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Patrick Owens
Libby native Patrick J. Owens, 72, whose career in journalism took him into the center of some of the nation’s hottest issues, died Feb. 22, 2002, at Kalispell Regional Medical Center.
He was born on Aug. 5, 1929, at Libby, to James and Rachel Williams Owens.
He married Ruth Marvin in 1957 and they had one son, James Patrick, in 1959.
Patrick’s love for writing developed early, first while working on the school newspaper at Flathead High School, then for the Daily Inter Lake and the Missoulian before graduating in 1947. He served with the U.S. Army from 1948-1951 in public relations and editor of the Caribbean Army News.
The career that started in small town Montana took him to Little Rock, Ark., in 1959 to work for the Arkansas Gazette, covering the desegregation in Little Rock schools and the national civil rights movement.
His work in Little Rock, and later at Pine Bluff, brought him into the national spotlight and in 1965 Patrick moved on to Detroit and the Detroit Free Press where he covered labor relations and such things as Jimmy Hoffa’s leadership of the Teamsters.
In 1969 Patrick joined the staff of Newsday in Long Island, N.Y., where he was part of the editorial staff covering issues like the Nixon impeachment hearings and the Vietnam War. He spent time in Washington as a White House correspondent and in Europe reporting on the Warsaw Block and communist government.
In 1986 he suffered a debilitating stroke which ended his career early. He returned to Kalispell to be near members of his family.
Through journalism, Patrick championed the causes of real people who were struggling. He was strong-willed and never afraid to state his opinions and stand up for what he felt was right. He wrote what he believed and not what he thought was popular.
Although often unpopular with his editors, Patrick was rewarded for his writing talent with some of journalism’s highest honors including two Sidney Hillman Awards, a distinguished reporting citation and a nomination for the Pulitzer Prize in editorial writing.
While pursuing his journalism career Patrick was a Neiman Fellow at Harvard University. He earned his master of social work degree from the State University of New York at Stony Brook in 1979.
Preceded in death by his parents, stepfather Orville Hoover and sister Linda Marie Hoover, Patrick is survived by his son James, daughter-in-law Mary Ann and granddaughters Hope and Kaitlin of Park City, Utah; sisters Dorthy Pennoyer and Shirley Druesdow of Kalispell; and brothers Denny Owens, Marion, Gaylon Owens, Kalispell, and Mike Hoover, Rexford.
Cremation has taken place and a memorial service will be held in the spring.
Marian Johnson
Lincoln County native and former Libby resident Marian F. Johnson, 88, died Monday, May 27, 2002, at Portland.
She was born on Aug. 15, 1913, at Fortine, to Harry and Margaret Weydemeyer.
Marian was raised at Fortine and educated in Eureka, graduating from Lincoln County High School with the Class of 1931.
She taught grammar school in Fortine for a year before attending the University of Montana.
On Nov. 29, 1934, she married Orlo B. Johnson, her husband of nearly 68 years.
Orlo’s work with the U.S. Forest Service and the lumber industry took them to Missoula in 1934, to Libby from 1942 until 1954; to Portland from 1954-1966, when they moved to Carmichael, Calif., for three years and to Pinetop, Ariz., 1969-1975.
They moved to Centralia, Wash., in 1975.
Since 1998 they have lived in Portland.
Throughout their marriage, Marian remained at home as a homemaker.
She was a longtime member of the Order of Eastern Star and the Rebekah’s Lodge. She enjoyed gardening, reading mysteries and Native American history, collecting mini-kerosene lamps and southwestern artifacts.
Marian was preceded in death by brothers Winton and Donald Weydemeyer and sisters Olga Johnson and Lucretia Larsen.
Survivors include her husband Orlo, Portland; daughters Margaret Harper, Tacoma, Wash.; Judith Billings, Puyallup, Wash.; Kathryn Eisenzimmer, Boring, Ore.; Barbara Johnson, Portland; granddaughters Robyn Harper, Jennifer Price, Sara Wright, and grandson Gregory Harper; and great-granddaughter Lura R. Price.
A celebration of life will be held Friday, May 31, at 2 p.m. at Bateman Carroll Funeral Chapel in Gresham.
Private cremation will precede the service.
The family suggests memorials be made to the American Cancer Society, Mount Hood Hospice or the Deaconess Children’s Hospital in Helena.
