John Halmans

Funeral Mass for John J. Halmans, 82, of Baker, will be 10:00 am Wednesday, June 18, 2025 at St John Catholic Church in Baker with Father Baskar Raj. celebrating. Burial will follow at the Halmans Homestead North of Baker.

Visitation for John will take place 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm Tuesday, June 17, 2025 at Stevenson Funeral Home with a Rosary and Vigil taking place at 6:00 pm.

John J. Halmans was born in Baker, Montana on January 31, 1943 to Bert and Eleanor (Votruba) Halmans, during the height of World War II. He often mentioned the day he was born that it was a bright sunny day at 40 below. He and his mom would live at the Votruba home until Bert returned from the Army Air Corp after the war. The family would buy and later move to the farm north of Baker. John would grow up on the farm, raising cattle, plowing fields, learning to repair engines, welding, maintaining all manners of machinery and hunting. John would attend country school, driving himself to school starting in his elementary years. He often bragged about racing the neighbor kids home on the highway.

He attended and graduated from Baker High School, where he would be active in the FFA and excel in math and history. In 1962 John would become Vice President of the FFA chapter in his senior year and made the first of several trips to the FFA convention in Kansas City. John would meet Alice Madler during his high school years. John became a Catholic and married Alice in 1963. John and Alice lived on the farm and raised five children there. John would continue living on the farm until 2024, when he would move to Superior care in Baker.

John loved farming, ranching and gardening. Every spring after calving, the fields were planted with wheat, barley and oats. When the crops were in, a large garden of tomatoes, cucumbers, peas and beans would be planted and enough potatoes to get the family through the next year. John seemed to enjoy the summers the most. The whole family would be out in the hay fields, each with their own tractor; mowing, swathing, raking, baling and hauling. Somehow John always ended up on the old 400 international tractor, whether it was cutting, baling or hauling. It matched his personality, straightforward, versatile and ready to take on whatever was needed. In the fall, after harvest, John would take time to explain math and algebra homework assignments in the evenings. When hunting season came John would take all the children to the hills on the farm to bring home a big buck with enough meat to fill the freezer for the winter. His cattle were highly prized. John would take care of all his cows, doing as much of his own veterinary work as he could.

John and his dad worked together to pull electrical line with the REA through their neighborhood. John was proficient with the D6 Caterpillar, using it to plow fields and feed cattle during the early days on the farm. Later he would maintain dams and roads on the farm and clear roads in the winter. Plowing snow in the early morning hours to ensure the kids got on the bus.

John would pass on his love of farming, mechanic skills and math to his children. John insisted that his children participate in the FFA. Several of his children would follow in his footsteps and become officers in the Baker FFA chapter. He would again travel to Kansas City when his children attended their National FFA Conventions, as well as chaperone a group of students to convention. That love of agriculture and the FFA found root in his daughter and grandson who would both become Ag Teachers and FFA advisors. His eldest son would take over the farm. All his kids would go on to use their mechanic skills to build careers and homes. His skill in math passed on to the next generation in a son, granddaughter and grandson who built on those early lessons at the kitchen table to become engineers. In his later years John would often say how proud he was of all his children and grandchildren for the lives they have built.

John passed away peacefully on June 6, 2025 on a sunny and warm day, just between planting and haying season.

John is survived by daughter JoAnna Williams (Tennyson) of Hysham, sons John D. Halmans of Baker, Joe (Donna) Halmans of Baker, Jerome (Heidi) Halmans of Weirsdale, FL, Jeff Halmans of Baker; grandchildren, Logan Kotar, Cassie Halmans, Joey (Faye) Halmans, Brandan (Kaitlyn) Kotar, Ashley Halmans, Nathan Halmans, Ophelia Nacey, Helaine Halmans; 5 great grandchildren;

John is preceded in death by his parents Eleanor and Bert, Daughter-in-law Tanya Halmans (John D.) and former wife Alice Arneson.