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Olga Erickson
Longtime Libby educator Olga J. Erickson, 92, died Tuesday, Jan. 11, 2005, at Immanuel Lutheran Home in Kalispell.
She was born on Nov. 1, 1912, at Minot, N.D., to Ole and Johanna Wik.
In 1927, the family moved to Kalispell where Olga attended Flathead County High School, graduating as valedictorian of the Class of 1930.
Olga earned a bachelor’s degree with honors in English and Latin at the University of Montana, received her master’s in education from the University of Besancon in France in 1963, and was awarded the John Hay Fellowship for study at Yale University school of drama in 1965.
Olga taught English, Literature, Latin and French at Columbia Falls and for many years at Libby, before retiring in 1973.
She also coached speech and debate teams and participated in summer theater productions at the University of Montana.
Olga enjoyed a lifetime of involvement in the communities in which she lived. She loved their summer place on Flathead Lake, and enjoyed reading and sewing.
She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband William, and brother Melvin.
Survivors include her son Alan Erickson, Miami, Fla., daughter Lynda Morford, Scottsdale, Ariz.; brother Odin Wik, Renton, Wash.; sister Hilma Strom, Kalispell, and two grandchildren, Paul Erickson, Austin, Texas, and Amy Morford, Phoenix, Ariz.
Olga is being cremated and a memorial service will be held at a later date. Buffalo Hill Funeral Home and Crematory is caring for the family.
Della Hermsmeyer
Della Mae Hermsmeyer, 82, died on Saturday, Jan. 8, 2005, at her home in Libby.
She was born on April 30, 1922, at Rantoul, Ill., to William and Dorothy Brooks Reynolds.
She married
Robert Lowery in 1939 and they were later divorced. Her marriage to Joseph Marek in 1953 also ended in divorce.
In 1956, Della married
Richard Hermsmeyer.
They lived at Grantsdale before moving to Deer Lodge in 1959 and, after they retired, to Libby in 1980.
A gifted arts and crafter, Della at one time operated a craft store in Deer Lodge.
She loved animals, especially birds, and was active in the local bird society.
Della was preceded in death by a brother and her husband Richard Hermsmeyer.
Survivors include daughters Roberta Kaffenberger, Roundup, and Delene Morgan, Manchester, N.H.; son Walter Lee Marek, Deer Lodge, several grandchildren and great-grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.
Private family services are being held.
Donations may be made to organizations of the donor’s choice.
Arrangements are under direction of the Nelson & Vial Funeral Home.
Goldie Lindsey
Longtime Troy businesswoman Goldie Lindsey, 77, died on Jan. 10, 2005, at the Libby Care Center.
She was born on Nov. 8, 1927, at Helena, to Jake and Goldie Jacques Freeman.
On Aug. 13, 1947, Goldie married
Ray Lindsey and together they owned and operated the Ray Lindsey Insurance Agency.
After selling the business in the 1970s, Goldie continued to work as a Troy representative for various Libby insurance agencies.
She loved to travel, read and laugh, finding enjoyment in everything.
Active earlier in the Order of the Eastern Star, the Troy women’s bowling leagues and the Cabinet View Golf Club, Goldie also was a member of the LDS Church.
Survivors include her husband Ray Lindsey, Libby; sons Bim Lindsey and his wife Janice, Lincoln City, Ore.; Tim Lindsey and his wife Darla, Houston, Texas; brother Pete Waychoff and his wife Rosslyn, Libby; sister Joan Maynard and her husband Rusty, Troy; niece Chris Tallmadge, Troy, and other loving family members including numerous grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews.
Goldie once wrote, “Death to me is a door to the future through which we pass, not knowing what lies ahead, but beyond, loved ones who have gone before are waiting for us.”
Services will be conducted at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, at the Troy LDS Church.
Private graveside services will follow at a later date.
Memorials may be made to the Troy Tsunami Relief Fund.
Arrangements are by the Nelson & Vial Funeral Home.
Herbert Hudlet
Herbert Hudlet, 74, of Troy, who loved the Lord and desired to serve him, died on Jan. 5, 2005, following a sudden illness.
