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CELENA FISHER
SALEM, Ore. -- Celena Fisher, 4, died on Feb. 14, 2003, of an ongoing chronic illness. She was number one on the liver transplant list. Her doctor, Annie Terry, who was more like a friend, fought hard for Celena. She loved to watch movies, Barney and Teletubbies, and reading. She enjoyed visits from her teacher, Tiffany Perez of Morningside Elementary. Family recalls that she was a little actress who loved to sing. Survivors include several relatives in Salem: her parents, Fred and Kathy Fisher; her sister and brother, Triva and Wesley Fisher; and grandparents Sally and Wesley Fisher; several step-brothers and sisters in Montana; grandfather Manuel Ortega (Phoenix, AZ); and many aunts, uncles and cousins on the Flathead Reservation. Mass of the Angels was celebrated on Feb. 19 with interment following at Belcrest Memorial Park. Memorials may be sent to Marten Transport LTD, c/o Ruth Boles, 29605 Kinsman Rd., Wilsonville, OR 97070.
KENNETH L. FISK
MISSOULA -- Kenneth L. Fisk, 51, of Polson, died on Feb. 3, 2003, at St. Patrick Hospital here of natural causes. He was born Dec. 6, 1951, in Spokane, WA, the son of Harry and Bernice (DeVoe) Fisk. Ken was preceded in death by his father and a brother, Don Fisk. He is survived by his wife, Kathi (Polson); four daughters, Honey Dozier (Spokane), Lisa Fisk (Pierre, SD), Laura Ware (Germany) and Sara Fisk (Kalispell); his mother, Bernice Fisk (Ione, WA); four grandchildren; two sisters, Terri Garpestad and Pamela Jahn (both of Spokane); and three brothers, Dave Fisk (Spokane), Doug Fisk (Priest River, ID) and Steve Fisk (Spokane). Services were conducted on Feb. 8 in Proctor.
THOMAS E. GINGRAS
PABLO -- Thomas E. Gingras, 68, died at his home here on Feb. 18, 2003 from natural causes. He was born on Feb. 13, 1935, in Niarada, MT, to William Gingras and Mary (Pierre) Gingras. He attended high school at Flandreau, SD. He joined the U.S. Air Force and served during the Korean War. After serving in the military Thomas attended Haskell Junior College in Lawrence, KS. He worked for years as a seasonal worker in orchards in the Okanogan Valley in Washington, then eventually moved back to the Flathead Reservation. He enjoyed listening to blues music and reading. He is preceded in death by his parents; a sister, Elsie Gingras,and a brother, Francis Gingras. He is survived by a sister, Esther Gingras (Niarada), a brother, Clarence Gingras (Dayton) and several nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles and friends. Traditional wake services took place at the Elmo Hall. Mass of the Resurrection was celebrated on Feb. 21 in Elmo. Burial followed at the Dayton Cemetery.
BERNICE HEWANKORN
RONAN -- Bernice Shirley Hewankorn, 61, of Elmo died away on Feb. 3, 2003, at the St. Luke Extended Care Facility here from natural causes. Bernice was born on Aug. 26, 1941, in Silver Butte, MT, to Modeste and Mary Eneas. She grew up in Elmo and attended schools there and in Polson and Flandreau, SD. Bernice married George Hewankorn in July of 1968. She and George lived in Colorado from 1968-1978. They ran the bowling alley in Elmo for several years. Bernice also was a cook for the Senior Citizens Center. She eventually became the sergeant-at arms for the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, a post which she took over after George passed away. Bernice had provided care for her parents the last several years. Bernice was an avid keno, bingo and stickgame player. She loved to go bowling. She volunteered for years as the secretary of the Standing Arrow Pow Wow Committee and as a language instructor in the Polson schools and for the Kootenai Language Commission. She was a board member of KCDC and a past member of the Polson Eagles. Bernice loved to be around her grandchildren and she loved to attend all of their activities. She was preceded in death by her husband, her father and her brothers Leo and George Eneas, and a cousin, Richard Nichols. She is survived by her mother, Mary Eneas (Elmo); two brothers, John Eneas (Elmo) and Bernard Eneas (Spokane); a sister, Christine Lacey (Salem, OR); her children and their spouses, Orsino and Leslie Walker (Elmo), Gwen Hewankorn and Joe Quequesah (Elmo) and Adrian Hewankorn and Dana Tenas (Dayton); stepchildren Georjean Moomaw, Janice Peasley, Becky Hewankorn and Hazel Hewankorn (all of Omak, WA); 28 grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. Wake services took place at the Elmo Hall in Elmo. Mass was celebrated on Feb. 7 in Elmo. Burial followed at the Dayton Cemetery. Memorials may be made to the Kootenai Language Commission.
