in Bozeman, and they later moved to Great Falls, where Roger continued his crop-dusting business until the mid-90s. His aviation and mechanic skills brought him up to Alaska with his second and third wife, Denise, where he became second seat on an air cargo plane in 2008. He later came back to Montana and became an organic farmer north of Great Falls.

Roger enjoyed raising basset hounds, up to five at a time. He loved doing stunts with his own and other people‘s planes and was considered one of the best “seat of your pants” pilots. Everyone knew Roger for his sharp intelligence, incorrigible wit and side-splitting humor.

He is survived by son, Joe (Mary) Croghan; siblings, Doug (Laurie) Croghan, Brenda Croghan, Colleen (Ken Dove) Croghan and Tara Kimball; stepmother, Judy Croghan; uncles, Jim and John Sheffels; grandsons, Gerald Croghan and Lane West and numerous cousins, nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by father, Gene Croghan mother, Barbara Briant; aunt, Beth Wolff; uncle, Joe Wolff and uncle, Roland Croghan.