He was born on July 7, 1930, to Leo and Gertrude Hudlet at Buffalo, N.Y., where he lived until marrying Carolyn Brenner on Nov. 25, 1953.
Herb served with the U.S. Army’s 224th Infantry Regiment in Korea, 1950-1952, and was able to attend a couple of regiment reunions during the past few years.
He graduated from Letourneau Tech in Longview, Texas, with a bachelor’s degree in engineering before moving to Boise, Idaho, where he worked in corrections and law enforcement as a probation and parole officer and also served as a prison guard at the Idaho State Penitentiary.
After leaving corrections, Herb became a claims adjuster and moved to North Idaho in 1977.
His lifelong dream was to work in a Christian camp when he retired and in 1991 he and Carolyn helped tear down the old Troy depot so the lumber could be used to build cabins at Elohim Camp and Retreat Center.
In 1997, Herb and Carolyn helped incorporate and begin Majestic View Ministry, a family camp and conference center at Troy.
Moving to Troy in 1999, Herb worked year-round in construction and logging efforts, providing support and known as Grandpa Hudlet to all who came to the center.
He was a father and grandfather figure to many.
Herb drove the ski boat for the campers and many remember his “smirk” just before dumping someone off the tube. He enjoyed snow skiing with his brother and other family members, construction and tinkering in his shop, teaching young people new skills and talking to others about life in Christ.
He was looking forward to going to Romania to build play sets for orphans and underprivileged children, and was on the prayer chain of the Fellowship of Christian Firefighters International. He distributed Bibles published specifically for firemen and served as a board member of the Troy Volunteer Fire Department.
Herb was preceded in death by his parents and baby brother Ray.
Survivors include Carolyn Hudlet, his wife of 51 years, Troy; children and their spouses, Karen and her husband Nick Cooper, Edmonds, Wash.; Janet and her husband Clyde Miller, Troy; Sharon and her husband Mark Murdock, also of Troy; Bonnie Hudlet and Steve and his wife Lea Hudlet, Hayden, Idaho.
Herb is also survived by five siblings and their spouses, grandchildren Shad, Nicole, Marisa and Jordan Cooper, Pam and her husband Pete Tallmadge, Dianna, Loren, Mark, Alex, Luke, Nathaniel and Abigail Miller; Carolyn and her husband Tim Wallace, Lavender and Caleb Murdock; Micah, Joshua and Isaiah Hudlet, and great-grandchildren Isaac, Ian and Mikayla Cooper; Hannah Erich, Adam, Mackenzie and Katelynn Tallmadge, and numerous nieces, nephews and extended family throughout the United States and Germany, along with many friends who shared his life.
A memorial service will be conducted at 2 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 14, at the Coeur d’Alene Bible Church in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho.
A memorial fund has been established at Majestic View Ministry, 12150 Bull Lake Road, Troy MT 59935 with proceeds designated toward ministries that were closest to Herb’s heart.
Hazel Johnson
Hazel P. Johnson, 86, a Libby resident for the past four years, died on Friday, Jan. 7, 2005, at the Libby Care Center.
She was born on June 7, 1918 at Rose, Okla., to John Phillips and Ella Johnston Phillips.
She and her husband Dixie Wayne Johnson lived in Phoenix for many years.
Hazel was preceded in death by her husband in 1985 and she moved to Libby in 2000.
Survivors include her children, Kay Legere and her husband Cliff, Libby, Lee Johnson and his wife Claudia, Burlingame, Calif.; and grandsons Michael and Robert Johnson.
Services and interment will be conducted at National Memorial cemetery of Arizona in Phoenix.
Local arrangements are by Nelson & Vial Funeral Home.
Bill Johnston
William Sherman Johnston, born on Oct. 17, 1929, at Libby, to James and Mary Johnston, died on Dec. 30, 2004, at his home in Libby, surrounded by his family.
Except for the time he spent in the U.S. Army during the Korean War, Bill lived his entire life in Libby.
He retired in 1991 after 43 years employment at various positions in the lumber industry.
