Craig Edward Zaspel

Craig Edward Zaspel, age 78, passed away on December 21, 2025, after a long battle with cancer. He passed away at home surrounded by his loving family. He was born in North Saint Paul, MN, on December 1, 1947, to Edward and Joyce Zaspel, one of three boys. Craig is survived by Karen, his wife of 46 years; a daughter, Naomi "Zee" Zaspel (age 42); grand-daughter, Geneva Rosemary Jane Zaspel (25). He is also survived by two brothers and numerous nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his daughter, Corrie Jane Zaspel, and his parents.

He graduated from the University of Minnesota with a BS in Physics in 1969. Shortly thereafter, he moved to Bozeman, MT, where he earned a Ph.D. in Physics in 1975 from Montana State University. He also had a post-doc fellowship at the University of Zurich (Switzerland) during the 1977-78 academic year and returned with his family for several months in 1988 for research.

Dr. Z, as he was affectionately known, began his teaching career at the University of Southern Mississippi from 1982-84. Eager to get back to the mountains of Montana where he had spent the previous 15 years, he began teaching at The University of Montana Western (then Western Montana College) in 1984. During his academic career, he published more than 100 papers in internationally peer-reviewed journals. Craig was a world expert on micromagnets as well as the mathematics at the heart of the formation of spiral arms in galaxies. He also pursued research on cancer treatments at a cellular level. He remained a beloved colleague and teacher until his retirement in 2021.

Craig was a remarkable person with extraordinary interests and talents. During his youth in Minnesota, he was the State Ski Jumping Champion. After moving to Montana, he became an avid rock and alpine climber who was highly regarded by his partners for his exceptional talent and bold yet careful style, but also for his calm demeanor and accommodating personality. His wit was sharp but kind. A quiet person, he was also admired for his ability to not dominate a conversation, a wild understatement for those of us who spent days with him in the mountains. As a young man in Bozeman, he became a charter member in the locally famous (and infamous) Dirty Sox Club, a tight knit but somewhat rule free, ragtag group of young, active climbers. It was that group that dubbed him Dr. Z, the nickname that remained for life. He was a graceful backcountry skier, and skied and rock climbed well into his 70s even after his cancer diagnosis and treatment.

As a teenager, he was a stunt pilot who purchased and refurbished his own plane prior to obtaining his driver's license. Craig was an officer in the Army Reserve and earned the rank of Captain. He made his own telescope and ground his own lenses by hand. Later in life, he found a passion for restoring vintage BSA and Triumph motorcycles.

Above all else, Craig cherished his family. He worked as a logger for several years after his Ph.D., and it was during those years that he met his wife, Karen, who was living in a tipi near Big Sky. In 1979, they were married on horseback. Together they built a two-story vertical log cabin and lived off the grid, raising a family there for several years.

His humor was clever, understated, and subtle. Craig was selfless, supportive, loyal, and caring. His twinkling eyes and easy smile left us all feeling more hopeful. Craig was the best of all of us.

A memorial service to celebrate his life will be determined at a future date. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to the University of Montana Western Foundation to go toward a scholarship fund that will be established in the name of Dr. Craig Zaspel.