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Naomi Gertrude Sizemore
Naomi Gertrude Sizemore, 75, a Whitefish resident, passed away Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2002, at the Colonial Manor in Whitefish of natural causes.
She was born Feb. 9, 1927, in Thompson Falls, the daughter of William and Margaret Dubia. She was raised and attended school in the Thompson Falls area.
Naomi married Buddy Sizemore on Jan. 8, 1944, in Superior, and the couple lived in Wallace, Idaho, and Thompson Falls. She worked in hospitals there and was a homemaker. They came to Kalispell, in 1959, and she worked at the Flathead County nursing home until her retirement in 1987.
She started bowling after retirement and was a member of the Women of the Moose. She was a puzzle enthusiast and enjoyed arts and crafts. She was a loving mother and grandmother.
Naomi was preceded in death by her parents; her husband in 1973; and a brother, Alden Dubia.
She is survived by three sons, Franklin and Judy Sizemore, David and Judy Sizemore, and William R. Sizemore, all of Columbia Falls; two daughters, Judy Sizemore of Whitefish, and Sue and Raymon Bridwell of Columbia Falls; two brothers, Bob Dubia of Fairbanks, Alaska, and David Dubia of Plains; three sisters, Iva Dubia of Anaconda, Alma Hack of Chehalis, Wash, and Katherine Sorlie of Trout Creek; 13 grandchildren, and 18 great-grandchildren.
Visitation was held from 1 to 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 29, 2002, at the Austin Funeral Home in Whitefish. Funeral services will be at 1 p.m. Saturday at the funeral home with the Rev. Darrell Newby officiating. Burial will follow at the Glacier Memorial Gardens Cemetery in Kalispell.
George Eggen Kirk
George Eggen Kirk, 80, a Whitefish resident, passed away peacefully in his sleep, Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2002, in Bozeman of natural causes.
George was born July 23, 1922, in Billings, the son of Thomas and Emma Kirk.
He was raised in Billings and graduated from Billings Senior High in 1939. After high school, George worked for Boeing as an aircraft mechanic. In 1942 he enlisted in the Navy and served as an aviation machinist mate in the South Pacific. George received an honorable discharge in 1945.
George received his bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from Montana State University, Bozeman in 1950.
George began his career with Exxon working at the Billings Refinery for 27 years. After which, he worked for Esso in North Africa for 2 1/2 years and Japan 3 1/2 years. In Japan he met and married his beloved wife, Katsuko. George and Katsuko were married on June 27, 1985, in Osaka, Japan. They returned to the United States in September 1985. George retired from Exxon/Esso on Oct. 8, 1985.
After George's retirement they made their home in Whitefish, where they have lived for the past 17 years. George was very active and enjoyed golf, tennis, boating, fishing, traveling, building remote control model airplanes and skiing. He was a member of the "Over the Hill Gang" at Big Mountain. George really enjoyed Katsuko's Japanese cooking.
In his retirement years, he volunteered in several organizations, SCORE (Service Corps of Retired Executives), Remote Control Model Airplane Club and American Professional Engineers.
On Jan. 3, 1994, George suffered a severe stroke. After constant care and attention from Katsuko and health care professionals in the Flathead Valley, George was able to be active in the community again, to the extent; he had his driving privileges reinstated. He participated and enjoyed his therapy group that he joined at the Summit several times a week.
George was preceded in death by his parents, brother, Thomas Kirk and sister, Edna Bell.
He is survived by his wife of 17 years, Katsuko I. Kirk of Whitefish. Three children from a previous marriage; John F. Kirk of Billings, Barbara A. Kirk of Roberts and Roger S. Kirk of Bozeman and four grandsons and one great-granddaughter.
His many friends will remember George's quick wit and great sense-of-humor. His Toy Poodle "Iko" will really miss him.
Memorial service were held Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2002, at Christ Lutheran Church in Whitefish, with Pastor Jon Bent officiating.
Dahl Funeral Chapel in Bozeman and Austin Funeral Home in Whitefish are in charge of the arrangements.
James H. "Judge" Newman
James H. "Judge" Newman, 81, died of natural causes on Nov. 23, 2002.
Born in Havre, on Oct. 14, 1921, Judge led a full and prosperous life. He graduated from Havre High in 1940.
After high school he started his career by opening the first Texaco station in Havre at the tender age of 21. In 1945, he met and married Gwendolyn Audrey Dooley in Havre, where they chose to reside and raise their family for the next 21 years.
Judge opened Havre's first Studebaker dealership, then later bought the Mayflower business on the north end of town. In 1966, Judge and his family moved to Whitefish where he began selling cars for Rygg Ford and Gwendolyn began teaching school full-time in Kalispell.
In 1972, Judge was elected justice of the peace for Flathead County and worked out of his Whitefish office. In 1974, he was elected city judge for the city of Whitefish where he presided until his retirement in 1977.
Judge loved the mountains, playing cards with his friends, and most importantly he loved his family. He was a World War II veteran and recently celebrated his 50-year membership in the Elks, the Shriners, the Scottish Rite, the Masonic Lodge, and Eastern Star.
