In Re the Marriage of Wessel

This is an appeal by the husband from a judgment of the District Court of the Fifth Judicial District, Madison County, dividing the marital property of the parties and establishing a payment plan by which the husband was to buy out the wife’s interest in the family ranch corporation. We affirm.

Janet Wessel (“Janet”) and Lester Wessel (“Lester”) grew up in ranching families in Madison County, Montana. They were married in 1967 and had three children, all minors at the time of the trial. Nine years into their marriage, Janet and Lester, together with Lester’s parents, incorporated their various…