Bateman Carroll Funeral Chapel and Crematory is in charge of arrangements.
Betty Kitley
Betty Smithberger Kitley, 78, died on May 23, 2002, at her Spokane home, after a nine-year battle with cancer.
She was born on April 13, 1924, at Valley City, N.D., to Ralph and Olga Smithberger.
The family moved to Libby in the early 1930’s when Betty’s father was hired by First State Bank which later became First National Bank.
Betty grew up in Libby, attending Libby schools and making lifelong friends.
She married Tom Kitley of Libby on Dec. 29, 1945, in Seattle.
A contributing member of the Spokane community since she and Tom moved there in 1973, Betty was also a loving wife, mother and doting grandmother.
After Tom’s death in 1987, Betty became increasingly involved in developing a travel program for the Southside Senior Activity Center.
Throughout her life, her sense of giving and sharing earned respect, love and admiration.
Survivors include sons Bill Kitley and his wife Vicki, along with their daughters Meagan and Sara, Veradale, Wash., and Greg Kitley and his fiancee Vickie, Cheney, Wash.
A remembrance celebration will be held on Monday, June 3, at the Southside Senior Activity Center, 3151 E. 27th in Spokane, at 7 p.m.
A brief graveside service will be held at 1 p.m. Tuesday, June 4, at the City of Libby Cemetery.
One of Betty’s passions was to see the Southside Senior Center acquire a new touring mini-bus and memorials may be made to the center toward that goal.
Maurice John Dockery
Former Troy resident Maurice John Dockery, 86, died May 23, 2002, at Thermopolis, Wyo.
He was born Feb. 29, 1916, at Thermopolis, to Charles and Lillie Henson Dockery.
He served with the U.S. Navy from April 1944 until January 1946 in the states and in the Asiatic Pacific Theater.
He married Lillian Odde at Red Lodge on June 29, 1946, and they lived on Owl Creek.
They moved to Hardin in 1961, to Libby in 1967 and to Troy in 1977.
Maurice was a cowboy, farmer, oil rig drilling and an operating engineer in construction for Morrison Knudsen.
After his wife died in May 2001, Maurice returned to Thermopolis to live at the Pioneer Home. Due to poor health he later lived at Canyon Hills Manor.
Maurice was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and past president of the Farm Bureau.
In addition to his wife, Maurice was preceded in death by five sisters and two brothers. He is survived by son Donald, Susanville, Calif.; daughter Lois Burger, Rathdrum, Idaho; brother Leroy Dockery, Parkman, Wyo., sisters Louise Hobson and Juanita Ramsey, both of Thermopolis and Betty Boyer, Casper, Wyo., four grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
Memorial services will be conducted at 11 a.m. Thursday at Mortimore Funeral Home in Thermopolis with Pastor Deborah Higgens officiating.
Burial will be at Monument Hill with Pastor Buddy Sirmans officiating.
Memorials may be made to the Hot Springs County Library Foundation, 150 E. Arapahoe, Thermopolis WY 82443.
Robert Jenkins
Robert F. Jenkins, 75, of Troy, died Thursday, May 23, 2002, at St. John’s Lutheran Hospital.
He was born on Nov. 4, 1926, at Chugwater, Wyo., to Amos and Della Jenkins and was raised and educated in Wyoming.
Jenkins served with the U.S. Army during World War II, returning to Wyoming following his honorable discharge.
He worked as a rancher and truck driver before becoming involved with construction, working as a batch plant engineer on major projects throughout this country and overseas.
Jenkins came to Whitefish in 1967 to work on the Flathead Tunnel project. He also worked on the Libby Dam Project and since 1968 had lived at Troy.
Preceded in death by daughter Janice Bowen in 1999 and sons Robert, 1969, and AceDee, 1955, he is survived by daughter Bobi Sullivan, Troy; sons Darrell Jenkins, Troy, and Floyd Jenkins, Wheatland, Wyo.; sisters Sue Cole, Lynnwood, Calif., Bertha Hatton, Chugwater, and Hazel Mundschenk, Torrington, Wyo., six grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.
Services will be conducted at 2 p.m. Wednesday at the Troy United Methodist Church with the Rev. Ben Nardi officiating.
Private interment will be at Troy Cemetery.
Memorials may be made to Hospice.
Arrangements are under care of Nelson & Vial Funeral Home.
