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George Nole Tillitt
George Nole Tillitt, 90, of Forsyth, former Miles City resident, died Thursday, July 24, 2003, at the Eastern Montana Veterans Home in Miles City from complications following radiation therapy.
Born Sept. 2, 1912, in Spokane, Wash., he graduated from Custer County High School in Miles City in 1930.
In September 1935, he and Ethel Greer were married. They moved to Forsyth in 1938 where he spent many years serving the community. He was city water collector and city clerk, served on the fire department, school board, American Legion and country club board for many years.
Mr. Tillitt was an agent for Standard Oil Co., served in the Navy and owned an insurance agency.
He was an avid golfer, bowler and most of all an aviator who held a commercial license with instructor and instrument ratings. Mr. Tillitt spent many hours training and giving proficiency tests to other pilots and providing lifeline-flying services for patients before the advent of the HELP helicopter.
Survivors include two sons, David Tillitt of Idaho Falls, Idaho, and Richard Tillitt of Diamondville, Wyo.; four grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.
His wife and one son, "Dennis," preceded him in death.
Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday, July 29, 2003, in the Federated Church in Forsyth. Burial will follow in the Forsyth Cemetery.
Beals Mortuary of Forsyth is assisting the family with these arrangements.
Edwin 'Uncle Ed' Haas
Edwin "Uncle Ed" Haas, 86, of Miles City died Friday, July 25, 2003, in Miles City.
Mr. Haas was born Oct. 24, 1916, in Angela to Jacob and Pauline Haas. He was delivered by the area veterinary, Dr. Caldwell, who delivered many of the babies during that time. Mr. Haas attended a country school near Angela.
He entered the United States Army during World War Ii and was a mechanic and engineer.
During his service in Germany and Austria, Mr. Haas had many interesting experiences, which he shared over the years.
Following the war, Mr. Haas returned to the family farm and farmed with his brothers for many years. He continued to farm in the Rock Springs area until he retired in 1987.
Mr. Haas was an endless steward of the land. He loved to farm and his crops were often the best in the area. For many years he lived in a small shack out on the farm while he was farming and spent the winters working in his shop in Miles City. During the winter he would often spend time helping his brother-in-law, Daniel Janshen on the farm at Broadview.
His favorite pastimes were building or restoring tractors, gardening and story telling. His shop was filled with tractors he was building or restoring and all sorts of inventions. Everything he had started with the press of the ignition switch and if it didn't, he was busy trying to figure out why not.
Mr. Haas did not like to buy something if he thought he could build it. He would always try and figure out how things worked and were made. He also had a meticulous garden. He would often remark at what an awful piece of gumbo he had for a garden. However, his garden produced like it was on some of the best land in the country.
He loved to tell stories of his life, growing up, the good years and the bad years, the war, the good crops and the bad crops, and his stories always included the many people he knew.
Mr. Haas possessed a great faith in God. He was a member and faithful supporter of the Trinity Lutheran Church for many years and loved the Lord with all his might.
He lived with the Jeff and Leslie Janshen family for the past several years and his presence made a positive and lasting impact on not only the family but their friends and neighbors. He always put situations into perspective, never complained about all the chaos and loved the commotion of all the children. Being a bachelor all his life and then moving into a family household, he learned with patience really meant.
Mr. Haas enjoyed the Lunde and Stevenson families. He especially enjoyed his sometimes long discussions with Bob Lunde, the gourmet meals they cooked for him and the performances by the girls. Mr. Haas mowed everyone's lawns with the tractor mower until he couldn't anymore. He also looked forward to the ride he would take with Dale Stevenson to the farm, down the Tongue River Road to Ashland or around the common area on the golf cart to look at the gardens.
His survivors include his sisters, Katie Wyss of Miles City, Anne Macy and Evilina Cozzetto of Spokane, Wash.; and numerous nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents; his brothers, Rudolph, Fred and Adam Haas; and his sisters, Adeline Hendricks and Elsa Janshen.
A prayer service will be held Tuesday, July 29, 2003, at 6 p.m. in the Chapel of Stevenson and Sons Funeral Home in Miles City. Funeral services will be Wednesday, July 30, 2003, at 10 a.m. in the Trinity Lutheran Church in Miles City. Internment will follow in the Custer County Cemetery.
If friends desire, memorials may be made to the Trinity Lutheran Church Building Fund in Miles City.
To sent condolences, visit www.stevensonandsons.com.
