Search Archived Marriage Records
Betty M. Nichols
Betty M. Nichols of Helena, 85, formerly of Highwood and Lakeside, passed away at St. Peter’s Hospital on March 13, 2003, of natural causes.
She was born on August 11, 1917, in Detroit Lakes, Minn., to Leon and Kathryn (Vosberg) Faus. She and Marshall Nichols were married on September 11, 1940, in Wadena, Minn. She was a housewife.
Betty is survived by her husband of 62 years, Marshall, children Jeanie (Richard) Singler of Steilacoom, Wash., Curtis (Kathy) Nichols of Helena, and Sharon (John) Wichman of Salem, Ore., nine grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.
Funeral services were conducted on March 18 at the First Lutheran Church, with Pastor Larry Miller officiating. Interment was in Forestvale Cemetery. Arrangements were handled by Hagler-Anderson Mortuary.
The family prefers memorials to the Montana Diabetes Association, P.O. Box 2411, Great Falls, 59403.
Tom Lofthouse
Memorial services were held Friday, March 21, 2003, at St. Peter's Episcopal Church for Tom Lofthouse, who died March 18 at Rocky Mountain Care Center from complications of diabetes.
Tom was born in Fargo, N.D., on April 4, 1923, to Thomas E. and Leda (Altenberg) Lofthouse. He graduated from Fargo High School in 1941, North Dakota State University in 1948, and Montana State University in 1950 with a master’s degree in bacteriology. He also served in the Army during WWII.
His 30-year career in public health and food sanitation began with the Billings Health Department and progressed to the Montana Departments of Livestock, Health and Environmental Sciences and Agriculture, and the U.S. Public Health Service.
He is survived by wife Jane, sons and daughters-in-law Larry and Dawn of Billings, Dean and Lauri and Ralph and Bonnie of Helena, and Jay and Leslie of Pleasanton, Calif., 10 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
Floyd D. Smith
Floyd Donald Smith Sr., 77, passed away at his Helena home on March 14, 2003, following an extended illness.
He was born March 6, 1926, in Radersburg to Eunice and Walter B. Smith, attended school in Elkhorn near Boulder, and completed the remainder of his schooling at Radersburg.
Floyd served in the U.S. Army between 1944 and 1946 under the leadership of General George C. Patton. He earned a Bronze Star for single-handedly charging and destroying an enemy machine gun unit hiding in a farmhouse in Germany.
Floyd married Edith Mae Hespen of Townsend on June 21, 1947. During his career, he worked briefly at the College Dairy in Bozeman then spent 19 years with the gypsum plant at Trident. After that, he worked for Permanente (now Ashgrove Cement) near Montana City, and prior to retirement, worked for School District 1 in Helena.
A devoted family man, Floyd’s favorite activities included camping, fishing, prospecting, riding horseback, and hunting with other members of the family. His family shared a love of music, and he played guitar for many years. His children say he was an expert in cribbage, pitch, gin rummy, and horseshoes.
For many years, Floyd and Edith and their family enjoyed the family cabin in the mountains at Elkhorn. He can also be remembered as someone who could repair anything that was broken. As he often said, “You can fix anything with a pair of pliers and baling wire.”
Floyd was preceded in death by his parents and three brothers, Archie, Maurice, and Jim, and two sisters, Alta Schmidt and Theresa Wareham. Besides his wife Edith, he is survived by two sisters, Mittie Mae Carrol and Delores Mockel; two brothers, Bud and John; son F. Don Smith Jr., wife Lucy Weinrich, grandsons Donny and Denny Smith and Kadin Weinrich; son John W. Smith, wife Trinda, granddaughters Joann Sharette and Leslie Camargo and grandson Jonathan Lee Smith; son Thomas L. Smith, wife Carla, grandson Tommy Lee Smith and granddaughters Shannon Smith and Kelly Hueth; daughter Vicci Stroop, husband Glen, grandsons Alan and Mike Stroop and granddaughter Shelly Wallace; daughter Cheryl Smith, husband Bob Stubblefield, grandsons Jake Smith and Luke Stubblefield and granddaughter Tausha Smith Broadbent, and 24 great-grandchildren.
Funeral services were conducted on March 18 at Hagler-Anderson Mortuary, and military graveside services were conducted at Sunset Memorial Gardens. The family requests that, in lieu of flowers, contributions be made to Montana Veterans Affairs at P.O. Box 5715, Helena, 59604.
Earl 'Doc' Halliday
Earl “Doc” Halliday of Helena, 73, passed away March 14, 2003, at St. Peter's Hospital. He was born June 2, 1929, to Edward and Synva (Berryhill) Halliday in Webster County, Iowa, and graduated from Hampton High School in 1948. He enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1950, served in the Infantry Division during the Korean War, and was honorably discharged in 1952.
He worked as a welder for Armor and Company of South St. Paul, Minn., when he met the love of his life, Margaret "Peg" Sever. They were married September 21, 1973, and moved to Helena the following year. Earl worked at the Asarco plant in East Helena until 1989, retiring due to ill health.
He loved hunting, fishing, and tending to his small ranch in Helena's North Valley. He and Peg got a lot of pleasure from raising their animals, especially their dogs, during their life together.
Earl cherished the time he spent with friends, playing cards with the "gang" on Saturday nights, socializing with neighbors and eating out. Relaxing with his faithful dog Ulsa was also a favorite pastime. He was a lifetime member of VFW Post #295 of South St. Paul.
