John Patrick Carney
John Patrick Carney, age 60, of Ballantine, Montana, passed away on October 19, 2020, from complications related to lung cancer. Cremation has taken place under the direction of Smith Funeral Chapel. A celebration of life will take place on May 25, 2024 at MetraPark. It is being held over Memorial Day Weekend as John viewed it as a special and significant time.
John was born on May 14, 1963, in Marengo, Iowa, to Janice (Starks) and Leonard Luverne Carney. He was raised in Parnell, Iowa. He graduated from Williamsburg High School in Williamsburg, Iowa, in 1981. He went on to serve in the United States Air Force in the Red Horse Squadron, where he would eventually be stationed in Great Falls, Montana, at Malmstrom Air Force Base. This was where his life in Montana began. John worked for Buttrey’s Warehouse in Great Falls as a truck driver for several years after being honorably discharged from the Air Force. He would eventually move to Billings, Montana, and go to work with Yellowstone County in the maintenance department at MetraPark.
In 1983, John married Renee Zeier, and, while that union did not last, two beautiful children came from it, Kristin and Sean. He took great pride in his kids and was the first to tell others about their lives and accomplishments.
John found the love of his life in Billings and married Cherri (Styren) Carney in 2003 and formed a family of seven. They worked to blend their families, and that created a very special family unit. John and Cherri purchased a little piece of heaven in a property in the country in Ballantine, Montana. Together they would spend time with their kids, grandkids, and other family on the property for many years. John and Cherri loved the wide-open spaces and quiet that they found in Ballantine. They particularly loved having an R&R whiskey drink on a summer evening under their huge cottonwood tree in the front yard.
John loved to garden and tinker around on his land. Over the years he would raise several farm animals on this property. He loved sharing the chicken eggs with friends and family. He played a very active role in the Teamsters Union in Billings over the span of his career. John was also a very active member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post in Worden, Montana. He helped with many of their events, including the annual spaghetti feed. He made many friends over the years through the VFW.
John always enjoyed spending time with his kids and grandkids. He was like the Pied Piper with children and seemed to always have several grandkids in tow when family was all together. He was an amazing father and grandfather.
John also cherished his time with his MetraPark family. He worked there for over 20 years, and many of the people he worked with over the years saw him as a father figure in their lives. It was recently stated that he “made work more fun” for the folks he worked with.
Survivors include his five children: Cory (Meaghan) Simons, Kristin (Jim) Soldano, Sean (Cassie) Carney, Katelynn (Bryan) Vandemoere, and Dillon (Shay) Simons. He is also survived by five grandchildren: Braxton, Axleigh, Ryker, Burklee, and Thomas; his mother, Janice Olson, as well as five siblings: Julie (Eldon) Harl, Brian (Shelly) Carney, Barb (Eric) Denison, Don (Billie Jo) Carney, and Kevin (Brenda) Carney, and by numerous nieces and nephews across the United States.
He is preceded in death by the love of his life, Cherri Carney, by his father, Leonard Luverne Carney, his maternal grandparents, Frances and Jack Starks, and paternal grandparents, Verla and Patrick Carney, and his mother-in-law, Mary Styren.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to VFW Post 7407 in Worden, Montana.