Brandon James Patch
Brandon James Patch, 18, of Miles City died Saturday, July 26, 2003, in the Benefis Healthcare in Great Falls after being struck by a batted ball while pitching for the Miles City Mavericks baseball team.
Born Sept. 10, 1984, in Miles City, he was the son of Duane "Spud" and Debbie Janssen Patch. He grew up and attended Highland Park Elementary and Lincoln Elementary schools and Washington Middle School before graduating in 2003 from Custer County District High School. He was very active in baseball and football. Brandon enjoyed playing golf and was always present for a poker game with his friends. He always enjoyed it when his Aunt Peanuts came from Bozeman to cook his favorite Italian pasta for family dinners.
Brandon was noted for late night snacks and spending time with his girlfriend, Lacey. He helped umpire many Little League and Babe Ruth baseball games. Because baseball was his first love, he would spend hours on the pitching mound practicing. He was an avid New York Yankee fan.
His survivors include his parents, Spud and Deb of Miles City; a brother, Brady Patch of Miles City; his grandparents, Jim and Barbara Janssen of Miles City; numerous uncles, aunts and cousins; and his special friend, Lacey Reid.
He was preceded in death by his paternal grandparents, James and Frieda Patch.
Funeral services will be Tuesday, July 29, 2003, at 11 a.m. at Denton Field in Miles City. The Rev. Grover Briggs will officiate. Interment will follow in the Custer County Cemetery.
Stevenson and Sons Funeral Home of Miles City has been entrusted with the arrangements.
If desired, memorials may be sent to the family in care of Stevenson and Sons Funeral Home, 1717 Main St., Miles City, MT 59301 to be determined later.
Hugh Thomas Paris Sr.
Hugh Thomas Paris Sr., 87, of Kalispell, former Miles City resident, died Thursday, July 17, 2003, at Brendan House.
He was born to Thomas and Hyme McKenzie Paris in Circle on April 25, 1916. His parents immigrated from Scotland in 1912 and homesteaded in that area. Later they moved to Miles City where Mr. Paris graduated from Custer County High School in 1934.
He attended Montana State College in Bozeman where he graduated in 1939 with a degree in agriculture.
While attending school in Bozeman, he met his future wife, Harriet McCord from Los Angeles. Mr. Paris was very active while in college, playing football for the Bobcats and serving as president of various campus clubs and organizations.
After graduating from college, Mr. Paris taught school and coached in Stanford for one year prior to joining the United States Army as a second lieutenant in 1940.
After a long-distance courtship, Mr. and Mrs. Paris were married Aug. 30, 2942, in Springfield, Mo., where he was stationed at Ft. Leonard Wood. Mr. Paris had a distinguished career in the Army that took him and his family to many different posts. In Japan he served under General Douglas McArthur and later he was stationed at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., and in Nurnberg, Germany.
Mr. Paris served in both World War II and the Korean War. He also became the chief of sports for the United States Army and was in charge of all the Army athletes in the 1956 Olympics in Melbourne, Australia.
Retiring as a lieutenant colonel, Mr. Paris and his family settled in Santa Cruz, Calif., where he became western regional manager, and served on the board of directors for EBSCO Industries based in Birmingham, Ala.
In 1972, Mr. and Mrs. Paris moved to Kalispell with their two younger children. As Mr. Paris often remarked, "all Montanans go back home."
Following his retirement from EBSCO in 1977, Mr. Paris and his wife enjoyed their retirement by spending winters in Hawaii and summers in Kalispell. As a couple they were avid golfers and bridge players, enjoying many a game with their circle of friends.
In 1974, Mr. Paris purchased and enjoyed overseeing the management of the scenic Glacier View Golf Course until it was sold in 1991. He also served as president of the Montana State Senior Golf Association in 1986.
His survivors include his wife of 60 years, Harriet of the family home in Kailspell; two daughters, Susanna Eaton, and her husband, Ray, of Watsonville, Calif., and Heather Cleary, and her husband, Joe, of Richland, Wash.; two sons, Thomas of Cheney, Wash., and Hugh Thomas Paris Jr., and his wife, Joyce, of Peoria, Ariz.; and his grandchildren, Sybil Armstrong, Michael and Benjamin Noble, Arwen and Cameron Paris, Elizabeth and John Cleary, and Kathryn and Meghan Paris.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Thomas and Hyme Paris; his sister, Rita Price of Billings; and his brother, Jim Paris of Denver.
