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Helen Pike
WORLAND, Wyo. – Helen Pike, 77, died Saturday, Sept. 23, 2000, at Community Care.
Rosary will be at 7 p.m. Sunday at the Bryant Funeral Home Chapel. Mass of the Christian Burial will be at 4 p.m. Monday, Oct. 1, at St. Mary Magdalen’s Catholic Church.
Marilyn C. Kercher
Marilyn Coleen Kercher unexpectedly passed away Thursday, Sept. 21, 2000, at her home in Billings. Marilyn was born on Nov. 15, 1938, in Hunter, N. D., to Ernest William and Elsie Edith (Buss) Webber. She grew up in North Dakota, where she received her education. During her younger years, she moved to Montana where she made her home in the Helena and Jefferson City areas.
Marilyn began her professional career as a LPN. She worked at the Hillbrook Nursing Home in Clancy for nearly 10 years, and was then employed at St. John’s Hospital in Helena for the following 10 years. Marilyn then decided that a career change was needed in her life. That’s when she took on the challenge of becoming a waitress. She worked in the Helena area at the Hofbrau, Jorgenson’s and Perino’s for about eight years. In 1992, Marilyn moved to Billings, where she soon became a waitress at Doc and Eddie’s in the Heights. Marilyn worked there until the time of her death.
The staff and customers at Doc and Eddie’s quickly learned that when Marilyn showed up for work, her personality spread throughout the place and everyone “noticed” that she had arrived. Her unique way of meeting people created laughter and smiles for all she encountered. Although harmless, she at times would ask some customers to “sit down and shut up” before serving them. Afterwards, she would say “Gosh, I’m glad I got to see you, come back again!” Sure enough, those customers would return again and again to be waited on by Marilyn and listen to her laughter and wise remarks.
Marilyn is survived by four sisters, Marge Smith of Billings, Shirley Fadness and Sharon Lyon of North Dakota and Joan Sakihara of Minnesota; two sons, Lloyd Baker and wife, Sheryl of Helena and Louie Kercher of Jefferson City; four daughters, Sarah “Sis” Connolly and husband Mike of Helena, Leanna “Dumpy” Boyer and husband Jeffery of Antioch, Ill., Joanne Hanson and husband Ken of Helena and April Kiabatoney and companion Matt Fisher of Helena; and 13 grandchildren. Her mother and father; sister Geneva; brother Lloyd; and grandson Jeramiah preceded her in death.
Marilyn was a person you could trust and count on. She would never miss an appointment and was always dependable. Marilyn was the kind of person who would always show up and be there for you. Unfortunately, God had other plans for Marilyn, and all of us who knew and loved her will have to manage without her help and humor. God bless you, Marilyn, you will be sorely missed.
Pallbearers will be Jeffery Boyer, Matt Fisher, Ken Hanson, Bryce Hanson, Mike Connolly, Brandon Delich and Mike Connolly Jr.
A memorial service will be held at Retz Funeral Home in Helena on Thursday, Sept. 28, at 2 p.m. Burial will follow the service at the Jefferson City cemetery. A gathering of friends and family to celebrate her life will then take place at the VFW in East Helena at 4 p.m.
Clifford Robert Taylor
Clifford Robert Taylor, 77, of Billings, Mont., succumbed to life’s trials and died of natural causes last Friday, Sept. 22, 2000, in Fort Collins, Colo.
Clifford was born in Elk River, Minn., on May 30, 1923, and moved to Billings shortly after his return from service in WWII. For over 40 years he always produced the best ice cream and butter while working for Meadow Gold. He was active in his Catholic faith and constantly gave of his time and treasure to others.
Son of Cleland and Elizabeth and brother to Harold, Dewey, Eddie, Spud, Jenny, Lois, Ethal, and Betty; Clifford was husband to Evelyn (previously deceased) and father to Dean, Terry and Pam. He will be missed by all who knew and loved him.
Funeral service to be held at St. Johns, XXIII in Fort Collins, Colo., at 2 p.m. Friday, Sept. 29. Allnut Funeral Home in Fort Collins is in charge.
