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Anna Benedict
Anna R. Benedict, 87, Troy, died at home on March 28, 2002.
She was born on Jan. 1, 1915, at Wilkes-Barre, Pa., to Jacob and Caroline Fila, and was raised and educated at Kingston, Pa. She later lived at Kingston and in the Edwardsville area.
During the World War II years, Anna worked as a seamstress in a silk factory, making parachutes and other products for the military.
She moved to the Syracuse, N.Y,. area in the late 1940’s, living in the Cicero community. She worked for more than 25 years for the Carrier Air Conditioning Company in Syracuse, retiring in 1977.
Her husband Ralph preceded her in death in 1978 and she remained in Cicero until moving to Troy in 1995.
Anna enjoyed gardening and doing handwork, especially crocheting. She was an avid reader.
She was a member of Immaculate Conception Parish in Troy.
She was also preceded in death by brothers Alec, Mike, Andrew, Walter and Frank Fila.
Survivors include son Jim Benedict, Troy; five step-children and several step-grandchildren.
Mass of the Resurrection will be celebrated at 11 a.m. on Wednesday at the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Troy with the Rev. Ray Hannigan as celebrant.
Parish vigil and rosary services were held at 7 p.m. Tuesday at the church.
Interment will take place at 2 p.m. on Friday at Pine Plains Cemetery near Cicero, N.Y.
Local arrangements are by Nelson & Vial Funeral Home.
Kaye Bowker
Longtime Libby resident Katherine (Kaye) N. Bowker, 70, died on March 29, 2002, at her home in Libby with her family by her side.
She was born on Oct. 9, 1931, at Milwaukee, Wis., to Paul Charles Adams and Margaret Marsh Adams.
She married Melvin D. Bowker on Oct. 4, 1950, at Sandpoint, Idaho.
They moved to Libby in 1959 where they owned and operated Pioneer Auto Wrecking and Mel’s Towing Service.
A loving mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and foster mother, Katherine enjoyed helping others, volunteering her time to the Libby Community Center, Senior Citizen Center, Christian Church SWAP Group and the Mission Shop.
She served as president and secretary-treasurer of the Libby Community Center over the past 30 years.
Katherine was an involved member of the Libby Christian Church and enjoyed decorating the monthly birthday cakes at the Senior Citizen Center.
She was preceded in death by her husband Mel Bowker in 1992, and her son Dale Bowker in 1999.
Survivors include daughters Katherine Glaze, Martindale, Texas; Merry Thompson and Judy Hutchison, Libby, and Karen Moss, Wasilla, Alaska; sons, Michael Bowker and Bryan Bowker, both of Libby; sister Nellie Marsh and brother Paul Adams in Wisconsin; 17 grandchildren, 18 great-grandchildren; numerous foster children including Vern Blinco, George Derry, Brian Brossman, Yvonne Eidner, David Hesselgesser, Peggy Smith and many others.
Services were conducted at 2 p.m. Tuesday at the Libby Christian Church with interment following at the City of Libby Cemetery.
Visitation was from 1-8 p.m. Monday at the Nelson & Vial Funeral Home Chapel.
Because education was very important to Katherine, donations may be made to the Lincoln County Library or the Libby Christian Church.
Local arrangements are by Nelson & Vial Funeral Home.
Fred Callison
Fred M. Callison, 74, of Bentonville, Ark., died Saturday, March 30, 2002.
He was born on Oct. 21, 1927, in Walnut Ridge, Ark., to Otis A. and Alice E. Stringer Callison.
Fred grew up in Strawberry, Ark., moving to Rogers in 1946 and to Bentonville in 1980.
He attended the First Church of the Nazarene in Rogers.
Fred served in the U.S. Army during the occupation of Japan.
He married Mary Magdalene Hubbard at Bentonville on Oct. 22, 1949.
A general laborer, Fred enjoyed fishing and gardening.
He was preceded in death by son Samuel Joe Callison in 1983, granddaughter Suzan Ledbeter and great-granddaughter Shaylee Ledbeter, both of Montana, in 2000; brother Merl Callison and sisters Rose Boling and Juanita Callison.
