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Jay R. Rummel
MISSOULA - Jay R. Rummel, age 58, passed away from heart failure at St. Patrick Hospital on Wednesday, Dec. 31, 1997.
A third generation Montanan, Jay was born April 24, 1939, to John and Beth Rummel. He was raised in the Prickly Pear Valley north of Helena. In his teens, Jay was employed as an assistant to the staff artists of the Montana Historical Society Museum and became acquainted with a wide range of Western art. Studying ceramics and printmaking, Jay attended the University of Montana from 1958 to 1964. While at college, he also served in the U.S. Army Reserve Corps of Engineers. Leaving Montana in 1964, Jay became a production potter in Los Angeles and then an industrial designer in Sausalito, Calif.
Since his return to Missoula in 1974, Jay diligently and singly pursued his career as an independent studio artist. Expressing folklore, historic traditions of the West and his great spirit, Jay shared with us his uniqueness and inimitable style. Complementing the visual arts, Jay enjoyed performing extensively as a folk musician, composing songs and ballads revealing Montana history. Jay is a legend, a treasure to our Treasure State; he devoted his life to art and fulfilling his personal vision. Seeing Jay and talking to him always enhanced your life in some way and made you feel better about being yourself. He never did find a "hobby;" Jay's love was playing music or discussing abstract expressionism with his friends. Jay will be deeply missed; those he touched will find a way to continue Jay's determined yet gentle quest.
Jay was preceded in death by his parents and a brother, James Rummel. He is survived by his brother and sister-in-law, Jack and Dorothy Rummel of Ulm; his sister and brother-in-law, Joan and Bill Kidd of Stevensville; his sister-in-law, JoAnne Rummel of Pasadena, Md.; four children, Kiomi Pope and Dan Morton of San Francisco, James Morton of Post Falls, Idaho and Lila Geske of Helena; his wife, Susan Batiuchok of Missoula; seven grandchildren, six nieces and nephews and many dear friends in the Missoula community.
As Jay requested, cremation has taken place under the direction of Garden City Funeral Home and Crematory. A memorial service is at 1 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 3, at St. Paul's Lutheran Church with the Rev. David J. Ophus officiating. At a future date to be announced, a celebration of Jay's life and accomplishments will be held in conjunction with an exhibition at the Art Museum of Missoula, "Jay Rummel: A Montana Original."
The family suggests that memorials be made in Jay's name to the Art Museum of Missoula, the University of Montana Art Department, the Poverello Center or to the Benevolent Society of Retired Montana Artists and Musicians.
Wilma Poth Krebsach
YUMA, Ariz. - Wilma Poth Krebsach, 74, of Polson died in Yuma Tuesday, Dec. 30.
Wilma was born Oct. 17, 1923, in Houston to William and Margaret Poth. She graduated from high school at age 16 and went to work for the War Department in Washington, D.C. She reacquainted herself with a naval radio man who had been a blind date earlier, Clair Krebsbach from Sidney, and they were married May 29, 1942, in Baltimore. While he was stationed at Trenton, N.J., she worked at Macy's Department Store.
After Clair's discharge from the Navy, he was asked by his father to come to North Dakota to put a satellite of Sidney radio station KGCX on the air in Williston. The couple made their home in Williston, N.D., for the next 20 years. She enjoyed working in the family business of broadcasting as well, including hosting for several years a "helpful hints" program called "Ask Your Neighbor."
She was a member of several service organizations in Williston in addition to raising the couple's eight children. She and Clair enjoyed traveling all over the world together, including an extended trip to Europe and the Holy Land in 1973, living with their three youngest children in a motorhome.
After spending many summers on Flathead Lake, the Krebsbachs decided to retire to Polson in 1974. Wilma loved entertaining friends, her children and much loved grandchildren at their home on Finley Point.
Always a voracious reader, Wilma plunged into college classes at the University of Montana at the age of 60, alongside her two youngest children.
After Clair's retirement from broadcasting, and because of her declining health, they sold their home and returned to life in a motorhome, dividing their time between beautiful Polson and Yuma.
Her wonderful sense of humor, keen interest in current events and devotion to her family and her faith will be forever missed.
Wilma Krebsbach is survived by her devoted caregiver and husband of 52 years, Clair; daughters, Suzanne Krebsbach of Charleston, S.C., Pamela Da Silva of Leiria, Portugal, Antionette Young of Polson, Mary Dennison of Helena, Jennifer Krebsbach-Forbis of Hamilton, Sara Torgerson of Whitefish and their husbands, and sons, Curt Krebsbach of Kalispell and Chris Krebsbach of Missoula; 15 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Cremation has taken place in Yuma and Funeral Mass of the Resurrection at the Immaculate Conception Church in Polson will be announced at a later date.