Ray Gulbranson
Hans Raymond Gulbranson was born a son of Hans and Cora Gulbranson on July 14, 1917, at Colgan, N.D. He graduated from the Colgan High School class of 1935. It was the largest class in the school’s history. Ray, he was always called, was confirmed in the Zion Lutheran Church in Colgan.
He worked in construction for several years until joining the Army in January, 1941. He served in both the Pacific and European theaters and was discharged on Dec. 23, 1945.
He married
Lillian Lee of Alexander in November, 1948. They made their home at Colgan until 1963 when they moved to Fortuna. Ray farmed and was also a rural mail carrier until he retired. They never had any children, but all the young children called them Uncle Ray and Aunt Lil.
Ray served on the Faith Lutheran Church board and was on the City Council for 10 years in Fortuna. He was also a volunteer fireman during his residence in Fortuna and served two terms as chief.
In 1984, Ray and Lil moved to Williston. They had a lovely home built there, but Lil’s health began to fail and she passed away in 1985.
In 1986, Ray married
the former Laila Fernbaugh Prochnick. They were engaged in 1946, but they each met someone else. Forty years later, each being single then, they were married
. They spent some time in Williston and Billings as they had a home in both places. Due to health conditions, they sold their home in Williston and moved to Billings to live there permanently.
Ray was preceded in death by two sisters, Thelma and Fern; a brother, Harry; his grandmother and his parents.
Survivors are his wife Laila; his sister, Lorayne (Emery); brothers, Clayton (Elvis), Wade (Rita) and Wilbur (Jean) and many nieces, nephews and a host of friends.
He was a member of the American Legion, VFW and the DAV.
Services will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 26, at the Lutheran Church in Fortuna, N.D. Burial will follow the services at Hillside Memorial Gardens in Williston. Marten Funeral Home in Crosby, N.D., is in charge.
Lucille Murphy
CIRCLE – Lucille “Lucy” Murphy, 73, died Sunday, Sept. 24, 2000, at her home of leukemia.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Thursday at First Lutheran Church with burial in Riverview cemetery. Clayton Memorial Chapel is in charge.
Williamina Martinez
CROW AGENCY – Williamina “Betty” Martinez, 50, of Crow Agency, passed away Saturday evening, Sept. 23, 2000, in Billings.
She was born Sept. 24, 1949, in Crow Agency, a daughter of William and Priscilla Stewart Gardner. She was raised by her grandparents, Frank and Margaret Stewart and received her education in Crow Agency.
Betty had been in ill health the latter part of her life. However, she loved music, word search games, as well as art and craft projects. Her home was always open to anyone, but especially her family and friends.
She was preceded in death by her father, two sisters, one son, one brother and her grandparents.
Survivors include two daughters, Priscilla and Ruth Martinez of Billings; one son, Robert Martinez of Billings; a granddaughter, Maylasia; her mother, Priscilla Gardner of Crow Agency; three brothers, Thomas (Donna) of Crow Agency, William (Shirley) of Lodge Grass and Gus Gardner of Pryor; three sisters, Nellie (McArthur) Silverhorn of Oklahoma, Bertha (Lawrence) Old Bull of Lodge Grass and Agnes Jo Parrish of Crow Agency; four uncles, Ike Shane Sr., David, Donald and Ruben Stewart; four aunts, Wilma Stands, Beverly Pretty on Top, Dorcella Little Light and Alice Mae LaForge; and numerous adopted sons and daughters; nieces; nephews and cousins.
Funeral services will be held 11 a.m. Wednesday in the Bullis Funeral Chapel. Interment will follow in the Fairview cemetery. Bullis Mortuary of Hardin has been entrusted with the arrangements.
Marie Obras Benegalia
SHERIDAN, Wyo. – Marie Obras Benegalia, 99, died Wednesday, Sept. 20, 2000, at Memorial Hospital of Sheridan County.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday at Kane Funeral Home with burial in the Sheridan Municipal cemetery.
Dorothy J. Nelson
SHERIDAN, Wyo. – Dorothy J. Nelson, 91, died Sunday, Sept. 24, 2000, in Westview Health Care Center.
Visitation is from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday. Services will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday at Ferries Funeral Home in Sheridan with burial in Little Big Horn Battlefield at Crow Agency, Mont.
