Authors to Share Story of Dr. Daniel and GeRayne Block During Special Evening at Depot Theatre

DILLON, Mont. — The Bookstore and the Beaverhead County Museum are inviting the community to a special evening celebrating the remarkable lives of Dr. Daniel "Dan" Block and his wife, GeRayne Block, on Thursday, July 9, at the Depot Theatre in Dillon.

The free event will feature Zachary Block and his father, Bryan Block, who will discuss the lives, adventures, and lasting legacy of Zachary's grandparents. Doors open at 6:00 p.m., with the presentation beginning at 6:30 p.m. Donations benefiting the Beaverhead County Museum will be accepted at the door.

The evening centers around the publication of Dr. Block's memoir, a manuscript that remained undiscovered for decades until Zachary returned to the Flathead Valley and began sorting through his grandfather's belongings. Inside a familiar manila envelope, he found a completed manuscript chronicling the years Dan and GeRayne spent homesteading near Trail Creek along the North Fork of the Flathead River, just six miles south of the Canadian border.

Recognizing the historical and personal value of the writings, Zachary worked to have the memoir published, allowing others to experience his grandparents' extraordinary life in one of Montana's most remote wilderness areas.

The memoir recounts life after World War II when the young couple built a life together in the rugged North Fork country. During their years on the homestead, the Blocks fished for bull trout, hunted elk, endured encounters with grizzly bears, and adapted to the challenges of frontier living. GeRayne also served as the youngest postmistress in the North Fork while sharing in the hardships and adventures of homestead life—including holding a flashlight while Dan dispatched packrats inside their cabin with a .22 rifle in the middle of the night.

"My grandpa had a big life," Zachary said of discovering the manuscript. "He was the same person he was at 26 as he was at 96. He wanted to strike into the unknown while being respectful to his surroundings."

He added that while there is "nothing tragic" about the memoir, it carries a reflective tone as it documents a wilderness and way of life that future generations may never fully experience. Today, the original Trail Creek homestead remains in the Block family and stands much as it did nearly 80 years ago, preserving the legacy of Dan and GeRayne.

Dr. Daniel Block's contributions extended well beyond the North Fork. Born in Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin, he served in the Eighth Air Force during World War II after enlisting in 1942. Following the war, he married GeRayne Johnson, moved to Montana, and earned two degrees in Wildlife Technology from the University of Montana before later completing his doctorate.

He taught high school on the Flathead Indian Reservation for six years before joining the faculty at the University of Montana Western, where he served as a professor of biological sciences from 1961 until his retirement in 1985. In recognition of his dedication to education, the Montana Board of Regents authorized the naming of Daniel G. Block Hall on the Montana Western campus in 1994.

An official proclamation described him as "brilliant, diligent, and absolutely consistent," noting that "his students received his very best every day."

Following Thursday evening's presentation, attendees will have an opportunity to meet Zachary and Bryan Block during a book signing and reception with light refreshments.

Those wishing to reserve a copy of the book or seeking additional information may contact The Bookstore at (406) 683-6807.