Kenneth N. Resner
MISSOULA - Kenneth N. Resner, 67, of Missoula died Thursday, Jan. 1, at the Community Medical Center after a courageous battle with cancer.
Kenny was born July 29, 1930, in Ronan to Carl and Eunice Resner. He grew up in the Charlo area and attended Charlo School.
He married Margie Rider. They had three children. They later divorced. He then married Haldene Tanner.
Kenny started out in the masonry business as a hod carrier and then furthered his occupation by working with Swan Olson and Stan Benson who were longtime masonry men in the Missoula area. He went into partnership with Don Sund and Terry and Ted Foust and started the Golden Rule Masonry business. He later bought the business. He semiretired in 1994 after 48 years in the business. Kenny continued to do small masonry jobs around the Missoula area. He donated many hours of masonry work and resources to Camp Mak-A-Dream.
Kenny was a well-respected bricklayer and businessman. His perfection and pride in his work will be greatly missed by the numerous colleagues and friends he acquired over a lifetime of work.
Kenny and his best friend, Christina Purdy, who cared for him until his illness took him from her, were regularly seen on the dance floor, where he enjoyed many hours of music and friendship.
He was preceded in death by his parents; brother Herb; sister Irene Anderson; his wife, Haldene, and stepson Richard Tanner.
Survivors include his special, dear friend and companion, Christina Purdy of Missoula; son and daughter-in-law, Steve and Leta and grandson, David; daughter and son-in-law, Linda and Jerry Wimple and their children Stephanie and Anthony; daughter Bonnie and her son Shawn; four brothers, Andy and Carl of Ronan, Leonard of Thompson Falls and Benny of California; two sisters, Helen Waters of Fontana, Calif., and Margaret King of Dixon; stepdaughter, Carol Watts; and numerous nephews, nieces and other relatives.
A service of remembrance is at 1 p.m. Monday, Jan. 5, at the Malletta Family of Funeral Homes, Sunset Chapel with the Rev. James Engh officiating. Placement of the urn follows at the Columbarium at Sunset Memorial Cemetery. A reception follows at the funeral home's community room.
The family suggests memorials be made in Kenny's name to the charity of the donor's choice.
Charlotte Powell
DEER LODGE - Charlotte Powell, 69, died Friday, Jan. 2, at the Powell County Memorial Hospital.
She was born May 5, 1928, to Henry and Agnes Hebert in Prescott, Ariz. She received her education in Deer Lodge. Charlotte married Robert J. Powell on Sept. 2, 1950, in Deer Lodge. They purchased the Deer Lodge Taxi Service in 1950 and sold it in 1959. They purchased the Kootenai Bus Line, a service from Kalispell to Bonners Ferry, Idaho, which they sold the following year. Mrs. Powell worked at the Deer Lodge Hotel for many years. She was a charter member of the Powell County Senior Citizens and the Deer Lodge TOPS club and an election judge for 12 years.
Survivors include three sons, Jim and Bob of Deer Lodge and John of Antelope, Calif.; daughter Judy Powell of Deer Lodge; brother Dave Hebert of Anaconda and one sister Peggy Whitney of Deer Lodge; nine grandchildren and two great-grandsons. She was preceded in death by her husband and son Donny.
Cremation has taken place. Memorial services are at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 6, at the Jewell Funeral Home with the Rev. Patrick McGurk officiating. Burial follows at the Hillcrest Cemetery.
Memorials are suggested to a charity of the donor's choice.
The Jewell Funeral Home of Deer Lodge is in charge of arrangements.
Rodney Harris James
KALISPELL - Rodney Harris James, 60, died Thursday, Jan. 1, at Brendan House in Kalispell following a lengthy battle with cancer.
He is survived by his wife, Lee of Kalispell; four sons, Michael and Debbie James of California, Chris and Alicia James, and Clayton and Janet James, both of Columbia Falls and LesLe James of Kalispell; two daughters, Becky Vance of Libby and Janice and Brook Peterson of Kalispell; 10 grandchildren; brothers, Bud and Eunice James of North Fork; John and Flo James of Valley Springs, Calif.; sisters, Virginia Gothman of Hill City, Minn., Norma and Russell Lacher of Northome, Minn., and Beulah and Gene Eichorst of Espanola, Wash.; and numerous nieces and nephews.
