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Robert F. 'Bob' Deckert Jr.
Robert F. "Bob" Deckert Jr., 79, of Billings, passed away Feb. 15, 2000. Cremation has taken place. Memorial will be 1 p.m. Friday at Cremation or Funeral Gallery with inurnment to follow at Mountview cemetery. Memorials may be made to Zoo Montana.
He was born Nov. 18, 1920, in Billings, a son of Robert F. and Bessie E. Deckert. Bob was educated in Billings and graduated from the Normal School with a teaching degree. He married
Irene E. Peterson on June 9, 1942. He owned and operated Deckert Tree & Lawn Service before becoming employed with the City of Billing Park Department.
Survivors include his daughter, Rene Peterson of Billings; sister, Gloria (Emery) Dunlap of San Jose, Calif.; two grandchildren, Teri (Clyde) Kotar of Powell, Wyo., and Ed Peterson of Bozeman; and a great-granddaughter, Angie Kotar. He was preceded in death by his parents and his wife, Irene. Arrangements were made by Cremation or Funeral Gallery.
Vernon Ross Ballard
LAVINA - Vernon Ross Ballard, 72, of Lavina, passed away Wednesday, Feb. 16, 2000, at the Deaconess Medical Center.
Vernon was born Dec. 15,1927, in Billings, the son of Ross and Essie (Perrine) Ballard. His parents homesteaded at Commanche, and he attended grade school at Pleasant Valley School, nine miles west of Acton. He graduated from Broadview High School in 1945. Vern enlisted in the First Marine Air Wing in 1946-1947. In 1948, he rented a farm from Mrs. Cole and worked that until he was called back into service with the Marines for the Korean Conflict.
Vern married
Bernice Morton December 1952 and they had three daughters and one son. He farmed and also worked at the sugar factory in Billings until the spring of 1958 when they bought a ranch east of Lavina. They divorced in December of 1963. Vernon married
Emma Day in March of 1968.
Vern was happy to achieve the goals he had set for himself. Of his goals, his cattle ranch was his pride and joy.
Vern joined the Masonic Lodge in 1954 and has been a member since. He has been a member of the Montana Stockgrowers for 40 years and a Golden Valley County commissioner for 12 years.
Vern enjoyed riding his horse through the pine-covered hills of his ranch.
Survivors include his wife, Emma of the family ranch; four children, Susan Brabec of Miles City, Patty Gardner of Great Falls, Janet Ballard of Billings, Jim (Adele) Ballard of Lavina and Linda (Sill) Jones of Broadview; grandchildren, Michelle (Wayne) Fischer, Jolene (Tony) DeRosa, Jackie Dees, Mathew Gardner, Nicole Gardner, Larry (Kelli) Gardener, Jennifer (Gary) Grams, Kristie and Joseph Brabec, Toby Sims, Raina Sims, Alan and Ross Ballard, Stacy Jones, Carla and Travis Jones; three great-grandchildren, Kristopher Schaff , Ashlynn Harris and Nolan Dees; two brothers, Delbert (Virginia) Ballard of Richland, Wash., and Floyd (Kay) Ballard of Hardin; one sister, Thelma Vansky of Billings and one sister-in-law, Louise Ballard of Huntington Park, Calif.; numerous nieces and nephews.
Vern was preceded in death by his parents and one brother, Howard.
Funeral services will be 1 p.m. Saturday at Smith West Chapel. Visitation will begin Friday morning at 9 a.m. at the Chapel. Interment will be at the Lavina cemetery. Memorials may be made to the Lavina or Broadview Senior Centers or the Lavina Temple 101, or the charity of choice.
Ted Grove
PLENTYWOOD - Ted Grove, 72, died at Sheridan Memorial Hospital Wednesday, Feb. 16, 2000.
Services will be held at 9 a.m. Friday, Feb. 18, at Plentywood Lutheran Church. A procession to Fortuna, N.D., for the interment at Fortuna cemetery will begin at 11 a.m. A luncheon will be held at the Plentywood Lutheran Church immediately following the funeral. Fulkerson Funeral Home of Plentywood is in charge.
Jerry D. Reddick
MILES CITY - Jerry David Reddick, 59, died on Tuesday, Feb. 15, 2000, at his home.
At Jerry's request, cremation has taken place. Memorial services will be held at 2 p.m. on Friday, Feb.18, in the chapel of Stevenson & Sons Funeral Home. Interment will follow at a later date.
Charles D. Kowis
MILES CITY - Charles D. Kowis, 75, died Tuesday, Feb. 15, 2000, at the Holy Rosary Health Center.
At Charles's request, no funeral services will be held. A private interment will be held in the family lot of the Forsyth cemetery. Stevenson & Sons Funeral Home of Miles City is in charge.
