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John M. "Hawkeye" Stephenson
POLSON - John M. "Hawkeye" Stephenson, 53, of Polson died from natural causes Sept. 20, 2002, at his home in Polson.
He was born on April 7, 1949, in Seattle to Lillian (Johnson) and John Wesley Stephenson. He attended schools in Washington.
John joined the U.S. Army and served in the Vietnam War from 1968 to 1974. After his service tour of duty, John lived in Duvall, Wash., and moved to Polson in 1997, where he spent many summers helping on his grandmother Marie Johnson's farm.
He learned to be a mechanic while in the Army, but for most of his life made his living as a freelance tree-topper, something he loved to do. John was kind-hearted, and loved kids and animals. He made friends easily and enjoyed helping people. John loved Harley Davidson motorcycles, and for a long time rode a Harley that he had purchased in poor condition and then fixed up himself. He enjoyed sports, and was a fan of the Montana Grizzlies. John went through some hard times, and always said that life was good.
He was preceded in death by his grandparents, Marie and Carl Johnson and Charles and Nell Stephenson; two uncles, Malcolm McClellan and Richard Stephenson, and a cousin, Joey Violette.
He is survived by his parents, Lillian Stephenson of Polson and John Wesley Stephenson and his wife Mary Etta of Kings Mountain, N.C.; two brothers, Gary Stephenson of LaVerne, Calif., and Richard Stephenson of Polson; a sister, Janice Myers of Polson and numerous other relatives.
A memorial service will be held on Saturday, Sept. 28, at 2 p.m. at the Polson Community Church. A reception will be held at 250 Marie's Lane, Polson, following the service.
Memorials may be made to the Mission Valley Animal Shelter, Polson Community Church or to the youth group of your choice or a charity of donor's choice.
Arrangements and cremation are by Grogan Funeral Home & Crematory, Polson.
Robert "Bob" Brooks
COLUMBIA FALLS - Former Ronan resident, Robert "Bob" Brooks, 80, was "welcomed back into the arms of the Creator" on Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2002, at his daughter's home in Columbia Falls. His wife of 48 years was by his side.
He was born Lloyd Ernest Brooks in Wibaux, on Aug. 25, 1922. He went by Bob or Robert all his life. His family moved from Wibaux to Ronan when he was young. The third eldest of 10 children, he learned hunting and fishing as skills of necessity that grew into a lifelong passion.
Classified as 4F due to a childhood injury, he was unable to enlist during World War II. Yet wanting to do his part for his country, he traveled to Portland to do welding on naval vessels. After the war he moved back to Montana where he worked in construction on the Hungry Horse Dam and building the Anaconda Aluminum plant.
He met Clarice Irene Wonder in Ronan and on Sept. 24, 1924, they were married and moved to the Columbia Falls area, where Bob went to work as an iron worker for the aluminum plant until his retirement in 1984. After retirement, he spent time fishing with his long-time friend, Hugh McManus, searching out the monster catch. He also turned his gardening hobby into a full-time pursuit, going back to work growing and planting flowers at Meadow Lake Golf Course and later at the Montana Veterans Home. Well known for his beautiful flowerbeds, he also grew prolific amounts of vegetables at his home and Bud's Garden at the Veterans Home. These he mostly gave away but sold if a person felt the need to pay him.
People who knew him would remember him for his generosity, dedicated hard work, honesty, and impish sense of humor. He was held dear to many hearts and will be greatly missed.
Bob is survived by his wife, Clarice; daughters, Kristi, Gail and Janelle; grandchildren, Shani, Joel, Kalen, Hannah and Tony; brothers, John and Joe Brooks; sisters, Ruth Hawk, Della Bauer, Patricia Krahn and Glen Kelly; and numerous nieces and nephews.
A memorial service was held Saturday at Our Savior's Lutheran Church in Columbia Falls.
Edwin M. Cisney
RONAN - Edwin M. Cisney, 88, of Ronan died from natural causes on Friday, Sept. 27, 2002.
Edwin was born in Watkins on June 21, 1914, to Samuel P. Cisney and Nellie Millikan Cisney. His parents were homesteaders and dryland farmers. He went to grade school in Watkins and completed high school in Terry.
