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Ruth Van Faasen
Libby native Ruth Shanahan Van Faasen, beloved wife, mother, grandmother and friend, died Sept. 11, 1999, in Seattle.
She was born on Aug. 10, 1913, at Libby, and graduated from Libby High School with the Class of 1930.
Ruth worked as a bookkeeper for contractors on the Fort Peck Dam Project on the Missouri River in northeastern Montana in the 1930’s, where she met and married Jerold Van Faasen in 1938.
During their 61 years of marriage Ruth and Jerry moved home and family many times, following engineering activity around the Northwest, settling in Seattle 25 years ago.
Ruth personified and demonstrated active love for all around her and took part in the education of several generations of children, in church work, as a volunteer tutor in Seattle Public Schools and as the mother of daughters who continue to create and educate professionally.
She is survived and remembered with love by her husband Jerold, Seattle; daughters Ruth Jean Shaw, Anchorage, Alaska; Mary Inkpen, Renton, Wash., and Beth Betker, Seattle; sons-in-law Robert Shaw, Robert Inkpen and Dan Betker, and grandsons Douglas Shaw, Washington, D.C., and Shannon Inkpen, McLean, Va. In addition she is mourned by friends and family throughout the world.
Memorials may be made to the American Diabetes Association or Northminster Presbyterian Church in Seattle.
Arrangements were under direction of Evergreen-Washelli in Seattle.
Joe Baenen
L. Joe Baenen, 78, of Libby, died of heart failure Monday morning, Sept. 27, 1999, while undergoing his regular dialysis treatment at St. John’s Lutheran Hospital. He had been in precarious health for many years but never let it interfere with his love for Montana and outdoor sports.
Joe was born on March 18, 1921, in the old Baxter Hospital in Libby. A few days earlier his father Lew Baenen brought his mother Hattie by rowboat across the Kootenai River from Jennings for the trip to the hospital. When Joe was 10 days old he made the trip back to the family home at Jennings.
He received his education at Jennings and in Libby. When he was 16 years old he joined the Civilian Conservation Corps, but when he attempted to sign up for another six months his true age was discovered and he was sent home.
A short time later Joe again falsified his age and joined the U.S. Army to serve as a medic at Fort Lewis. Once again his age was discovered and he received an honorable discharge.
Joe married Kitty Ruth Baeth Matteson on Jan. 1, 1942, and they had two children, Joe and Loretta.
In 1944 Joe joined the U.S. Navy, serving until 1946, when he returned to Libby to work for J. Neils Lumber Company and later for W.R. Grace, until retiring in 1980.
For several years after retiring, Joe and Ruth lived at their home on McGregor Lake.
Joe was preceded in death by his parents; brothers Bill, Ray and Ben, and sisters Edna Baenen and Dolly Holmgren.
Survivors include Ruth, his wife for 57 years; daughter Loretta Cook and her husband Chuck, Salt Lake City, Utah; son Joe and his fiancee Lillian Martin, Libby; six grandchildren, Alan Keefe and his wife Robyn; Dawn Burdette and her husband Jeffrey, and Chris Keefe and his wife DeAnn, all of Salt Lake City; Brett Keefe and his wife Laura, St. George, Utah; John Baenen, Cordova, Alaska; Amy Baenen, Libby; 13 great-grandchildren and nieces Dorothy Post, Shirley Nicholls and Mary Baenen.
Funeral services will be conducted at 11 a.m. Saturday at Christ Lutheran Church followed by military services at the City of Libby Cemetery.
Pallbearers will be his six grandchildren.
Should friends desire to do so, memorials may be made to Kootenai Winter Sports or St. John’s Lutheran Hospital.
Arrangements are under direction of Nelson & Vial Funeral Home.
Mary Jo Anderson
Longtime Libby resident Mary Jo Anderson, 70, died on Monday, Feb. 21, 2000, at St. John’s Lutheran Hospital following a long illness.
She was born on Dec. 10, 1929, at Sidney, to Richard and Gertrude Prichard Fields, and moved with her family to Libby in 1945.
Mary Jo graduated from Libby High School with the Class of 1947 and worked as a nurses’ aide until she married Elmer Anderson of Libby at Kailua, Hawaii in July 1949.
They returned to Libby in 1951.
Mary Jo belonged to St. John Lutheran Church, where she served on the Altar Guild for many yeas. She also was a volunteer with the American Red Cross.
She enjoyed cooking, reading, skiing, visiting with friends and spending time at the family cabin on Middle Thompson. Lake.
Mary Jo was preceded in death by her husband Elmer and a brother, Willis Fields.
