Scott Douglas Fairbanks

Scott Douglas Fairbanks, aged 74, passed away on June 29, 2026, after a hard fight with kidney disease.

Scott was born in Ipswich, Massachusetts, on February 23, 1952, a son of the late Boyd and Ruth Fairbanks. He was raised in Massachusetts and later attended a photography school in Rochester, New York.

He followed a friend to Montana in the fall of 1972, and fell in love with both the state and Darlene Doris Keyes of Anaconda, Montana. Scott and Darlene got married on November 30, 1974.

The family moved to Great Falls, Montana, in 1979. Scott took his passion for photography and opened a portrait studio, Scott Photography, which he ran until 2023. There are many homes and businesses across the state and beyond with portraits by Scott hanging on their walls.

He was continuously working on his house and backyard, making sets and backgrounds for his pictures. Most weekends you could find him building something out of wood or rebar and concrete.

After Darlene was killed by a drunk driver in 1985, Scott became a single father to their two children. He dedicated many years to educating people about the human costs of driving drunk.

Scott was a member of the Montana Professional Photographers Association, including a stint as their president in 1995. He was always happy to talk shop and help up-and-coming photographers with advice and direction.

Truly, he was always happy to talk to anyone about just about anything.

Scott is survived by his son and daughter, Dow and Daun Fairbanks; grandchildren, Maya and Sawyer Fairbanks and CJ Kiernan; brother and sisters, Richard Fairbanks, Susan Viall, and Kathy Alves. Many friends adopted Scott as part of their extended family as well.

A special thank you to Amanda Gervais and her family for their love and support for Scott during his illness.

Scott will be greatly missed by all whose life he touched. He was a good friend to anyone who needed to know they had a friend.

A Celebration of Life has been scheduled for August 1, 2026, at Schnider Funeral Home, 1510 13th Street South, Great Falls, at 1:00 p.m.