John Nels Mugaas

On June 27, 2026 John Nels Mugaas went to find a place where he can climb mountains, hike trails, bird watch, write stories, identify flowers and paint.

John was born September 10, 1942, in Dillon, MT to Magnus (Mac) and Agnes (Laknar) Mugaas. He attended Beaverhead County High School, where he was class president, played football and ran track. This is also where he met his "Best Girl", Lynn Jones, graduating in 1960.

In high school John discovered his love for the adventures, thrills and challenges of mountain climbing. Starting with the Pioneer Mountains near Dillon he climbed his way through the Beartooth Range and the Tetons, completing many mountain ascents. His greatest climb was the first winter ascent of the Grand Teton.

John attended Carroll College in Helena, MT for a year and then transferred to Montana University in Missoula, MT where he received both a B.A. and Master's Degree. He continued his studies at Washington State University in Pullman, WA earning his PhD in Physiology.

John and Lynn married in 1965, beginning their adventures together, with the three children that came along the way: Marina, Joel Peter and Aaron. John had his first teaching job at Southwestern at Memphis College. He continued to teach and conduct research at the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine in Lewisburg, WV. He retired from a fulfilling career there after 25+ years.

John and Lynn explored all the corners of West Virginia with their children and spent every summer traveling cross country to Montana to visit family and friends. As lifelong avid birders, John and Lynn enjoyed driving their kids crazy investigating every flit and flutter, wherever they happened to be, with their binoculars and a dozen pounds of bird books. They participated in annual Christmas Bird Counts for several decades in four different states and explored birding in Brazil, Alaska, Hawaii, Belize, Costa Rica and all over the US.

For the first five years of retirement, John and Lynn volunteered for the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources performing statewide dragonfly and damselfly surveys and earned Master Naturalist certifications.

With the birth of their third grandchild coming in Bozeman, John and Lynn returned to Montana to live out their final years as adventurous, doting and tirelessly supportive grandparents accompanying the kids on numerous adventures and showing up for every performance and game.

John also enrolled in writing and art classes, discovering he really enjoyed the new challenges. His stories were published in Montana, West Virginia and North Dakota

Magazines; he created a book of poetry and sketches; and he authored and illustrated two bird books for children. He also sold paintings through the Bozeman Art Museum at the Bozeman Library. John was an active member of the Sacajawea Audubon Society, Bozeman Senior Center and enjoyed several different Book clubs.

John is survived by his children Marina (Alan) Martin of Charles Town, WV, Joel Peter Mugaas of Lewisburg, WV, Aaron (Julie Kleine) Mugaas and grandchildren Wylie, Hayes and Raina all of Bozeman, MT. Sister-in-law Liz Jones, nieces Terri (Tom) Cain, DeeDee (Ted) Williams, Yvonne Jones, Jodi Pauley, and nephews Russell (Wanda) Sigman, Keith (Wendy) Jones, and many Laknar and Mugaas cousins.

He is preceded in death by his parents Magnus and Agnes Mugaas, his daughter Connie Renee Mugaas, his wife Leslie Lynn (Jones) Mugaas, brother Harold Mugaas, brothers and sister-in-law Loren and Retha Sigman and Donald Jones

Green Burial will take place at Mountain View Cemetery, Dillon, MT on July 13, 2026. There will be a grave side service at 11:00 with a luncheon and fellowship to follow at the Baptist Church, 110 S. Idaho St, Dillon, MT

In lieu of flowers we ask that donations be made to Sacajawea Audubon Society, Eagle Mount, in Bozeman, MT, Ronald McDonald House or the charity of your choice

The family thanks the caregivers at Brookdale Springmeadows Assisted Living for the loving care provided to John during his last six months. Because of them we were able to enjoy the time we had...