Minnie N. Vavages
ROCKY BOY - Minnie Northwind Vavages, 77, died Tuesday, Feb. 15, 2000, at the Benefis East Hospital in Great Falls of natural causes.
Wake will begin at 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Rocky Boy Catholic Church and rosary will be held at 7 p.m. Thursday at the church. Funeral Mass will be at 11 a.m. Friday at the Rocky Boy Catholic Church with interment following in the Denny Family cemetery at Rocky Boy. Adams Funeral Home of Malta is in charge.
Roberta Jolley Paul
LOVELL, Wyo. - Roberta Jolley Paul, 72, died Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2000, at North Big Horn Hospital in Lovell.
Visitation will be from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 17, at Haskell Funeral Home. Funeral services will be at 10 a.m. Friday, Feb. 18, in the Lovell LDS Stake Center with interment to follow in the Lovell cemetery.
Amalia 'Molly' Columbus
RED LODGE - Amalia "Molly" Columbus died on Feb. 15, 2000, at Evergreen Laurel Care Center where she had been a patient since 1990. Since early 1974, she has had a progressive loss of mental functioning, requiring her youngest daughter and son-in-law, Pat and Mike Hink of Billings and Red Lodge, to oversee her care and well-being.
Molly was born on Sept. 25, 1918, to Amalja Ljube (Kruljac) and Mike Hudak in Red Lodge where she graduated from high school. She married
Dr. George L. Herrmann oh June 22, 1938, in Denver where they raised George, Marilyn, Randolph and Patricia. Elizabeth Jean and Douglas died in early childhood and infancy.
Following her divorce in 1950, she moved to Red Lodge to finish raising her children while living with her brothers, Steve and Mike. She worked as a clerk for several department stores in Red Lodge and operated Molly's This-N-That Shop, a unique second hand and antique store. She was an active participant in Yugoslavian Day at the Festival of Nations for many years. She was a member of St. Agnes Church, Moose Lodge and VFW.
She was preceded in death by her siblings, John, Steve and Michael Hudak, Helen Nichols and Carolyn Gabrian. She married
D.W. Columbus, who served as mayor of Red Lodge for many years, in September 1964. He died in 1973. Molly had a clever wit and sense of humor, a kind and generous heart, a wonderful smile and tremendous love for her children and grandchildren. She was deeply spiritual and dedicated her life to her Lord in 1972. Even recently, she loved the picture of Jesus by her bed.
The family expresses appreciation to the people of Red Lodge who helped us keep her in her home she loved so much for as long as we could and the Laurel Care Center staff who treated her with utmost care, kindness and respect.
Molly is survived by her children, Pat Hink and husband, Mike of Billings, Marilyn Waller and husband, Richard of Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif., George Herrmann and wife, Kay of Clarendon Hills, Ill., and Randolph Herrmann of Fort Washington, Md., and grandchildren, Susan (Waller) Poland, Theresa (Herrmann) Shea, Gabriel, Michelle, Raphelle and Nathaniel Hink, Steven Waller, Alexander and Kim Herrmann.
Cremation has taken place. There will be a memorial and graveside service at a later date in Red Lodge. Memorials can be made to Evergreen Laurel Health & Rehabilitation Center. Arrangements were made by Cremation or Funeral Gallery.
Lillian H. Beetem
SHERIDAN, Wyo. - Lillian Holcombe Beetem, 90, died Monday, Feb. 14, 2000, at Westview Health Care Center.
Services will be held at 2 p.m. Friday, Feb. 18, at Champion Funeral Home. Private family committal services and interment will follow at the Sheridan Municipal cemetery.
Montana Torgerson 'Monty' Piercy
WOLF POINT - Montana "Monty" Torgerson Piercy, died on Feb. 16, 2000, at the Faith Home in Wolf Point,
Monty was born on Jan. 19, 1915, in Bainville, the youngest of 12 children born to Michael and Matilda Torgerson.
On June 19, 1932, she married
Loran Piercy in Bainville. They were divorced in 1955, and she never remarried
.
Monty is survived by three children: Sally DeWayne of Wolf Point, Peggy Cardwell of Kansas City, Mo., and Loran Piercy of Missoula; and eight grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.
According to her wishes, cremation has taken place and there will be no funeral service. Interment of cremains with graveside services will take place in Wolf Point at a later date.
She devoted her life to her family and will be greatly missed.
Betty J. Schock
POWELL, Wyo. - Betty J. Schock, 69, died on Tuesday, Feb. 15, 2000, at the Powell Hospital.
Memorial services will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, Feb. 18, at the Powell LDS Church. Interment will follow in the Penrose cemetery in Byron. Miratsky-Easton Funeral Home is in charge.