CHARLOTTIE JOHNSTON
ARLEE -- Charlottie Amelia Johnston, 96, died at her home near Arlee on Feb. 20, 2003. Born Sept. 14, 1906, in Williston, ND, to George E. and Bessie (Jacobs) Messler, at age four, she moved to Eureka. They then moved to Shelby where she lived until she turned 18 and she moved to Kalispell, where she met her future husband, Walter Raymond Johnston. They married in 1926 and made their home near Arlee where they ranched and farmed for the next 55 years. She enjoyed being around her children and grandchildren. She enjoyed working in her garden and going fishing. Charlottie was preceded in death by a grandson, Tony, in the Vietnam War, and her husband in 1979. She leaves behind two children and their spouses, Lawrence and Hazel Harness (Kila) and Pearl and Ted Foust (Arlee); 10 grandchildren; 21 great-grandchildren; and three great-great-grandchildren. Funeral services were held on Feb. 24 at the Arlee Christian Missionary Alliance Church, with interment following at the Pleasant View Cemetery in St. Ignatius.
DEAN A. KLEPPEN
MISSOULA -- Dean A. Kleppen, 47, of Hot Springs, died at St. Patrick Hospital here on Feb. 2, 2003. He was born in Powers Lake, ND, on Feb. 26, 1955, the son of Bernice and Arvin Kleppen. Dean served four years with the Air Force and two years with the Naval Air Force. He worked in Hot Springs for Sanders County Waste Disposal and will be remembered for his love of hunting, his skill in mechanics and jamming with his musician friends. His family includes his father, Arvin (Missoula); mother, Bernice Hysulien (Lignite, ND); two children, Doran Kleppen and Devin Narron; three sisters, Debbie, Pat and Pam; four grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews. Memorial services will be held at a later date in Hot Springs.
RUTH MILLER
MISSOULA -- Ruth M. Quigley Miller, 88, of Polson, died on Feb. 12, 2003, at St. Patrick Hospital here.
Memorial services were conducted on Feb. 9 at the Pablo Christian Church.
The family requests that memorials be made to the church.
