Donald Jenni

Don (93), was born to Genevieve and George Jenni on June 20, 1932 in Pueblo, Colorado, and died on December 11, 2025 in Missoula, Montana. He is survived by his four wonderful children Robert (Lynn), Bill, Karen (Mark) and Tom (MC), three delightful granddaughters (Ellie, Ruby, and Mary Rose), and three stepchildren Ben Cory (Kris), Betsy Cory, and Jeff Cory (Amy) and their families.

Don was raised in the Bay Area, graduated from King City High School in 1949, and from Oregon State in 1953. He played clarinet and saxophone in high school and college, including every football game. At OSC he majored in Fish and Game Management and minored in Folk Dance. He studied ducks in South Dakota for his Masters in Wildlife Biology at Utah State, and herons and egrets at University of Florida for his Ph.D.

He married Mary Hovland in 1956, and they raised their kids while enjoying a life of adventure - graduate school in Florida, a post-doc in the Netherlands, and a sabbatical year road-tripping around North and Central America in a VW bus. Shortly after arriving at the University of Montana in 1966 Don declared “this is it!” and he embraced Montana as home. In addition to teaching animal behavior, he published extensively in the scientific literature, served several terms as Chair of Zoology and then as the first Dean of Biological Sciences. He viewed his most important contributions as hiring outstanding faculty and mentoring his graduate students. He also chaired several national and international ornithology and animal behavior conferences.

In 1986, he married again, enjoying many more years of adventure with Catherine Brinkerhoff Cory, now of Niwot, CO. Trips to Australia, Africa, many photography expeditions, and a shared love of small dogs were highlights.

Fishing and hunting were an important part of his life, starting from an early age - fishing for smelt in Lake Merritt in Oakland, CA. The rivers, lakes, and mountains of western Montana and the company of his kids, Ken, Russ, and others were a great escape and pleasure. Stalking bonefish in the Bahamas and big game in Montana - pronghorns on the plains and mule deer and elk near home - were great maintainers of sanity.

His children carry on his scientific and recreational legacy. No public services are planned and we ask that you remember and honor Don in whatever manner feels best to you.

Not surprisingly, Dad wanted the last word and offered this final line for his obituary: It was a great and fortunate life.