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DORIS NOPEN
POLSON -- Doris Nopen, 94, formerly of Great Falls, died on June 26, 2004, at Evergreen Health and Rehabilitation Center in Polson. She was preceded in death by her husband, Otto L. Nopen, and a son, Warren Nopen. She is survived by her daughter, Beverly Fox (Polson); sister Grace Schaff and her husband, Nick (Billings); brother James O. Allread (Fort Benton); and several other relatives. Cremation has taken place and no services are planned.
DONALD OGDEN
POLSON -- Donald Francis "Dick" Ogden died here of lung cancer on June 29, 2004. He was born on July 4, 1931, in Streator, Ill., to Harry and Jessie Seiller Ogden. He always thought the 4th of July celebration was for his birthday and no one ever told him any different. He served with the Army Corps of Engineers from 1951 to 1953 from Virginia to Alaska. After his discharge, he returned to Polson and spent many years building logging roads. He also operated his own saw mill. He married Alice Lloyd on Aug. 17, 1970, in Reno. His hobbies included hunting and fishing camps, tooling leather, gardening, thawing frozen pipes in the winter, Oly beer and his famous beer hotcakes. He is survived by his wife, Alice (Polson); sisters Virginia Kinkade (Libby) and Barb Finch (Lake Havasu, AZ); brothers and their wives, Bill and Pat Ogden (Seeley Lake) and Dale and Patti Ogden (Great Falls); his children and their spouses, Ellen and Karl Kaphammer (Ronan), Kathy and Cliff Reum (Polson), Mike and Marion Ogden (Tucson, AZ), and Jim John and Raelinn Ogden (Carlton, OR); 12 grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, brother Gene and nephew Bennie. A farewell ceremony for "Papa" was held on July 2 at the Grogan Funeral Home. Burial followed at the Lakeview Cemetery.
BARBARA PIERRE
HELENA -- Barbara Sue Pierre died here of a brain hemorrhage on June 23, 2004. She was born on Oct. 18, 1961, in White Sulphur Springs, to Vera Culler Sickich. Barbara grew up in Helena. At the age of 14, she moved to Ronan, where she met the man she'd later marry, Phillip Pierre Jr. Both attended Two Eagle River School when it was located in Dixon. She later returned to Helena, where she took on the tough job of caregiver to the elderly and the mentally disabled. She married Phillip in August of 2002. Some of her hobbies were camping, fishing, hiking, looking for bargains at garage sales and in secondhand stores, making dry meat, and walking in the woods. She also loved to spend time with her in-laws, Dorothea and John Hendrickx, and her nieces and nephews. Along with her husband, she is survived by her mother, Mrs. Vera (Andy) Sickich; her father, Richard Ford; brother Tom Keefe (St. Helens, OR); sisters Cheryl (Paul) Volkmar and Diana Stanger; children and step-children, Bernadette Gardipee, Dachia (Sam) Ledeau, Leslie Wright Jr., Phillip Pierre III, and Victoria Jean Marie Pierre; and her grandchildren: Dakota, Elysia Ledeau, D'Angelo Gardipee, Sayla and Shaelyn Pierre, and Heaven Bogey (all of Helena).
JAMES REESE
POLSON -- James Ray Reese died here on June 8, 2004. He was born in Florida on Oct. 28, 1961. He is survived by his wife, Zita, and children Rehanna Reese, Daniel Reese, Jacy Jones; granddaughter Hazel Marie; and his mother, Erma O'Bennick. Friends may call the family at 406/883-1924. A wake service was held on June 9 and 10 in Polson. Cremation followed.
STEVE RODRIGUEZ JR.
HOT SPRINGS -- Steve "Junior" Rodriguez Jr. was killed on June 22, 2004, in Missoula. He was born on May 28, 1951, in St. Ignatius, to Estavan (Steve) and Louise (Plouffe) Rodriguez. He was a member of the Conf. Salish and Kootenai Tribes. On Nov. 26, 1970, Steve married Lynda Farra in St. Ignatius. They were later divorced. He attended grade school in Idaho and Montana. In 1972, he attended Southwestern Indian Polytech Institute in Albuquerque, N.M., where he graduated with a degree in architectural drafting. He also attended Salish Kootenai College in Pablo. On Jan. 20, 1970, he enlisted in the Navy. After two years in the Navy, he enlisted in the 19th Special Forces Airborne Division at Fort Missoula and later transferred into the 1063rd Engineers Unit. He received an honorable discharge. In 1975, he attended the Montana Military Academy and graduated from NCO school. Steve worked in many states and had various occupations, including mechanic, carpenter, sider, draftsman, machine lathe operator, construction worker, railroad worker and heavy equipment operator. He also a member of the Local 400 Union of Operating Engineers in Helena. Before his death, he worked in Hot Springs at the city shop. He was preceded in death by his parents; his grandparents, Miguel and Maria Rodriguez and Annie and Leroy Manning; his brothers, Joseph and Arthur; and numerous aunts, uncles and cousins. Surviving family are Steven Manyhides (Browning), Steve and Theora (Polson), Michael Rodriguez (Pablo), Anthony and Laurie (Helena); sisters and their spouses, Ruby and Gregg Gillham (Little Rock, AR), Sandra Aldana (Little Rock), Delores and Sammy Valles (San Antonio) and Roberta Morigeau (Hot Springs); brothers, Gilbert (Orlando, FL), Ernest and Abbey Rodriguez (San Antonio), Larry (Dalton, GA), Stanley (Elmo) and Charles (Lumberton, SC); eight grandchildren; and numerous cousins, nieces, nephews, aunts and uncles. Traditional wake services were held. Funeral services were conducted at the St. Ignatius Catholic Mission on June 30 and were followed by interment at the St. Ignatius Catholic Cemetery.