When he was 19 years old, he drove the family car with his mother, two sisters and one brother, along with their belongings, to Ronan. His father came on the train with the horses. They bought the Fox homestead and began farming using horses and raising milk cows.
He enlisted in the Coast Guard at age 27 and served for four years during World War II. He was called back to duty during the Korean War for two years. While in the service and stationed in Seattle, he met Ermina Millay. They were married in April 1954 and were together for 48 years.
Ed worked for the U.S. Postal Service for 37 years. He began working as a clerk and then as a rural mail carrier, traveling up to 110 miles each day.
He always had a piece of candy or gum for any child who met him at the mailbox. He was given a wonderful retirement party from the Postal Service in 1978.
Ed worked for many years with the church as an usher, lay minister and youth leader. He was also instrumental in developing the church choir.
Instead of taking an annual vacation, he often spent the summers haying for his family and neighbors. His hobbies included gardening, farming, reading and working with wood.
Ed and Ermina had five children together, with four children surviving. Son Samuel died of natural causes in 1998.
The surviving children are Mariane Mamolen (Sam), Eileen Hartzell (Mark), Donald Cisney (Pam) and Karen Cisney. Ed and Ermina also have 15 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Ed's sister Nellie died at age 12 from natural causes.
Surviving siblings include his sisters Laura Finney and Mary Cisney and brother John Cisney (Loletta).
Services were Wednesday, Oct. 2, at the Ronan United Methodist Church. Graveside services followed.
Shrider's Mortuary assisted the family with arrangements.
The family suggests memorials to the American Heart Association, Diabetes Research Foundation or the United Methodist Church.
Esther June Cornett
POLSON - Esther June Cornett, 76, of Polson died of natural causes on March 24, 2003, at St. Luke Community Hospital, Ronan.
Esther was born June 20, 1926, in Box Elder, to Eddie and Ethel (Richards) French. She grew up there and attended schools in Box Elder, graduating from Box Elder High School.
Esther married Robert Cornett on Dec. 23, 1944, in Norman, Okla.
She worked on airplanes in Great Falls while Robert served in the military at the end of World War II. After Robert was discharged from the military, they moved to Big Sandy, where they farmed and ranched until they retired in the early 1970s. They retired to Thompson Falls in the late 1970s.
Robert died in 1997.
Esther moved to Polson in September 2000 to live with her daughter Lynda Edwards. Esther made several close friends in a short time while living with Lynda. She treated each of her new friends as family.
Esther was an active member of the Community Congregational Church in Thompson Falls and the VFW Auxiliary in eastern Montana. She enjoyed crocheting, reading, and gardening.
She was preceded in death her husband Robert; a grandson, Jeffrey Edwards, her parents, and two sisters, Lorena Johnson and Hilda Warner.
Esther is survived by her daughter, Lynda Edwards of Polson; two sons, Robert Cornett of Heath, Texas, and Guy Cornett of Austin, Texas; three grandchildren and two great-grandchildren; and a sister, Mary McClish of Seattle.
Memorials may be made to Lake County Hospice, 711 Main S.W., Ronan, 59864.
Funeral Services were held in the Community Congregational Church in Thompson Falls with the Rev. Gaylund Olson officiating. Interment was in the City Cemetery, Thompson Falls.
Arrangements were by Grogan Funeral Home of Polson.
Sister Cecilia Seymour
ST. IGNATIUS - A memorial mass will be held for Sr. Cecilia Seymour at the St. Ignatius Mission Church on Sunday, April 6, at 2 p.m.
Sister Cecilia Seymour, 98, an Ursuline nun, died on March 15, 2003, at the Ursuline Convent Retirement Home in Santa Rosa, Calif.
Sister Cecilia, known to her many students as Mother Cecilia, taught for nearly 30 years at the St. Ignatius Mission School. During that time she touched many lives and brought unconditional love, hope and faith to her students and their families.
Memorial contributions may be made to the St. Ignatius Mission, Box 667, St. Ignatius 59865.
Betty Jean Gafford
POLSON - Betty Jean Gafford, 77, of Polson died of natural causes on Wednesday; March 26, 2003, at the St. Luke Extended Care Facility in Ronan.
Betty was born March 28, 1925, in Polson, the daughter of Doc and Gladys Corrigan.
