On December 6th 2024 LeRoy Mueske passed away quietly, surrounded with love. Whether known as, "Lee", "Doc", "Dirt", or in later years, "Big Sexy", he will not soon be forgotten.  He was a man with a boisterous laugh, a great story teller, quick with advice and a loyal father, grandfather, and friend.

Lee was born on October 2, 1940 to Cecilia and Ervin Mueske in Milwaukee, WI.  He spent his school days in the city and summers on the farm with his aunts, uncles, and cousins in central Wisconsin. Milking cows in the morning and swimming in the watering hole after lunch is where Lee's passion for the outdoors began. After graduating from Marquette University in dentistry, he hopped in his car, which wouldn't go in reverse, and moved to Montana.  From the flatlands of WI, he thought the mountains of Billings were a sight to behold until he reached the Continental Divide and Butte, then he knew he was home.  In Butte, Lee started his dental practice, built his dream home, and dredged a pond for swimming right out the back door. He raised his son Chad here, and passed along every inch of work ethic, life lessons, and love, along with his passion for the outdoors.

Lee worked as a dentist through 1995. He loved his patients and the office but hunched over mouths with significant scoliosis was difficult.  Lee proudly saw patients from 6:00 am sharp to 7:00 pm 3 days a week, while also pursuing carpentry, a passion passed down by his father.  Many days he wore a three-piece suit in the mornings and paint splattered jeans in the afternoon, flipping more than 30 homes on his own,  and who knows how many more with friends.  His entrepreneurial mind never stopped.  He dabbled in car auctions, owned Jim Dandy Furniture in Anaconda, and other business interests in uptown Butte.  There was no enterprise he would not try as failure was never a deterrent.

As hard as he worked, Lee also played hard. He loved to hunt and fish anything and everything.  For many years he bought the first and only turkey tag sold in Butte.  Archery was a burning passion for deer, elk, a couple of bears, and even the occasional fish off the end of a boat.  The birds were not safe either; in Montana or Canada. Lee hunted pheasants, ducks, and geese with his beloved dogs and supported Ducks Unlimited for many years, ensuring waterfowl would remain in the area. Summers were spent floating the Big Hole and Madison Rivers, while the winters were spent ice fishing. There was never a moment wasted in a day.

Those early years on the dairy farm left a lifelong yearning for his own land.  Lee bought his "ranch" in Three Forks in 1990.  In his later years, he worked the land and resided there, happily digging with the backhoe, shooting varmints, fishing the Madison, and archery hunting whitetails.  There were many times spent at the ranch with friends that blurred into family, making memories and having fun.  It was his favorite place to be.

Lee is survived by his sister Daun Boyd and niece Andrea Jushka and family of Milwaukee, WI, as well as his stepson Jason Dziak and family, and ex-wife Barbara of North Carolina.  His first wife Marianne Frost of Boise, Idaho.  His beloved son Chad Mueske, daughter in law Meggan Mueske, and treasured grandson Simon Mueske of Bozeman, Montana, of whom he was most proud.  To honor Lee's life, he requested that people be informed and educated on the vaccine for HPV;  the cause of his cancer.

A celebration of Lee's legacy will be held in Butte at the East Side Athletic Club on January 25th, 2025 from 3:00pm-7:00pm.  Please join us in raising a glass of scotch, telling stories, and keeping his memory alive.