Martin W. Perga died on May 30, 2009, at the Advanced Care Hospital of Montana in Billings.

      He was born on June 15, 1938, in Butte.   He attended Butte Public School and graduated from high school in 1956.   He worked in the mines in Butte and he was working underground during the 1959 earthquake.   At the same time, Martin attended Montana State College in Bozeman, graduating in 1960 with a BS degree in chemical engineering.   While in college, he was the editor of the student engineering magazine, a member of Pi Kappa Delta National Forensics Society, and spent three years in competition debate and public speaking.

      From 1960 to 1970, Martin was employed by Universal Oil Products in Des Plaines, Ill., as a Project Engineer and Start-up Operator on new units both within the United States and overseas.   He also did research in the area of catalytic mufflers for cars for a number of years.

      In November of 1970, Martin became employed as an engineer with Farmers Union Central Exchange Co-op (Cenex, now CHS, Inc.) in Laurel.   While employed there, he held the positions of a Project Engineer, Chief Process Engineer, Manager of Maintenance and Construction, and Manager of Environmental Health and Safety.   Martin was a versatile engineer who capably handled a multitude of engineering and design functions for CHS.   In his spare time, he loved to hunt and he once went on a bear hunting trip to Russia.   He retired from his position at CHS, Inc. in 2004.

      Martin was preceded in death by his parents, Benedict and Ruby Perga;   and his brothers, Andrew and David.

      He is survived by his sons, Andrew Howard Perga and Vladimir Alexander Perga.

      The memorial service will be conducted at Michelotti-Sawyers Mortuary on Sunday, June 7, at 3 p.m.   Interment will follow at Butte on Monday, June 8, at 1 p.m.   Memorial gifts may be sent to a charity of your choice in Martin Perga's name.   Please feel free to sign the online guestbook at www.michelottisawyers.com.