Lawrence Albert Wetch
Mr. Lawrence Wetch passed away on Feb. 13, 2000, after a brief but courageous battle with cancer. He was 64. Born Jan. 25, 1936, in Hysham to Helen (Martens) and Joseph Wetch.
Larry attended schools in Hysham and Laurel before entering the Army. He was stationed in Illinois from 1955 to 1958. He later earned his certification as a diesel mechanic at Stewart and Stevenson of Houston, Texas. Larry retired from Interstate Diesel in June 1999.
He loved the outdoors and spent his free time in the mountains whenever possible. Hunting and fishing, boating and four-wheeling.
He is survived by his wife Patsy of Billings. His children Cindy (Steven) Muus, Connie Wetch both of Billings. Mitchell of Baytown, Texas, Phillip also of Billings. Three grandsons, Jeremy, Chad and Chase of Billings. Sisters, Mary Lou (Clyde) Van Bauren, Patricia Anderson of Billings. Brothers LeRoy (Rita) of Billings, and Robert (Lois) Wetch of Laurel. Also a friend and sidekick of 30 years Charlie (Jenny) Brown of Three Forks. Numerous nieces and nephews.
He is preceded in death by his parents and two brothers, Raymond and Ronnie.
Service will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 17, at Dahl Funeral Chapel with interment at the Laurel cemetery.
Eva Bernhardt
Eva Bernhardt, 77, of Billings, went to be with the Lord on Monday, Feb. 14, 2000.
She was born Oct. 20, 1922, in Klein, Mont., to Eva (Polok) and George Sikora.
She was raised in the Billings and Shepherd areas and worked in Seattle at Boeing the last part of WWII. On June 1, 1946, she married
Loveen Bernhardt in Billings. The rest of her life was dedicated to her husband, children and grandchildren.
She was a wonderful wife, mother, and grandmother who raised a son and four daughters.
Eva's life revolved around her family. She loved to cook, and garden vegetables, and flowers. She enjoyed spoiling her grandchildren with lots of attention and love. She will be remembered for dedicating her life to homemaking, her quiet gentle ways and especially her chicken noodle soup and cabbage buns.
She is survived by her husband, Loveen, and four daughters and their families, Shirley and Rick Schaff, Patty and Marty Rukstad, all of Billings; Connie and Gary Waylander of Trussville, Ala.; and Terri and Kevin Palmer of Auckland, New Zealand; one brother, Edward and Fern Sikora of Keizer, Ore.
Grandchildren include Michael and Jason Schaff; Ronn and Deanna (Rukstad) Smith, and Aaron Rukstad; Derek, Jared Kinsey Waylander; Sierra, Casey and Cody Palmer.
She is also survived by several sisters and brothers-in-laws, numerous nieces and nephews and many friends.
She was preceded in death by her son and daughter-in-law, Clifford and Linda Bernhardt, her parents, three sisters and three brothers.
We love you and you will be greatly missed. You will be in our hearts and minds forever.
Services will be held at 10 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 17, at Pilgrim Congregational Church. Interment will follow at Sunset Memorial Gardens. Memorials may be made to Pilgrim Congregational Church or charity of choice.
Mildred Ellison
GLASGOW - Mildred Todd Ellison, 87, died Tuesday, Feb. 15, 2000, at Valley View Nursing Home of natural causes.
Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 19, at Bell Chapel. Burial will be in Highland cemetery. Bell Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.
Joel Martin Pease
CROW AGRENCY - Joel Martin Pease passed over to the Other Side Camp on Feb. 14, 2000, following a year long courageous battle with a bone marrow disease.
Joel was born on May 23, 1954, in Nespelem, Wash., to Benjamin Jr. and Margery Jordan Pease. The late John White Man Runs Him named Joel "Lives With Fortune" at infancy. An enrolled Crow member, he is also part Hidatsa Indian, English and German; and is a member/child of the Big Lodge/Newly Made Lodge Clan. He descends from Whiteman Runs Him, Fellows D. Pease and Edwin Jordan of Butte.
Education was prominent in Joel's life. He attended elementary schools in eastern Washington state and graduated from Moses Lake High School (1972). Joel earned a bachelor's degree in journalism from Washington State University (1976), a master's in education from MSU-Billings (1991) and teacher certification credits from MSU-Bozeman and Salish Kootenai College.
Joel, a lifetime educator, served over 20 years with Hardin Intermediate and High Schools as a home-school coordinator, high school math specialist, math teacher and basketball coach. On sabbatical, he instructed math at Little Big Horn College. As a journalist, he wrote for the Portland Oregonian, the Billings Gazette, the Crow Indian Health Board, and the Crow Tribal Newsletter.