At Rod's request, he was cremated and his ashes will be spread in a special place next spring.
Buffalo Hill Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Gladys S. Schimke
GRAND FORKS, N.D. - Gladys S. Schimke died Monday, Dec. 29, in Grand Forks.
Gladys Susanna Skavlem, the daughter of Thore and Gro (Kjarre) Skavlem was born March 30, 1915, in Grand Forks. She attended schools there, graduating from Central High School in 1933. She graduated from the University of North Dakota in 1936. She taught school in Gilby, N.D., for one year. She married Emil Schimke on Sept. 14, 1937, in Grand Forks. Mr. Schimke died Aug. 5, 1976. Gladys was a lifelong member of the United Lutheran Church, a former member of the Grand Forks Symphony, an active volunteer at United Hospital and United Lutheran Church.
Survivors include sons, Thomas and Mary Ann Schimke of Scottsdale, Ariz., and David and Tamara Schimke of Minneapolis; and five grandchildren. She was preceded in death by a sister, Mathilda Schroeder, and brothers, Sam, Ingvald and Theodore Skavlem.
Services were Friday, Jan. 2, at the United Lutheran Church in Grand Forks. Interment was in Sunnywood Gardens Cemetery in Grand Forks.
Arrangements were by the Amundson Funeral Home in Grand Forks.
Jay R. Rummel
MISSOULA - Jay R. Rummel, age 58, passed away from heart failure at St. Patrick Hospital on Wednesday, Dec. 31, 1997.
A third generation Montanan, Jay was born April 24, 1939, to John and Beth Rummel. He was raised in the Prickly Pear Valley north of Helena. In his teens, Jay was employed as an assistant to the staff artists of the Montana Historical Society Museum and became acquainted with a wide range of Western art. Studying ceramics and printmaking, Jay attended the University of Montana from 1958 to 1964. While at college, he also served in the U.S. Army Reserve Corps of Engineers. Leaving Montana in 1964, Jay became a production potter in Los Angeles and then an industrial designer in Sausalito, Calf.
Since his return to Missoula in 1974, Jay diligently and singly pursued his career as an independent studio artist. Expressing folklore, historic traditions of the West and his great spirit, Jay shared with us his uniqueness and inimitable style. Complementing the visual arts, Jay enjoyed performing extensively as a folk musician, composing songs and ballads revealing Montana history. Jay is a legend, a treasure to our Treasure State; he devoted his life to art and fulfilling his personal vision. Seeing Jay and talking to him always enhanced your life in some way and made you feel better about being yourself. He never did find a "hobby;" Jay's love was playing music or discussing abstract expressionism with his friends. Jay will be deeply missed; those he touched will find a way to continue Jay's determined yet gentle quest.
Jay was preceded in death by his parents and a brother, James Rummel. He is survived by his brother and sister-in-law, Jack and Dorothy Rummel of Ulm; his sister and brother-in-law, Joan and Bill Kidd of Stevensville; his sister-in-law, JoAnne Rummel of Pasadena, Md.; four children, Kiomi Pope and Dan Morton of San Francisco, James Morton of Post Falls, Idaho and Lila Geske of Helena; his wife, Susan Batiuchok of Missoula; seven grandchildren, six nieces and nephews and many dear friends in the Missoula community.
As Jay requested, cremation has taken place under the direction of Garden City Funeral Home and Crematory. A memorial service was held Saturday, Jan. 3, at St. Paul's Lutheran Church with the Rev. David J. Ophus officiating. At a future date to be announced, a celebration of Jay's life and accomplishments will be held in conjunction with an exhibition at the Art Museum of Missoula, "Jay Rummel: A Montana Original."
The family suggests that memorials be made in Jay's name to the Art Museum of Missoula, the University of Montana Art Department, the Poverello Center or to the Benevolent Society of Retired Montana Artists and Musicians.
Edna M. Switzer
LIBBY - Edna M. Switzer, 83, died Wednesday, Dec. 31, at the Libby Care Center of natural causes.
She is survived by her son Mike "Jim" Switzer and his wife Heidy of Libby; her daughter, Pat Menehan of Lynnwood, Wash.; three brothers, Richard Karnes of Phoenix, Kenneth Karnes of Tacoma, Wash., and Harry Karnes of Coupeville, Wash.; seven grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren.
Parish vigil and rosary services will be 7 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 4, at the Nelson & Vial Funeral Home Chapel. Mass of the Resurrection will be 11 a.m. Monday, Jan. 5, at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Libby, with the Rev. Ray Hannigan as celebrant; interment services will follow at the City of Libby Cemetery.