Earl was preceded in death by his parents, wife Peg, sister Shirley Carroll, and brother Glen Halliday. He is survived by his stepdaughter Marla Wahl and grandson Jerry; stepson Greg Wahl and wife Mary and granddaughter Ashley, all of Minnesota; nieces Evelyn Decker of Arizona, and Bey Edie, Kathy Martin, Carolyn Vladeff and Margaret Dingman, all of Iowa, and numerous cousins, including Ike Lanning of Helena.
“Doc” touched the lives of everyone he met and will be missed by many. Services were scheduled for Wednesday, March 19, at 2 p.m. in Hagler-Anderson Chapel, with Rev. Thomas C. Banks officiating.
Military graveside services will be at Resurrection Cemetery, conducted by Lewis and Clark Veterans Council. Memorials are suggested to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, Tenn., 38105.
Daniel L. Pelletier
Daniel Lynn Pelletier, 46, of Houston, formerly of Helena, died on May 25, 2003, of heart failure due to complications of diabetes. Cremation has taken place.
He was born in Helena on September 5, 1956, one of seven children of Eugene and Lorain Pelletier. Daniel graduated from Capital High School in 1975. Helenans will best remember him for his contributing efforts to Capital track and cross-country in the 1970s. With his assistance, Capital’s cross-country team earned fourth place at the state meet in 1973 and first place at the state cross-county meet in 1974.
Following graduation, Daniel worked as a cook in several local establishments. He also managed the local Taco Treat for a number of years. He worked in construction; roofing and yard work in the greater Helena area just prior to moving his family to Houston, where he spent the past four years working for Abba Anointing Oil.
Daniel married Leah Jean Long on January 28, 1978. They made their home in Helena until their move to Houston in 1981. Daniel and Leah Jean had three children.
He is survived by his loving wife of 26 years, Leah Jean, and children Christopher (Michelle) Pelletier, Tyler (Munhui) Pelletier, and Missti (Jorgé) Barrera, all of Houston. He is also survived by two granddaughters, Cloé and Jasmine.
Additional survivors include siblings Jeannie (Jack) Kindt of Butte, Kathy Dagel of Las Vegas, Priscilla (Lee) Tickell of Renton, Wash., Carolyn Pelletier and Raymond Pelletier of Helena, sister-in-law Nancy Pelletier of Las Vegas and Sharon Pelletier of Helena.
Other survivors are in-laws Leonard Long Sr. of Creston, Wash., Leanne (Rick) Buzzelle of Columbia Falls, Leonard (Annette) Long Jr. of Geyser, Larry (Lorena) Long of Spokane, Sandy (Vic) Benson of Waterloo, Canada, and numerous nieces and nephews. Daniel was preceded in death by his parents, Eugene and Lorain, mother-in-law Winifred, brother David, and two infant granddaughters, Bridgette and Paige.
Leah Jean would like to share her special memories of Daniel through the following: “To walk in God’s truth and integrity by the Holy Spirit is something Daniel sought after. He loved Abba Father first in his life, and in his walk with God, he learned to show how much he loved me. He was my best friend, my love, my life. We were as one. And finally, he loved his children, their spouses and their children. He walked with God until he walked no more.”
Daniel will be greatly missed for leaving this earth too soon but has found a comforting place beside his Father and in joining those who have passed before him to await the arrival of those yet to come.
Daniel’s remains will return to his Helena birthplace and a subsequent memorial will be announced at that time.
Tragically, Daniel was uninsured, and his extended family requests that, in lieu of flowers, donations be made toward medical and/or travel expenses for his family c/o Carolyn Pelletier at 1104 E. Broadway, Helena, 59601.
David F. Sumner
David F. Sumner of Deer Lodge, 77, died of natural causes at the VA Medical Center at Fort Harrison on Wednesday, June 4, 2003.
He was born May 14, 1926, in Ketchikan to Louis and Martha Sumner. He attended schools there. He served in the U.S. Army during WWII.
Survivors include son William Sumner of Washington state, sister Shirley Turner of Anchorage, and also his close friend and caregiver Cynthia D. Ferris-Kirklin of Deer Lodge.
David’s jolly smile and happy spirit will be sorely missed by all.
Military graveside services were held June 12, 2003, at Montana State Veterans Cemetery at Fort Harrison. Hagler-Anderson Mortuary handled local arrangements.
David P. Swanson
David P. Swanson, beloved husband, father and son, passed on suddenly to his creator June 12, 2003, from an extended illness. He was born April 17,1955, in Butte to David E. Swanson and Helen Hollenback. Both parents survive. David attended Butte schools, graduating from Butte High in 1973. He worked in the elevator business for 30 years before being disabled and retiring from Otis Elevator Company in 2002.
David married Marilynn Williams on April 29, 1978. His 30 years of service in elevator business brought them and their three children to live in most of Montana, Wyoming, and Seattle. David loved his work and was very dedicated to his different employers. He also loved his four children, David, August, John and Stephanie. Prior to his illness, he enjoyed working on his automobiles, hunting, and fishing.
David is survived by his beloved wife Marilynn, sons John of Helena and David and Cori Hulverson of Utah, daughters August Lynn of Seattle and Stephanie of Helena, granddaughter Kathryn Swanson and David John Hulverson, brother Mike Swanson, mother-in-law Joyce William, and numerous other in-laws and nieces and nephews. His brother Bob Swanson preceded him in death.
David will be loved and greatly missed by all. May God guide you and take you under his beautiful wings.
Friends gathered on June 16 at the Helena Church of Christ, 1000 N. Ewing, for church services. Cremation has taken place with cremains taken to the Duggan-Dolan Mortuary in Butte for a gathering there the evening of June 17.
Interment of cremains was Wednesday morning, June 18, in the Mountain View Cemetery in Butte. Hagler-Anderson Mortuary handled local arrangements.