Oma Stella Ridgeway Allen
POWELL, Wyo. – Oma Stella Ridgeway Allen, 87, passed away at her home in Powell following an extended illness on Sunday, Sept. 24, 2000.
Graveside services will be held at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 26, at Crown Hill cemetery in Powell. Ballard Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Rynold Frank
DILLON – Rynold Frank, 83 of Dillon, formerly of Laurel, passed away Friday, Sept. 22, 2000.
Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 26 at the First Presbyterian Church in Dillon. Masonic Grave side services will be held at the Mt. View cemetery. Brundage Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Hugh Mitchem
MANTACHIE, Miss. – Hugh Mason Mitchem, 65, died Sunday, Sept. 24, 2000 at the North Mississippi Medical Center in Tupelo.
Funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 26 at the McNeece-Morris Funeral Home Chapel in Fulton with Rev. Buddy Freeman officiating. Interment will be at a later date.
Floyd Patrick
MILES CITY – Floyd Patrick, 75, passed away Saturday, Sept. 23, 2000 at Holy Rosary Health Center in Miles City.
Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 27 at the Emanuel Episcopal Church. Interment will follow in the family lot in the Custer County cemetery. Stevenson and Sons Funeral Home of Miles City is in charge of arrangements.
Marian A. Corwin
Marian A. Corwin, age 98, of Billings passed away on Thursday, Sept. 21, 2000, at St. John’s Lutheran Home in Billings where she had been a resident for 13 years.
Marian was born on Jan. 22, 1902, in Great Falls, the dau-ghter of Ribaro L. and Bessie C. (Brown) Ar-thur. She was raised in Great Falls and worked for Royal Milling Co. there. She married
Vinton Charles Corwin June 27, 1926. They settled in Great Falls and had two children, Vinton Arthur Corwin and Helen Gail Corwin.
They moved to Billings in 1937, and lived here until her death except for two eventful years in Detroit during WW II, when she became an ardent baseball fan and “victory gardener.”
Service to the community was important to her throughout her life. She was an active member of the First Congregational Church, Chapter AE of PBO, Colonial Dames, Daughters of the American Revolution and Deaconess Pink Ladies. During the 4, 700 hours she contributed to Pink Ladies, she began and carried out the Pink Elephant program for children who were patients at the hospital.
Marian was preceded in death by her husband, Vin, on Mar. 16, 1962, and her son-in-law, Richard H. Guscott on Nov. 24, 1965.
She is survived by her son, Vinton A. Corwin and his wife, Phyllis of Houston; her daughter, Gail C. Guscott of Billings; grandchildren, Robert V. Corwin and his wife, Linda of Conroe, Texas, Thomas W. Corwin and his wife, Kim of Yarmouth, Maine, Janet L. Wirth and her husband, Kevin of Billings, David W. Guscott and his wife, Lynette of Billings; and great-grandchildren, Amber, Richard, Ashley, Alex and Kate.
Cremation has taken place and a graveside service will be held 1:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 28, at Sunset Memorial Gardens. In lieu of flowers, memorials in Marian’s name may be made to St. John’s Lutheran Home, Big Sky Hospice, or the charity of one’s choice. Michelotti, Sawyers & Nordquist is in charge of arrangements.
‘Tillie’ Giles
NEIHART – Inga “Tillie” (Mrs. Clyde) Giles, 84, died Thursday, Sept. 21, 2000, at her home of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.
Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 26, at Neihart Senior Citizens Center, 200 S. Main. Interment will follow in the Neihart cemetery. Twichel Funeral home is in charge.
Lillian Marie Hastings
LAUREL – Lillian Marie Hastings, 89, died on Saturday, Sept. 23, 2000, at Evergreen of Laurel.
Cremation has taken place. Memorial services will be held at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 26, at Smith Funeral Chapel in Laurel. Inurnment will take place at the Laurel cemetery.
Gerald M. Jolley
LOVELL, Wyo. – Gerald Manning Jolley, 77, died Friday, Sept. 22, 2000, at North Big Horn Hospital after a lengthy illness.
Visitation will be held at 6-8 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 24, at Haskell Funeral Home. Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Monday, Sept. 25, at the Lovell LDS Stake Center. Interment will be in the Lovell cemetery.
