A Life of Service and Big Skies
Guy Frederick “Fred” McCracken, a retired Air Force colonel who traded a global military career for the quiet expanse of Montana, passed away peacefully on Nov. 2, 2026, in Kalispell, surrounded by his family.
He was 79 years old.
From Billings to the Cold War Sky
Born in Billings on Jan. 26, 1947, to Guy McCarty McCracken and Eunice Sherrod McCracken, Fred lost his mother as a young boy. His father later married Georgina, and Fred grew up attending Billings West High School, where he competed as a marksman on the shooting team.
He moved on to Montana State University in Bozeman, joining ROTC for all four years and earning a bachelor’s degree in earth sciences in 1969. Shortly after college, he was commissioned as an officer in the United States Air Force.
While stationed in Great Falls in 1975, a blind date brought him together with Sandra Jean Hanson. Three months later, on June 7, 1975, they married in a small ceremony in Billings.
For more than 51 years, the couple remained devoted partners. They raised two children, Katy and Patrick.
A Career Protecting the American Experiment
Fred served 27 years in the Air Force, rising to the rank of colonel. He believed deeply in the American experiment and viewed his military service as part of a long lineage of protectors.
His career spanned assignments in Germany, Korea, SAC headquarters in Omaha, and Ellsworth Air Force Base. He also served as an instructor at the Army War College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania.
Fred chose to bring his wife and children along on foreign assignments so they could see the world. Eventually, prioritizing his children’s education, he gave up a final assignment to bring his family back home to Billings.
After retiring from the military, Fred worked for the Billings Police Department and the City of Billings. He and Sandi later moved to Columbia Falls to be closer to family.
Remembrance and Services
In his civilian life, Fred enjoyed painting, gunsmithing, Montana history, and black powder shooting matches like the Quigley Buffalo Rifle Match in Forsyth. Most of all, he cherished time with his three grandsons, Frank, Rory, and Ryan.
Fred is survived by his wife, Sandi; his daughter, Katy (David) Kippen, along with their son Frank; his son, Patrick (Janelle) McCracken, along with their sons Rory and Ryan; and his stepbrother, Jim Lindley, alongside many other relatives and friends.
A memorial service is scheduled for 1 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 14, at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Columbia Falls, where a military color guard will honor him outside. Interment will be private at a later date. Arrangements are being handled by Columbia Mortuary, with online condolences available at their website.