Joel enjoyed the most essential and precious qualities of life, and especially loved children, young people and elders. He had a personality whose attributes included being a man of few words but saying the right thing when no one else could, making peace in the face of conflict, being a source of wisdom and wit, and giving unconditional love and understanding.
He devoted countless hours to coaching junior high girls basketball and the Hardin Bulldogs boys freshman high school basketball. Joel said, "Being on the coaching staff with Coaches Whiteman and Bennett for the Hardin Bulldogs Boys Basketball State Championships in 1995 and 1997 was among the greatest moments of my life." He took great pride in the basketball careers of his sons, daughters, nephews and nieces.
Joel had a distinguished career on the basketball court and was admired for his finesse and agility as a forward. Fo Moses Lake High School varsity, he was all-conference at the AAA level his senior year. He participated in independent Indian regional and national basketball competition. During the 1970s he played forward on the Nez Perce Nation basketball team, and was twice named Mr. Hustle at the Indian National Basketball Championship. More than 50 jackets and 70 trophies evidence his extraordinary basketball achievements. In 1973, he toured Japan with a semi-professional Indian basketball team. He played in Hardin City League through 1999.
Joel Pease was a lifetime member of the First Crow Indian Baptist Church of Lodge Grass, where he served as both moderator and vice-moderator for more than 10 years. He was serving as co-chair for the Crow Indian Baptist Association. Joel lived out his faith in Jesus Christ each day and carried his Bible always. The Gospel message of peace and love guided his life among family, friends and community.
"Lives with Fortune" was a member of the Nighthawk Dance Society. In 1980, the late Philip Plenty Hawk adopted him as a Tail Bustle Owner for the Lodge Grass District. In this position, he took part in many Day Time Dances and District ceremonies. Joel led the Crow Fair Dance Around the Camps three times, in 1976, 1990, and 1997; and took great joy in dancing and parading. He was the camp boss for the Pease/Russell families.
Joel Pease is survived by his wife, Paulette of Hardin; his parents, Ben and Margery Pease of Billings; his sons, Russell (Ruth) George of Lewiston, Idaho, Lyndon "Sparky" and Gary of the family home; his daughters ,Shannon (Aubrey) Black Eagle of Grand Forks, Erica (Thomas) Morrison of Crow Agency, and Brooke and Remi of the family home. He is also survived by three grandchildren, Brittany, Aubrey Jr. and Alyssa.
Joel's brothers include Benjamin (Kathy) III of Minneapolis, Richard (Sheila) Pease of Newton, N.D., Sam (Carmen) of Havre; and sisters, Louella (Frank) Merchant of Pryor, Janine (John) Pretty On Top of Lodge Grass, Linda Pease and Majel Russell of Billings, Lori (Jacob) Bighorn of Duncan, B.C., Ramona (Charles) Real Bird of Garryowen, Sharon (Patrick) Standsoverbull of Pryor, Angela Russell of Lodge Grass, Olivia (John) Sierra of Kyle, S.D., Cynthia Pease of Beaverton, Ore., and Lynne (Joe) Walks Along of Lame Deer. Joel is also survived by his special aunts and uncles, Minnie (Glen) Fritzler and Louella (Gary) Johnson, both of Lodge Grass, Oliver Pease of Lame Deer, Robert (Verne) Jordan of Butte and Joseph (Gloria) Medicine Crow of Lodge Grass. Joel has many nieces and nephews he loved as his own children. He is survived by several special lifelong friends, George Hollingberry, Jim Paine, Phil Cooper, and Mark Humphrey. Beyond his family and special friends, he also loved all his co-workers and students at the school.
He cherished Paulette's father, Starr Not Afraid and siblings, Elizabeth (Bruce) White, Barbara (Frank) Bacon, Marlin (Reva) Not Afraid, Garland (Berylene) Not Afraid, Diane (Andy) Russell, Marilyn Not Afraid, Arvilla (Dennis) Steffan, Les (Cami) Not Afraid, Valerie (Tim) Dust, Francine Amyotte, Ora (Isaac Jr.) Shane, Geneva (Robert) Other Medicine and Clara Hugs; his adopted mothers, Laverne Williamson, Dessie Old Coyote and Gladys LaForge.
Funeral services will be on held on Thursday, Feb. 17, at 11 a.m., at the First Crow Indian Baptist Church in Lodge Grass. Interment will be at the Lodge Grass cemetery. Bullis Mortuary of Hardin is entrusted with the arrangements.
Should friends desire, memorial contributions may be made to the Joel Pease Memorial Scholarship at the Hardin High School, 702 N. Terry Ave., Hardin, MT 59034.
The family extends a special thanks to the Crow Tribe for the home care support and to the teachers at Hardin school system for their generosity.