Joan Agnes Kumor LeProwse
BOZEMAN – Joan Agnes Kumor LeProwse left her loving husband and family on Sept. 22, 2000, due to a pulmonary embolism suffered on Saturday, Sept. 16. She was born in Sheridan, Wyo., on Sept. 23, 1929, daughter of Ray Kumor and Mae Aldridge Kumor Scollard.
Joan and Tom began their 53 years together eloping after the first East-West Shrine Football Game in which Tom was starting captain for the West team.
Joan is survived by the love of her life, husband, Tom; daughters, Sandra Wright, (husband, George and children, Kristine and Travis and his wife, Jennifer) and Sheryl Christophersen, (husband, Kim and children, Bill and Lindsay, Sheila and fiancÈ, David Pestcoe); son, Scott (and his wife, Teresa, and son, Stacey); her sister, Barbara Fisher and her husband, Jim; nephew, Robert Olson and his family; and niece, Lisa Edwards and her family.
Joan is also survived by her stepmother, Mary Lou Kumor; mother-in-law, Helen LeProwse; brother-in-laws, William LeProwse and his wife, Lois, their children and grandchildren, Robert LeProwse and his wife, Lola and their children and grandchildren, James LeProwse and his wife, Judy and their children and grandchildren; her sister-in-laws, Beverly LeProwse and Margaret Strauss and her husband, James and their children and grandchildren; godchildren, Jeremiah Brisban and Christopher Backman, and many very special friends of the family.
She was preceded in death by her parents; and granddaughter, Shelby Rae Christophersen; father-in-law, Archie LeProwse; brother-in-law, Albert LeProwse; and sister-in-law, Ruth LeProwse Brown.
Joan attended the Holy Name School, Sheridan, Fratt Catholic School, Billings, and she was a student with the first freshman class of Billings Central Catholic High School in Billings. She graduated from Butte Public High School in 1947.
Joan worked at Mountain Bell Telephone Company while putting Tom through Montana State College. She then raised her family. Later she worked at Tom Holdsworth’s egg farm. She began working at Bozeman Deaconess Hospital in 1974, retiring after 25 years in July 1999. She retired as director of Central Supply in charge of purchasing of all supplies and equipment for the hospital.
Joan was active in her children’s academic achievements, specifically promoting awareness in dyslexic studies. Joan was an extremely dynamic member of the community. She was an energetic volunteer in a multitude of Bozeman High athletic events including, Hawk wrestling, football, swimming, gymnastics and track. She was an avid supporter of twirling and cheerleading. She promoted and chaperoned her children, grandchildren, nephews and nieces, her godchildren and their teammates for sporting and other activities. Each year she attended class AA, A, B, and C high school events, Division I and II college sporting events. She enjoyed attending NFL football games and attended the last 14 Super Bowls. She was a Hawk and Bobcat Booster, a member of the Century Club and Steer-A-Year Club. She was also very active in Bozeman’s Sweet Pea Festival activities.
Joan was an avid knitter, winning blue ribbons at the Winter Fair. She loved gardening and canning. She was a member of the Winter Fair Board of Directors and a volunteer at the Pioneer Museum. In addition, in 1980, she was inducted into the Montana Winter Fair Hall of Fame, and was recognized for her faithful service as a member of the Rocky Mountain Association of Fairs from 1971-79. She was a member of the Women’s Eagles Auxiliary and associated with the Bozeman Elks for the past forty years. Joan was a volunteer participant in the National Osteoporosis Association and believed strongly in organ donorship.
Visitation will be held at 9 a.m. - 9 p.m. Monday, Sept. 25, at Dahl Funeral Chapel. Vigil service will be held at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 26, at Holy Rosary Catholic Church, 220 W. Main. Funeral Liturgy will be held at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 27, at Holy Rosary Catholic Church. Cremation will follow services, interment of urn in Sunset Hills cemetery on Thursday, Sept. 28.
In lieu of flowers, the family wishes that donations be made to the Diabetes Association, 2525 Sixth Avenue North, Billings, MT 59101 or Our Lady of the Rockies, PO Box 668, Butte, MT 59703.