Remembrances may be made to a charity of the donor's choice.
Otto Tietz
MISSOULA - Otto Tietz, 83, passed away Saturday, Jan. 3, at St. Patrick Hospital of complications from pneumonia and congestive heart failure.
He was born Feb. 17, 1914, in New Leipzig, N.D., a son of Emanuel Tietz and Elizabeth Ganthner. He shared his early years on the family farm with four brothers, Herbert, Ernest, Rueben and Harold, and two sisters, Esther and Hildegarde.
Otto came to Missoula with his brother Herb in 1934. He was employed as a track supervisor by the Northern Pacific and later the Burlington Northern railroads until his retirement in 1972. He also owned Tietz Building Service and was a respected and successful homebuilder in Missoula for 25 years.
For the last 30 years, Otto was passionately involved in breeding and racing some of the finest quarterhorses in the country. Anyone who ever "bet the ponies" at the Western Montana Fair and Race Meet most likely bet on an Otto Tietz horse.
He was married to Erna Baier on Sept. 17, 1937. He is survived by his sons, Gene Tietz and wife Angie of Keizer, Ore., and Arlyn Tietz and wife Jan of Missoula; daughter Beverly Wood-Back and husband Ken Back of Olympia, Wash.; grandchildren, Troy, Elisabeth and Holly Wood of Olympia, Mark Tietz of Reston, Va., Theresa Markham of Albany, Ore., and Justin and Renee Tietz of Missoula; and great-grandchildren Crystalle Wood, Adam Moody and Teddy Phillips of Olympia. He is also survived by two brothers, Rueben Tietz of Lake Hughes, Calif., and Harold Tietz of Missoula; and numerous nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents; his brothers, Albert, Ernest and Herbert; and sisters Esther Lager and Hildegarde Dietz-Sellner.
Visitation will be from 2 to 5 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 4, at Garden City Funeral Home. Services will be 2 p.m. Monday, Jan. 5, at the funeral home with Pastor Mark Schultz officiating.
Burial will follow at Sunset Memorial Gardens in Missoula. Following the interment, a reception will be held in the community room at the funeral home.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Camp-Mak-A-Dream or the Special Olympics Equestrian team from Missoula, c/o P.O. Box 4322, Missoula, Mont. 59806.
Gladys Grier
MISSOULA - Gladys Coan Grier passed away at Village Health Care in Missoula, on Thursday, Jan. 1.
Gladys was born March 19, 1908, in Cleo Springs, Okla., the fourth child of 11 children born to Benjamin and Priscilla Puckett. Gladys spent her early childhood in Oklahoma and Texas. She married George Coan in Oklahoma. In 1931, they moved to Coram, where she lived until 1946. The family then moved to Eureka, and later to Seeley Lake. In 1986, she moved to the retirement home in Missoula and later to Village Health Care Center, with a brief time at Mountain View Manor in Eureka.
Gladys spent her entire life devoted to her family. She was a devoted wife, wonderful mother, grandmother and sister. She was a member of the Order of Eastern Stars 64 in Eureka, and the American Legion Auxiliary in Arlee.
She was preceded in death by her parents, five brothers, three sisters, a daughter-in-law, a grandson, a great-granddaughter, two stepsons, a stepgrandson and three husbands, George Coan, George Cook and John Grier.
She is survived by her son George Coan and wife Myrtle of Evansburg, Alberta; daughters Patsy Anderson and husband Ron of Kennewick, Wash., Barbara Parac and husband Rudy of Tonopah, Nev., and Verna Allen of Missoula; treasured friend and caregiver Jim Allen of Missoula; brother Clarence Puckett of Kuna, Idaho; sister Pearl Schreiner of Fort Morgan, Colo.; stepdaughters, Violet Hutchinson of Drayton Valley, Alberta, Eleanor Foreman and husband Alvin of Edmonton, Alberta, Barbie Cook of Juneau, Alaska, and Ellen Winningham of Lebanon, Ore.; 10 grandchildren; 24 great-grandchildren; nine great-great-grandchildren; and numerous stepgrandchildren, stepgreat-grandchildren, great-great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews.
Services wll be 11 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 6, at the Baptist Church in Eureka, with burial at the family plot in the Tobacco Valley Cemetery. Pallbearers will be Gerald Puckett, Brad Puckett, Mervin Anderson, Wesley Beare, Steve Weseman and Casey Arciniega.
Memorials may be made in Gladys' name to Mountain View Manor, P.O. Box 327, Eureka, Mont. 59917.
