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Albert Clay Bixler
Albert Clay Bixler, 86, of Miles City died Wednesday, May 23, 2001, at the Holy Rosary Healthcare in Miles City.
Mr. Bixler was born Sept. 12, 1914, the youngest son of Stanley and Florence Wilson Bixler. He graduated from high school in Boulder, Colo.
On Jan, 21, 1939, he and Chloe Sisco were married in Boulder. They moved to a ranch on the Powder River in southeastern Montana in 1946. This was the family home for nearly 30 years, followed by stays in Corvallis; Boulder City, Nev.; and a ranch near Willcox, Ariz.
In 1984, the Bixlers moved to Scottsdale, Ariz. After his wife's death on March 26, 2001, Mr. Bixler moved back to Miles City to be near friends and family.
Mr. Bixler loved good cattle, good horses and successfully playing the stock market.
Survivors include his daughter and son-in-law, Sharon and Bill Oftedal, and his daughter, Betty.
In addition to his wife, he was preceded in death by his older brother, Richard, and numerous aunts, uncles and cousins.
Private graveside services will be held in the Custer County Cemetery at Miles City. Friends are invited to an open house honoring Mr. and Mrs. Bixler on Saturday, May 26, 2001, from 3 to 5 p.m. at the Bixler home, 1341 S. Strevell Ave.
Stevenson and Sons Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Miles City Public Library or the charity of one's choice.
Mary Charlotte Mathers
Mary Charlotte Mathers, 79, of Miles City, wife of Bill, died Sunday, Aug. 26, 2001, in Miles City.
Born Jan. 30, 1922, in Amarillo, Texas, she was the daughter of Charlotte Ingham and Millard Word. Mrs. Mathers received college degrees from Cottey College in Nevada, Mo., and West Texas State University in Canyon, Texas.
She taught English in Canadian, Texas, where she met her husband, Bill Mathers. They were married on the SJ Ranch near Clarendon, Texas., on June 16, 1946. They ranched near Canadian until the summer of 1951 when they moved to Miles City to establish the Mathers Brothers Ranch with Frank and Betty Mathers.
Mrs. Mathers enjoyed a wide range of activities. She was an elder and deacon in the First Presbyterian Church at Miles City where she was a member of Presbyterian Women, Deborah Circle, a Sunday school teacher and director of the Sunshine Choir for children. She was a member of Chapter K PEO and the Republic Women. Mrs. Mathers led Brownie Girl Scout Troops for all five of her daughters. She also also was affiliated with Montana CowBelles, served as president of the Legislative Wives and volunteered in various civic efforts including the Custer County Art Center, the Community Concert Series and the Holy Rosary Hospital Charity Balls.
Her survivors include her husband, William L. "Bill" Mathers of Miles City; five daughters, Margaret Novak, and her husband, Mike, of Chester, Sharon Secor, and her husband, Gary, of Fargo, N.D., Barbara Mathers-Schmidt, and her husband, Bob, of Bellingham, Wash., Libby Gardner, and her husband, Marshall, of Sioux Falls, S.D., and Mimi Meredith, and her husband, Greg, of Phoenix, Ariz.; and 13 grandchildren, Bill and Andrea Novak, Jennifer, Laura and Emily Secor and Molly Secor Turner, and her husband, Ryan, Jonathan and Michael Schmidt, Erin and Kelly Gardner, and Will, Patrick and Mary Charlotte Meredith.
She as preceded in death by her brothers, Bob Word and Millard Word.
Funeral services will be Wednesday, Aug. 29, 2001, at 11 a.m. in the First Presbyterian Church. Interment will follow in the Custer County Cemetery.
Stevenson and Sons Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Should friends desire, memorials may be made to the First Presbyterian Church.
John Joseph MacDonald
John Joseph MacDonald, 88, of Jordan died Friday, Aug. 24, 2001, at the family home.
Mr. MacDonald was born Aug. 22, 1913, in Jordan, the fourth of seven children born to Joseph Howe and Katherine Louise MacPhee MacDonald. He attended local country grade schools in Garfield County whenever schooling was available. Mr. MacDonald was president of his class in his sophomore, junior and senior years and graduated from Garfield County High School in Jordan in 1934.
He worked for local ranchers, worked at Fort Peck, hauled gravel for the building of the road between Jordan and Mosby, carried the mail from Winnett to Jordan, worked in the Big Hole Basin on haying crews and worked in the Garfield County Courthouse in the treasurer's office under Ira Kellogg until begin drafted in to the service in 1942.
Mr. MacDonald served in Europe in the Mechanized Calvary until being discharged on Oct. 7, 1945, at Separation Center in Fort Douglas, Utah.
He then returned home to continue ranching with his father and brother, Archie. In 1948, he was elected to the House of Representatives and later was elected as state senator, serving until 1965. From 1959 to 1960, he was Speaker of the House and was Governor for a Day.
Mr. MacDonald served on the Jordan Elementary School Board for three terms and served on the McCone Electric Co-op Board for 41 years, from 1953 to 1994. He was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 7886. All during this time, Mr. McDonald also was active on the family ranch with his brother, Archie.
On June 17, 1961, he and Ann Schmidt Sloan were united in marriage. They made their home on Smoky Butte Creek on the family ranch. To this union, three children were born, Kelly, Brian and Steven.
His survivors include his wife of 40 years, Ann; two daughters, Gayle, and her husband, Jay Twitchell, and Kelly, and her husband, Ross, Childers, all of Jordan; two sons, Brian, and his wife, Tami MacDonald, of Billings, and Steven, and his wife, Lavonne MacDonald, of Jordan; 10 grandchildren, Travis, and his wife, Charity Twitchell, Troy, and his wife, Autumn Twitchell, Toni, and her husband, Lee Murnion, Chan and Noli Childers, Tarra, Tristan and Kane MacDonald, and Justin and Ashley MacDonald; and six great-grandchildren, Zachary, Cody and Kevin Murnion, Destiny and Kaycee Twitchell, and Brice Twitchell, all of Jordan.
Survivors also include a sister-in-law, Edith MacDonald of Jordan; and numerous nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by three sisters, Irene, Louise and Mary; his brothers, Archie, Walter, and an infant brother, George; two nieces, Catherine Elizabeth and Joan Audrey MacDonald; and a brother-in-law, Dave Garber.
Vigil services will be tonight at 7 p.m. in St. John's the Baptist Church at Jordan.
Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 28, 2001, in the Veterans of Foreign Wars Hall at Jordan. Rite of Committal will follow in the Pioneer Cemetery at Jordan.
Stevenson and Sons Funeral Home of Jordan is in charge of arrangements.