ARTHUR SHEPARD
MISSOULA -- Arthur Louis "Art" Bourdon Shepard died on June 12, 2004, at his home here from cancer. Born in St. Ignatius to Arthur and Susan (Adams) Bourdon, Art was raised in the Jocko Valley. After his parents died, Beulah Brubaker opened her home to him. They eventually moved to Canada, where he graduated from high school and went to college. Following college he returned to the Jocko Valley, where he logged. He was preceded in death by his parents, brother Duane and daughter Heather. Art is survived by his wife, Janice Shortman, and Tiffaney, Sierra and Morgan (all of the family home in Missoula); his stepdaughter, Lisa Dunlap, and her children Hunter and Brooklynn (all of North Carolina); his boys Gabe, Vincent and Calvin (all of St. Ignatius); brothers and sisters Richard and Calvin Bourdon, Gay, Tracey and Chuck Shepard, and Jim, Eldon, Brian, Darrin and Jackie Brubaker; as well as many nieces, nephews and cousins too numerous too mention. A traditional wake began on June 13 at the St. Ignatius Community Center. Wake closing at the Longhouse was followed on June 15 by Mass of the Resurrection at the St. Ignatius Catholic Mission. Interment followed at the Jocko Catholic Cemetery near Arlee.
FRANKIE C. SMITH
POLSON -- Frankie C. Smith, 73, has died at her home here (specific date not provided). She was born to Joe and Clara Beebe in Missoula and grew up in Hot Springs. She married Thomas F. Smith in 1950 in Kellogg, Idaho. Later, they moved to Polson. Frankie is survived by her husband, Tom (Polson); her son and his wife, Tom and Vickie (Colorado Springs, C); her daughter, Jolene Frey (Polson); four grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren. Cremation has taken place and no services are planned.
MELVIN VULLES
PABLO -- Melvin Vulles died at his home here on June 27, 2004, from natural causes. He was born to Michael and Daisy (Meljie) Vulles on June 16, 1929, at Perma. He attended eight years of school in Perma. He entered the armed services in 1951. After returning to Perma in 1953, he married Louise Heckenthorm; they later divorced. Melvin went to work for the Gene Pitts Lumber Mill in Ravalli. After it burned down, he went to work at Plum Creek Lumber near Pablo. He retired from Plum Creek with 20 years of service. In May 1972, he married Lola Stewart-Emerson. He was preceded in death by his parents; brothers Mike, Bobby, Don, Steve and Valadimir; nephew Bobby; and many cousins in Butte. He is survived by his wife, Lola, and her two children, Jerry and Rhonda Emerson (Ronan) and Jeanie Emerson (Columbia Falls); two sisters, Dorothy Walbridge (Mullan, ID) and Darlene and Glen Rummel (Plains); two brothers, George (St. Ignatius) and Sam (Plains); and a number of nieces and nephews. A funeral service was held on June 30 at the Grogan Funeral Home in Polson. Interment with military honors followed at Lakeview Cemetery in Polson.
LAWRENCE WHITTEN
POLSON -- Lawrence Lee "Larry" Whitten, 66, died after a short battle with brain cancer on June 22, 2004, at his home here. He was born on Aug. 4, 1937, in Philadelphia, to Hettie Lonsdale and Jesse Lee Whitten. In 1955, he graduated from Lenox Preparatory School in Lenox, Mass. After a summer abroad, he attended Hampden-Sydney College in Virginia for two years. In 1957, he joined the Air Force and served in Korea. On Jan. 31, 1959, he married Sharon Elizabeth Bennett in Orlando, Fla. In June 1965, he graduated from Michigan State Univ. with a degree in agri-business and economics. After working for International Harvester Co., Larry gradually began working for the automotive industry. from which he retired in 1997. He and his wife Sharon enjoyed operating Swan Hill B&B on Kings Point Road in Polson. Larry was an active member of New Life Christian Center. He is survived by his wife, Sharon, and their children, son John and wife Gwen (Jacksonville, FL) and daughter Laura Lee (Mobile, AL); and four grandchildren. A memorial service was held on June 30 at the New Life Christian Center. Memorials may be made to the Mission Valley Animal Shelter, 239 Reservoir Road, Polson, MT 59860; or to Lake County Hospice, 711Main S.W., Ronan, MT 59864. Cremation has taken place.
GEORGE BROWN
POLSON -- George A. Brown, 87, died here on July 19, 2004. He was born April 8, 1917, in Silvis, IL, to James E. and Bernice (Moore) Brown. He grew up and attended schools in Silvis. After graduating from high school there, he moved to South Pasadena, CA, with his family. He enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps and served in Okinawa in the Pacific Theater during World War II. After serving in the military, he moved back to California. He married Marjorie Welles on May 25, 1947, in South Pasadena. George worked for Pacific Bell in Los Angeles for 30 years. He was active in the Boy Scouts in California. George and Marjorie moved to Polson in 1986. He enjoyed photography, singing, acting, hiking and traveling. He was active in the United Methodist Church, Mission Valley Choral and Port Polson Players. He was preceded in death by his wife, Marjorie; and a brother, Miller. He is survived by two daughters, Susan Bodenschatz and her husband Jeff (Santa Anna, CA) and Sally Keys (Sheridan, WY); and five grandchildren. A memorial service was held on July 24 in Polson. Private interment followed at Lakeview Cemetery in Polson.