Survivors include daughter Christine M. Anderson, Libby; son David B. Anderson and his wife Barbara, also of Libby; brother Richard Fields, Newport, Wash., sisters Elva Hauck and Sally Noyes, both of Spokane; grandchildren Laurren Nirider, Brian Anderson and Eric Anderson, all of Libby.
Services were conducted at 2 p.m. Thursday at St. John’s Lutheran Church.
Visitation was from 4-8 p.m. on Wednesday at the Nelson & Vial Funeral Home Chapel.
Interment was in the City of Libby Cemetery.
Memorials may be made to Kootenai Winter Sports, Box 210, Libby.
Lucille Myers
Lucille Marian Boyce Myers, 91, a longtime resident of Eldora, Iowa, died Feb. 21, 2000, in Libby.
She was born on Sept. 18, 1908, at Newell, Iowa, to Lewis and Julia Prescott Boyce.
Lucille and her two brothers were raised on the family farm. Lucille exhibited an early love for school and would slip away to go to a nearby rural school. The teacher would keep her occupied until her mother could retrieve her.
She graduated from Newell High School and Iowa State Teachers’ College in Cedar Falls and taught at Garfield School near Rockwell City and at Indianola Public School before her marriage to Milo Myers on June 20, 1934, in the Congregational Church in Newell.
They lived in Manning, Iowa, until moving to Eldora in 1935 when Milo joined the Eldora school faculty as instrumental music teacher and band director.
In March 1951 Lucille accepted a position as teacher at the Iowa State Training School for Boys in Eldora, continuing in that position until retiring in June 1976.
She continued to do volunteer work at the school for several years.
Lucille was a member of the United Methodist Church and the United Methodist Women, Martha Circle, past president and 50-year member of Chapter FA, PEO; past worthy matron and 50-year member of Ascension Chapter No 158, OES; Eldora Hospital Auxiliary, Mothers’ Club and the Hardin County Historical Society.
A devoted wife and mother, Lucille provided loving support and encouragement to her family while working full time.
She was noted as a great cook, especially for her divinity candy and early morning breakfasts for vacation bound friends. She enjoyed knitting for her children and grandchildren and traveling to visit all of them.
She appreciated drama, literature, music and playing solitaire and bridge.
Survivors include her daughter Julie and her husband Jim Shadle, Libby; grandchildren Stacy and her husband Tom Christie, Gallup, N.M.; Stephanie and her husband Jeff Paradee, Federal Way, Wash., and Eric Shadle, Kirkland, Wash.; two great-grandchildren, Annalyssa and Brian Paradee; brother Gladwyn Boyce, Des Plaines, Ill., and 10 nieces and nephews.
Lucille was preceded in death by her parents, brother Wayne, her husband Milo and their son, David Myers.
Memorials may be directed to the PEO Educational Loan Fund, in care of Peg Rooks, 1611 9th St., Eldora, IA 50627 or the United Methodist Church 1415 12th St., Eldora, IA 50627
Ruth Richards
Ruth Ellyn Richards, 74, died Feb. 18, 2000, at her home in Hamilton, following a year-long illness.
Born on July 30, 1925, in Randall, Wash.., to Sylvester and Frances Cross, Ruth Ellyn was the wife of former Libby resident John M. Richards of Hamilton.
She is also survived by son Michael Bunnell and his wife Judy of Bellingham, Wash.; daughter Lloyde Byrd, McMinnville, Ore.., and sister Helen Baily, also of McMinnville.
Cremation is under the care of Dowling Funeral Home.
Private family inurnment will take place at a later date.
Dorothy Pozar
Dorothy M. Pozar, 84, of Libby, died Saturday, Feb. 19, 2000, at the Libby Care Center.
She was born Feb. 3, 1916, at Winona, Minn., to Chauncy and Emma Mundt Cada.
Dorothy grew up in Winona and graduated from Winona High School.
She moved to Montana in 1936, where she met and married George T. Wood.
Dorothy worked in the George Wood Hardware store with her husband and after his death in 1958, she continued to manage the hardware store. She married M.G. Pozar in Libby in 1968.
Dorothy enjoyed fishing, camping, wintering in Arizona and spending summers at her home on Bull Lake.
Pozar died in 1994.
Survivors include five sons, George Wood and his wife Glenda, Libby; Phillip Wood and his wife Mary, Albuquerque, N.M.; Jerry Wood and his wife Pat, Wenatchee, Wash.; Bruce Wood and his wife Penny and Keith Wood and his wife Nancy, all of Helena; brother Lester Cada, Winona, Minn.; and grandchildren including Kevin, Jeana, Kraig, Hidi, Lacey and others.
Services will be conducted at 11 a.m. Wednesday at St. Joseph Catholic Church.
Visitation will be from 2-7 p.m. Tuesday at the Nelson & Vial Funeral Home, with Rosary beginning at 7 p.m.
