Twite A Legacy

No matter where you from, whether it’s a small town in Montana or a thriving metropolis, there are family names that are synonymous with the community and Missoula is no different. The Twite family has been building the Missoula community while supporting one of the cities hidden gems in Loyola Sacred-Heart high school.

The family patriarch, Lloyd Twite, began the legacy at the cities Catholic school when he wanted to continue his education in the Catholic school system by paying for his own tuition to attend Loyola for high school. In all, Lloyd and his four siblings attended St. Anthony grade school, and his younger sister did attend Loyola for one year, but Lloyd kept his eye on the prize and became the first Twite to graduate from Loyola. When Lloyd’s son Scott was asked about Lloyd’s scholastic attributes he replied, “I would say that he was the best student out of all of us, and Nicole was not far behind. He is the most thorough person with his paperwork than anyone I know.”

As life does it grabbed a hold of Lloyd and soon he had a family of his own and they too would become part of what is known in the halls of Loyola as the “Ramily”. Lloyd’s son Scott went through the Catholic school system from a young age and recalls his memory of his father being involved with the school, “Loyola has been a big part of my life since I was about 12 years old and Dad was getting ready to build the RAC.” Even after Scott graduated from Loyola he never stopped going to the games, attending the BASH, or the Calcutta’s. “I am always looking forward to something revolved around the school.”

One of the most special things in life is family, and the greatest treasure a person can have is children which lead to grandchildren. Lloyd was blessed to have his son Scott become a father that provided him with grandchildren who have followed in his and Scott foot steps in attending Missoula’s Catholic school system, filling Lloyd with an even greater sense of pride.

The Twite patriarch plays no favoritism to children or grandchildren as he niece Audrey Shuffield states, “I am not sure that all of them know how much he talks about them. It is fun to sit in the back seat on our way to an away game and listen to him talk about them all the way.” Audrey goes on to say “He talks about each of them, (not necessarily just the one with the game that day), what they are up to and shares their accomplishments.”

Among the many people who the Twite’s have touched through their commitment to Loyola and the St. Joes school system is Rajiem Seabrook who has had the opportunity to get to know the Twite’s through time with Ramily. Rajiem has either coached or mentored all of Lloyd’s grandchildren as a youth coach and as a counselor at St. Joe’s.

When asked about Lloyd and the Twite family Rajiem replied, “Consistency is one word I would use to describe them all.” Having coached three of the five Twite grandchildren, and spent time coaching with Scott Sr, Rajiem has seen the pride in Lloyds eyes when it comes to his grandchildren, “He is an involved presence and always full of good cheer. Watching the three generations of Twite’s over the past 10 years has been amazing.”

From being a part of building one of the greatest housing sub-divisions in Missoula in the Linda Vista area, to constructing the home of Rams and Breaker basketball and volleyball in the RAC, Lloyd and the Twite family have built a legacy in the valley that will live on forever. Humility is a strong trait in the Twite family as they have contributed to Misoula and the local Catholic school, not wanting to draw attention to themselves they have humbly sat silently while being honored by Loyola naming their sports complex after Twite family.

Whether it is economic growth to constructing homes for Missoula’s families the Twite’s  have built quite a legacy in the Garden City, but Lloyd’s devotion to his family is greater than any of his own personal accomplishments, and in his niece Audrey’s words, “Lloyd’s love for his family runs deep, he would do anything for them”