BEN F. MORIGEAU
POLSON -- Ben F. Morigeau, "Seaton Maning" (Walking Hawk), died on Feb. 25, 2003, at Kalispell Regional Medical Center of cardiac arrest. He was born in 1924 in St. Ignatius to John and Amy Morigeau. They, as well as a brother, Cyzie, preceded him in death. His wife, Diane, and his second mom, Phyllis Morigeau Piper, survive him. Ben had three children and eight grandchildren: son, Bob Morigeau and his wife, Dona, and their children Joshua, Jason and Justin (Palmer, AK); and daughters, Julie Mathison and her children Benjamin and Kristyn (Yakima, WA), and Nancy Hill and her children, Rheanon, Ronny and Mariah (Clinton, WA). He was also blessed with two great-granddaughters, Hannah and Taylor Dyann. He was proud of each and every one of them. He is also survived by four sisters, June Morigeau, Peggy Morigeau, Paulette Morigeau O'Neill and Laura Morigeau; two aunties, Laura Matt and Alma Luedke; and several cousins, nieces and nephews. Ben served in the U.S. Navy during World War II. He had a love of airplanes since he was a little boy and acquired his commercial ticket early in life. Ben worked construction all over the world: Thailand; Vietnam; Okinawa, Japan; San Salvador, El Salvador; Saudi Arabia; and Indonesia. He received many letters and plaques for technology transfer from the Army Corps of Engineers, the Arvin Army of South Vietnam, the government of Indonesia and his rock quarry in Sattahip, Thailand, is now inscribed with a huge gold Buddhist image, and a nice little park at the base makes it a must for lunch for tourists. His local crew there still calls it the mountain that Mr. Ben made. In the early '70s, he and Diane settled in Alaska. There, he built roads and airports and worked on the Alaska Pipeline, acquiring more lifetime friends. In the '80s, Ben and Diane retired and returned to the Rez. Ben was a member of the Conf. Salish and Kootenai Tribes; a lifetime member of the Masons at Matanuska Lodge No. 7 in Palmer and a 42-year member of the Polson Elks Club. At Ben's request he will be cremated and a service will be held later.
ELMYRA MOSS
ST. IGNATIUS -- Elmyra E. Carey Moss died on Feb. 19, 2003. Myra was born to Walter I. and Edna May Gardner Carey in Laingsburg, MI, on Dec. 16, 1911. In about 1932, she met Reuben Ray Moss, and they began a 45-year relationship, operating a number of ranches. She was a "buddy" teacher at St. Ignatius Elementary School and was employed at different times by both hardware stores in St. Ignatius. She was a dedicated member of her church. In the fall of 1996, Myra moved from St. Ignatius to live near her son, Carl, and his wife, Kathy, on a ranch on Irvine Flats west of Polson. Reub died on Feb. 17, 1976. She was also preceded in death by a daughter, Myrna Joan, 2. She is survived by six sons and their wives: Ray and Susie (Clarkston, WA), Jim and Dana (Mattawa, WA), Howard and Lynn (Dixon), Carl and Kathy (Polson), Dennis and Kristi (Anatone, WA), and Kevin (Uniontown, WA); and four daughters and their husbands: Elaine and Dennis (Roy, UT), Marilyn and John (Centralia, WA), Marge and Marvin (Fairfield) and Afton Dupuis (Polson); 54 grandchildren, 64 great-grandchildren and three great-great grandchildren. Dennis Villegas, who lived with them during his teenaged years, is also considered a cherished member of the Moss family. Funeral services were conducted on Feb. 22 at the LDS Church in St. Ignatius.
MARY ANN RICKARD
SEATTLE -- Mary Ann Torgerson Rickard died here suddenly on Feb. 6, 2003. She was born in Polson on July 27, 1933, to Art and Myrtle Torgerson. She attended grade school at Charlo and high school in Bigfork, where she graduated in 1951. She married Jack Rickard on Aug. 10, 1952. Mary Ann spent most of her life raising her family in Bigfork. In 1983 she moved to Missoula, where she was a volunteer at St. Patrick Hospital and a babysitter for many friends' children. Mary Ann was a member of the Rebekah Lodge, Lakeview No. 12 and Esther No. 5; she was also involved in the Ladies Auxiliary Patriarch Militant, Ladies Encampment Auxiliary, Special Olympics, the United Nations Pilgrimage, the World War I Veterans Auxiliary and Royal Neighbors. She was preceded in death by her parents; a daughter, Laureen Day; and a brother, Jack. She is survived by her children: Michelle, Art and Norm (all of Seattle) and Cindy (Columbia Falls); two granddaughters; a great-grandson and three great-granddaughters; brother Don; nieces and nephews and many more relatives and friends. Memorial services were Feb. 15 in Bigfork. Burial followed at Lonepine Cemetery. Donations may be made to the Special Olympics of Montana or the American Diabetes Association.