Survivors include his wife Mary; Bentonville; sons Jim Callison and his wife Gail, Rogers; Tommy Callison and his wife Debbie, Garfield, Ark., and Stan Callison, Rogers; daughters Pauline and her husband Mike Lasister, Rogers, and Cheryl and her husband Steve Irgang, Troy; sisters Evelyn Baker, Rogers, and Jo Ann Enterline, Yukon, Okla.; 17 grandchildren and 21 great-grandchildren, and several nieces and nephews.
Memorial services will be conducted at 2 p.m. Wednesday at the First Church of the Nazarene in Rogers with Pastors Fred Agee and Anthony Baker officiating.
Arrangements are by Benton County Funeral Home in Rogers.
Robert Louis Lester
Robert Louis Lester, 72, died on Saturday, March 30, 2002, at his home in Libby.
He was born on July 17, 1929, at Reliance, S.D., to Walter and Eunice Smith Lester.
Robert grew up in Vale, Ore., where he received his education, graduating from Vale High School in 1947.
He entered the U.S. Air Force in January 1949 and after his honorable discharge in May 1951, returned home to help his father run the family farm.
He married Joyce Marx on Jan. 16, 1952 at Winnemucca, Nev.
Robert started his own trucking company, Lester Alfalfa, in 1956. After selling the company in 1968, he moved to Sultan, Wash., where he continued to drive truck.
He married Jean Davis on May 15, 1970, at Quincy, Wash., and they owned and operated a pawnshop and historical building in Ellensburg, Wash., for 11 years.
They moved to Libby in 1994.
Robert was an active member of the American Legion, driving the VFW van until he became too ill to drive.
He was also a member of the Eagles and the Loyal Order of Moose.
His parents preceded him in death.
Survivors include his wife Jean Lester, Libby; children Debra Corey, Hudson, Fla.; Linda Lester, Spokane; Sheila Champney, Smithfield, N.C.; Pamela Myers, Spokane; Michael Lester, Spokane, and Patrick Haye, Portland, Ore.; sisters, Elaine McKowan, Yakima, Wash.; Bonnie Fulleton, Payette, Idaho, and Ellen Kennedy, Fruitland, Ore.; 15 grandchildren, five great-grandchildren; step-children Donald Trump Jr., Escondido, Calif.; Velma Henry and Fayette Gordon, both of Ellensburg, and Mariette Leader, Spanaway, Wash.; four step-grandchildren and four step-great-grandchildren.
Services were conducted at at 2 p.m. Tuesday at the Nelson & Vial Funeral Home Chapel.
Memorials may be made to the American Legion or to St. John’s Lutheran Home Health.
Local arrangements are by Nelson & Vial Funeral Home.
Clarence Mellem
Clarence R. Mellem, 90, of Libby, died surrounded by his family on Sunday, March 31, 2002, at St. John’s Lutheran Hospital.
He was born on Dec. 4, 1911, at Rosewood, Minn., to Pete and Caroline Lahpgaard Mellem.
He married Helen Wood in 1940.
In 1942 they moved to Somers where Clarence was employed by the Somers Lumber Company.
They moved to Libby in 1949 and Clarence worked for J. Neils Lumber Company and St. Regis until retiring in 1977.
He was preceded in death by his parents; daughter Camie Jo Mellem; brothers Roy Mellem and Vernon Mellem, and sister Myrtle Thoreson.
Survivors include Helen, his wife of 61 years, Libby; sons Douglas Mellem and his wife Jane, Libby; Jerry Mellem, Havre, and Pete Mellem and his wife Jeanine, Fort Collins, Colo.; daughters Clarise Rowberry and her husband Bill, Libby; and Carol Addicott and her husband Ron, Ray, N.D.; sisters Pearl Bangeman, Kalispell; Florence Moore, Missoula, and Joyce Nielson, Libby; brother Alvin Mellem, Palm Springs, Calif.; 11 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.
Services will be conducted at 2 p.m. on Friday at Christ Lutheran Church.
Local arrangements are by the Nelson & Vial Funeral Home.
