Frank Erwin Marchesseau

Frank Erwin Marchesseau II passed away on Thursday, February 19, 2026 at his home in Reno, Nev. He was 70 years old.

Frank was born in Idaho Falls, Idaho on December 5, 1955 to Erwin "Bud" and Afton (Koontz) Marchesseau. The family lived in Dillon, Mont. where Frank, the oldest of three children, attended school, graduating from Beaverhead County High School in 1974.

Named after his grandfather, Frank was a proud descendent of original homesteaders of the Grasshopper Valley, Montana, a place which always held a special place in his heart. He grew up on and around local ranches in the Dillon area and made many fond childhood memories at his grandparents' ranch in Polaris. Like many children growing up in Montana, he also developed a love of the mountains, spending time outdoors hunting and fishing, and later snowmobiling and four-wheeling.

However, he said his life didn't truly start until he married his sweetheart, Donna Ruff, in 1977. Soon after, with their new baby tow, the couple moved to Spokane, Wash. where Frank worked for the largest plumbing and heating contractor in the region. It was the beginning of a life-long career. The young family moved back to Dillon a few years later where Frank, along with his father and brother, Gary, started a plumbing and heating business which they would run for more than 20 years.

It was here that their family grew to five, and Frank and Donna raised their daughters, Summer and Jessie, and son, Michael.

It was also during this time that Frank made a name for himself across the state of Montana in the sport of stock car racing. Along with his friends/team members, Ray Cromwell, Matt Nyquist and Sam Stearns, Frank raced dirt tracks across the state and into the mid-west from 1989 until 1996, his family cheering from the stands.

In 2006, Frank decided to take things in a new direction when he and Gary sold their long-time plumbing business. Ready for a change, Frank and Donna embarked on a new adventure moving to Reno, Nev. where Frank started a new career as a plumbing and heating specialist for Home Depot. He enjoyed this opportunity to meet people, help customers and share his wealth of knowledge for ten years until a shoulder injury forced him into retirement.

Still passionate about cars, retirement offered Frank the time to pursue a new hobby restoring them. He and Donna purchased and personally restored a 1968 Mercury Cougar and a 1987 Chevrolet Corvette convertible. He prided himself in finding original parts and restoring these vehicles to their original beauty.

In 2023, Frank was diagnosed with cancer for a second time. He would spend the last three years of his life fighting a valiant fight against metastatic breast cancer and spending time with his family and friends who will miss him dearly.

He was preceded in death by his parents and his brother, Gary Marchesseau.

Frank is survived by his loving wife Donna (Ruff) Marchesseau of Reno, Nev.; daughter Summer Gorzny and husband, Kevin, of Cottonwood Heights, Utah; daughter Jessie Marchesseau and husband, Nathan Stone, of South Lake Tahoe, Calif.; son Michael Marchesseau and wife, Yang Li, of Grosse Pointe Farms, Mich.; his sister Marty Cypher and husband, Dan, of Dillon, Mont.; and sister-in-law Wilma Marchesseau of Dillon, Mont. He is also survived by his four granddaughters Ellie and Adi Gorzy, and Violet and Lily Marchesseau; and his faithful pets Zipper and TC.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, March 20, 2026, at Brundage Funeral Home in Dillon, Mont. Reception and lunch to follow at the Dillon Elks Lodge. A celebration of life will be held in Reno, Nev. at a later date; contact Donna for more information.

If you would like to make a donation in Frank's honor, the family suggests the Beaverhead Search & Rescue, c/o Sheriff Wendt, 2 S. Pacific St. #16, Dillon, MT 59725.