A horse-drawn hearse carries the casket of Francis Bardanouve into Harlem Cemetery after his funeral in Harlem last March. A symbolic riderless horse accompanies the procession to the grave site.

Bardanouve, 84, a Democrat who served in the Montana House from 1959 to 1993, died Sunday, March 17.

UM President George Dennison said, "Francis Bardanouve took a leadership role to ensure that Montanans had a higher education system responsive to their needs. It behooves us all to remember him as a public servant interested in the well being and vitality of Montana communities. In that regard, he always insisted on accountability to the public from those of us involved in higher education. He earned his reputation as one of Montana's leading statesmen."

Bardanouve was instrumental in helping garner funding for UM's Gallagher Business Building, and business school Dean Larry Gianchetta had this photo placed on a plaque there in Bardanouve's memory.