She was preceded in death by her parents; a half-brother, Don Corrigan, and a brother, Jack Corrigan.
She is survived by two daughters Arla Tree of Stevensville and Linda Gafford of Florida; a son, Carl D. Gafford of Polson; seven grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren. She will be missed by her family and friends for her great sense of humor.
At her request, cremation has taken place and no services are planned.
The family requests memorials to the charity of the donor's choice.
Shrider's Mortuary of Ronan assisted with arrangements.
Mary Elizabeth "Betty" Fenger
CHESTER - Mary Elizabeth "Betty" Fenger, 80, former Polson resident, died peacefully March 26, 2003, at the Liberty County Hospital in Chester.
She was born April 18, 1922, in Gilliam, La. She spent her early life in Louisiana where she received her elementary education at Belcher. Her mother married a Montana farmer, Scott Benjamin, as Betty grew up with her two sisters in north central Montana.
Betty finished her school in Galata and graduated in 1940.
She married Herbert W. Fenger on March 25, 1941, in Joplin. They made their home on Herb's farm seven miles north of Lothair.
John A. Dowdall
POLSON - John A. Dowdall, former banker in Anaconda and Polson, died Sunday evening, March 30, 2003, in Tucson, Ariz. at the age of 78. The cause of death was heart failure.
He was born in Anaconda to Michael and Katherine Dowdall, Irish immigrants of Anaconda via Massachusetts, and raised in the eastern part of Anaconda, which he frequently and affectionately referred to as "Goosetown," its local nickname.
He graduated from St. Peter's High School in 1942, where he was an avid baseball, basketball and football player. He served in the U.S. Navy from 1942 until 1945, spending much of the time in the Pacific theater stationed on the ship, Belleau Wood. He graduated from the University of Montana in 1950.
Prior to entering banking, he was a high school teacher and coach in Virginia City, Dillon and Anaconda. He began his banking career at the then Daly Bank. From 1969 until 1973 he was the State Banking Commissioner under Governor Forrest Anderson. Following that he founded First Citizens Bank in Polson, where he was president until his retirement in 2001.
William Russell Alexander
POLSON - William Russell Alexander, 80, of Polson went to be with the Lord on May 22, 2003. He died on May 22, 2003, at St. Patrick Hospital in Missoula.
William was born March 30, 1923 in Brookfield, Ohio, to William and Della (Stewart) Alexander. He grew in Brookfield and attended schools there. William attended Ohio State University before serving in the U.S. Army. He served in the European Theater during WWII, where he followed General Patton across Europe. After his military service William returned to Ohio.
He married Nola Knowles on Oct. 25, 1947, in Wayne, Ohio. They lived in Ohio, where William worked for Ohio Edison and American Steel until 1966.
He and Nola moved their family to Polson where he worked for Bonneville Power. He continued to work for Bonneville Power and Mission Valley Power after moving to Hot Springs in 1969. He resided there until moving back to Polson in 1989.
William raised horses and had a great love for Morgan horses.
He loved Montana and the outdoors. He enjoyed fishing and hunting.
He also attended the First Baptist Church in Polson.
He was preceded in death by his wife Nola, his parents, son Thomas Earl Alexander and grandson Ryan Alexander.
He is survived by two sons and their wives, Russell and Joyce Alexander of Williamson, N.Y., and Dale and Loan Alexander of Polson; nine grandchildren, Bridget Alexander of Bristol, Rhode Island, Bryan Alexander of Alexandria, Va., Mia Alexander and Trisha Alexander both of Polson, Joseph Alexander of Kalispell, Matthew Alexander and his wife Katie, Jason Alexander and wife Sara, Jessica Alexander and Joanna Alexander, all of Williamson; a great- granddaughter, Annie Mae Alexander, and his former daughter-in-law, Diane Farnes of Kalispell.
Funeral services will be held today (Thursday, May 29) at 11 a.m. at the First Baptist Church, Polson, with the Rev. Rudy Ringhoff officiating.
Military honors will be held at the church and a reception will follow. Graveside services with military honors will be held at 3 p.m. Thursday at the Murray Memorial Cemetery, Lonepine.
Memorial gifts are suggested to the First Baptist Church.
Arrangements are by Grogan Funeral Home, Polson.
