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Blendon Cook
POLSON - Blendon H. Cook, 94, died May 15, 2000, at Evergreen Health Care Center in Polson.
He was born in Blue Springs, Mo., on Oct. 24, 1905, a son of Dr. and Mrs. F.L. Cook. He attended school in Independence, Mo., graduating from high school in 1924.
After high school, Blendon started working with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which was his career for more than 35 years.
On April 5, 1931, he married Mary L. Meador, also of Independence. Blendon worked at various trout and salmon hatcheries, mostly in the western U.S. and Alaska. In 1942, he became manager of the Creston National Fish Hatchery, where he worked until his retirement in 1964. Following retirement, he and Mary moved to Big Arm, where he lived until 1986, when illness required him to enter the nursing home.
He was preceded in death by his wife Mary in 1998, along with two brothers and one sister.
Blendon is survived by his son Phillip Cook of Kalispell and sister Virginia Smith and her husband Marvin of Oregon.
Urn burial will be held at a later date in a private service at Glacier Memorial Gardens. Cremation and arrangements were by Buffalo Hill Funeral Home of Kalispell.
Herbert Friske
POLSON - Herbert Albert Friske, 96, of Polson died of natural causes May 14, 2000, at Evergreen Health Care Center.
He was born June 12, 1903, in Sarles, N.D., to William and Katherine Friske. He grew up and attended schools in North Dakota and Canada. He later moved to Polson with his family, where his parents operated a hotel.
Herbert married Violet Ekman in Polson on Oct. 11, 1924.
He worked in the lumber industry and farmed for most of his working career. He also worked heavy construction in the Billings area as a heavy equipment operator. He retired and moved to Rollins.
Herb loved to fish and hunt, and was especially known for his gardening skills.
He was preceded in death by his wife Violet in 1995.
He is survived by sons Gerald Friske of Anacortes, Wash., and Donald Friske of Rollins; daughter Marlene Rule of Lolo; 15 grandchildren; 51 great-grandchildren; 23 great-great-grandchildren, and sisters Margaret Guinn of Polson and Willamena "Minnie" Wilson of Kent, Wash.
A graveside memorial service will be held today (Thursday) at 2 p.m. at Lakeview Cemetery in Polson.
Cremation and arrangements are by Grogan Funeral Home of Polson.
James Wallette
POLSON - James Wallette, 85, of Polson died of natural causes May 10, 2000, at Evergreen Nursing Home, Polson.
Born on July 4, 1914, the youngest of 13 children to Joseph and Emerise Wallette, James worked heavy construction on dams in Washington, Oregon and Montana. He was a WWII army veteran and served in the Pacific and Aleutian islands.
He was preceded in death by his wife Billie in 1990.
James is survived by a daughter-in-law, Joan Detrick of Puyallup, Wash., and a granddaughter, Kim Detrick of Edgewood, Wash; a grandson, Chris and his wife, Monica, of Modesto, Calif., and great-grandchildren Amanda, Nicole, Brittany and Cathy; a niece, Georgia Schoenherr of Tucson, Ariz., a nephew, Leo Edwards of Idaho, and a brother-in-law, Leonard Salomon and family of Polson.
A memorial service will be held Monday, May 22, at 11 a.m. in the Grogan Funeral Home, Polson.
Cremation and arrangements are be Grogan Funeral Home and Crematory.
Lloyd Bray
POLSON - Lloyd Darrell Bray, 67, of Polson died of natural causes May 11, 2000, in St. Joseph Hospital here.
He grew up in Moiese, the son of Lucille and Ellery Bray. He graduated from Charlo High School in 1950.
Lloyd married Eva Largent in 1954 and later moved to Helena where he earned his degree in mathematics. He taught in Helena and Clancy. They spent many years in Lincoln before coming to Polson to live in 1980.
He is survived by his wife Eva; daughter, Marci Tilleman and husband Dave and grandchildren Kate and Ethan, all of Roundup; by his father, Ellery Bray of Ronan, and a cousin, Dorothy Simmons and her husband Ed of Paradise. He was preceded in death by his mother, Lucille.
A graveside service was held Monday in Lake View Cemetery, Polson, with a reception following in the First United Methodist Church.
In memory of Lloyd the family asks that you take a kid fishing.
Arrangements were by Grogan Funeral Home of Polson.
Pearlina Belle Starkel
PABLO - Pearlina Belle Starkel, 72, beloved wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, began her final journey to her Lord from the family home north of Pablo on May 23,2000.
Belle, who had been suffering from respiratory problems for the last few years, began her journey surrounded by her family and loved ones.
Belle was born to Oscar and Pearl Anderson in Circle on Aug. 11, 1927. On May 13, 1945, Belle and Whitey Starkel were married in Pablo and began their life together, living in Montana, Nebraska, California and then back to Ronan, where they resided and raised seven of their children and a nephew.
Belle and Whitey celebrated their 55th anniversary just days ago. Many of you will remember Belle, not only from her tenure with the Ronan school system, but as a constant volunteer with the Ronan Little League and Babe Ruth baseball programs.
Belle is survived by her husband, Whitey, who resides at the family home, and seven children and a nephew: Rene'e Summers of Bigfork, Dennis Starkel and his wife Judy of Missoula, Norman Starkel and his wife Chris of Pablo, Sandy Cheff and her husband "Happy" Dan Cheff of Charlo, Rick Starkel and his wife Evaleen of Clancy, Lana Toelke and her husband Kim of Sonora, Calif., Doug Starkel of Pablo and nephew Peter Reum and his wife Karen of Pablo. Belle has 22 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren.
Belle is also survived by her two sisters, Velva Noland and her husband Carroll who reside in Ronan, and Arlene Wolfe and her husband Alvin who reside in Polson.
Belle attended Polson schools and was a member of the Class of 1945. Belle attended the First Baptist Church of Ronan and was baptized on April 7, 1991. In addition to church activities, Belle's joys in life were to care for her husband Whitey; play sports with her children; collect mementos of her children's, grandchildren's and great-grandchildren's accomplishments and special events, and the happiness of special times.
Over the course of the years, each child, grandchild and great-grandchild received a nice packet of memorabilia evidencing the fact that Belle was always watchful for those special moments. She either personally captured them in print or picture form or scoured newspapers and other media for mention of her family.
Funeral services were held May 26 at the First Baptist Church of Ronan. In lieu of flowers, the family suggest memorials to the charity of the donor's choice.
Arrangements were handled by Shrider's Mortuary of Ronan.