Judge was preceded in death by his daughter, Shirlee Jane Newman; his brother, Paul Newman; and his parents, Herman and Elsie Newman.
He is survived by his loving wife, Gwendolyn Newman of Kalispell; his children, Gwendolyn Buck of Heart Butte, Barbara Paul of Babb, John Newman of Olympia, Wash., Douglas Newman of Houston, and Donna Newman of Kalispell; seven grandchildren, and 10 great-grandchildren. "He will be greatly missed."
The family is planning a memorial service on Jan. 2, 2003. They have scheduled a dinner at the Moose Lodge in Whitefish immediately following and would like everyone to attend. Please call Buffalo Hill Funeral Home in Kalispell for more information. Memorials may be sent to the Shriner's Hospital, Attn: Memorial Dept., PO Box 2472, Spokane, WA 99210.
William (Bill) Hardie Cravath
William (Bill) Hardie Cravath, 54, of Missoula, passed from this earth on Jan. 8, 2003, at St. Patrick Hospital in Missoula.
Bill was born in Kalispell, Montana on July 4, 1948. He lived in Bozeman until 1957 when his family moved to Whitefish, Montana to take ownership of Kamp Karefree, a cabin resort on Whitefish Lake. Helping to run the resort, Bill also proved to be an excellent fisherman and snow skier.
Bill attended elementary and secondary school in Whitefish and graduated from Whitefish High School in 1967.
He married Cheri Nicholas and resided in Missoula. Throughout his life, Bill demonstrated a facility for writing, visual art and was blessed with a remarkable memory. He was living in Missoula at the time of his death, having developed many friendships.
He is survived by his father John, wife, Cheri and his two brothers, Jay and David, sisters-in-law Lynne and Kelly and nephews Jeff, Cole and Lee and niece Chloe.
Funeral services were held on Saturday, Jan. 18, at 2 p.m. at Garden City Funeral Home, followed by interment at the Missoula City Cemetery. Pallbearers included his brothers Jay and David, Eric Sells and Jerry Price. A reception to honor Bill's memory followed at the Holiday Inn.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be sent in the form of donations to The Missoula Mental Health Center, (406)543-9700.
Services were under the care of Garden City Funeral Home and Crematory.
Frederick William Epler
Frederick William Epler, 86, passed away on Saturday Jan. 18, 2003, at North Valley Hospital in Whitefish.
Fred was born on Dec. 20, 1916, in Seattle, to parents, Lora Mabel Fletcher and Joseph Andrew Epler.
He married Bessie C. Epler in August 1953 in Seattle. They moved to the Flathead Valley on Oct. 5, 2001.
Fred served his country in both the Army and Coast Guard, serving as a shipboard radioman during World War II. Before retiring, he worked for many years with the Federal Aviation Administration, maintaining radar installations at air-traffic control centers.
He had a passion for music, and played several instruments including the string bass, sousaphone, tuba and piano. His family and friends remember Fred as very friendly and outgoing, with an engaging personality and sense of humor. He will be deeply missed by all of them.
Frederick was preceded in death by his wife, Bessie; his parents; and a brother and sister.
He is survived by his son, Fred and his wife Cynthia Epler, of Whitefish; daughter, Loranne and her husband Ron Schmidt, of Olympia, Wash.; brother, Joseph Epler, of Seattle; brother, Donald Epler, of Maui, Hawaii; and two grandchildren.
Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. Thursday at Buffalo Hill Funeral Home Chapel, with the Rev. Glenn Burfeind officiating. Burial will follow at Glacier Memorial Gardens.
Buffalo Hill Funeral Home is caring for the family.
Sandra Lynn (Galles) Shero
Longtime Whitefish resident Sandra Lynn (Galles) Shero, 47, passed away on Monday evening, April 7, 2003, in Great Falls.
She was born on Feb. 11, 1956, in Spirit Lake, Idaho. Sandy met and married the love of her life, Stan Shero in 1978, and always said, "it was a marriage made in heaven." Stan preceded her in death in 1988.
Sandy was also blessed in this life with two wonderful children, Candy Rae, 29, of Rapid City, S.D., and Wade Stanley, 22, of Great Falls. Candy and her husband Vince Rafel, gave Sandy two beautiful grandchildren, Rose Marie, 10, and Felix James, 6. They all were the light in her life.
Sandy is survived by her parents, John W. Galles, of Whitefish, and Patricia Y. Cook, of Great Falls, two brothers, John and Randy of Grand Junction, Colo., and six sisters, Judy Hembd and Valerie Westphal of Kalispell, Paula Galles of Grand Junction, Colo., Deb Gwynn of Eureka, Patrice Galles of Cascade Locks, Ore., and Shari Lindland and her husband Dan of Great Falls. Sandy also had 19 nieces and nephews, and 11great nieces and nephews.
Sandy was very active in her church in Great Falls and she loved riding horses, sewing and bowling with Stan. Her beautiful smile and "that laugh" will be missed by all who knew her.
Services for Sandy will be held at Austin Funeral Home in Whitefish, on Friday, April 11, 2003, at 2 p.m. Visitation will be from 10 am until the service, with internment at Whitefish Cemetery and a reception at the Whitefish Moose Lodge.