Bill and Valorie Palmer were married
on Oct. 17, 1954, at Libby and celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in August at a family gathering.
Bill met life’s challenges with courage, humor, dignity and hard work. That was also how he faced his battle with cancer. Never one to complain, when asked he simply replied that he was “okay,”
Dad and Mom’s strength and love, combined with the wonderful attention of many medical professionals, allowed him to be with us as long as possible.
Bill liked to do, rather than talk. He was a member of the Austin Reedy Post 97 of the American Legion, a former member of the Libby Rod and Gun Club, an active member of the Libby Senior Citizens Center, and when his sons were young a youth baseball coach and a scouting Dad.
He was preceded in death by his parents, sister Judy Johnston DePoto in New Jersey, brother Joe Johnston in Libby and sister Janet Johnston Logg in Seattle.
He is survived by his wife Valorie, Libby; daughter Thelma Hyde, Renton, Wash.; son Bill Johnston and his wife Dori in Missoula, and son Doug Johnston and his wife Karyn, Corvallis; grandchildren Teresa Hyde, Bellingham, Wash., Erik Johnston, Missoula, step-grandchildren Kevin Hayworth and Karinne Pearcy, Corvallis, and two step-great-grandchildren.
He is also survived by numerous nieces and nephews.
Known to his family as Hon, Dad, Papa and Grandpa, Bill filled our lives with wonderful adventures and memories, whether we were camping, fishing, hunting, skiing, on a Sunday picnic, dining out, playing cards or just visiting.
A man of few words, we knew when Dad said something, he meant it. His word was his oath.
Memorial services will be conducted at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 8, at the Nelson & Vial Funeral Home.
The family requests that memorials be made to the Libby Senior Citizens Center, the Libby Volunteer Ambulance or a charity of the donor’s choice.
Bill LaRoque
Former Libby resident John (Bill) W. LaRoque, 95, died Dec. 30, 2004, at his home in Missoula.
He was born on March 8, 1909, at Dodson, to Toby and Louise Kline LaRoque.
John started working on a cattle ranch in the Farenough area of Montana when he was 14 years old.
He then started working construction, employed on the Fort Peck Dam where he learned to operate heavy equipment.
He married
Clara Beaudry on Nov. 23, 1936.
John continued to work at Fort Peck and began working for the Civil Service.
He was involved in numerous projects such as dams, prisoner of war confinement camps and military air strips.
After the war he returned to the construction industry as an ironworker.
John worked on the Boeing plant, the Alaskan Way viaduct, the Space Needle and the Libby Dam, his last major project before retiring.
He was preceded in death by five sisters, eight brothers, a son Charles and three grandsons, Calvin, Linc and Tom.
Survivors include his wife Clara, Missoula, children Lena (Sissy) LaRoque, Missoula, Joy Scott and her husband Lloyd, Libby, Carol Jean LaRoque, Missoula, John LaRoque, Missoula and Jack LaRoque and his wife Barbara, Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, 12 grandchildren and five great grandchildren.
Services were conducted at 1 p.m. Monday at the Nelson & Vial Funeral Home.
Visitation was from 5-7 p.m. on Sunday with Rosary at 7.
Raleigh Smith
Cpl. Raleigh Clinton Smith, U.S. Marine Corps, was born on Dec. 7, 1983, at Libby and was raised and educated at Troy, graduating from Troy High School with the Class of 2002.
Two days after graduating from high school, Raleigh left for boot camp.
He loved fishing, hunting, trapping, camping, prospecting, long distance running and tennis.
He belonged to and was a charter member of the Troy Baptist Church.
Raleigh loved life, his family and friends. In May 2004 he became a proud uncle.
He loved school and learning, and had great respect for his teachers. He was looking forward to going to college and becoming a history teacher.
Raleigh was killed in action on Dec. 23, 2004, at Fallujah, Iraq.
He will be missed, always loved and never forgotten. One day we will be reunited with him in heaven.
He was preceded in death by his grandfather Frank Nelson.
Survivors include his parents, Raymond and Gail Smith, Troy; brother Ramsey, sister-in-law Traci and nephew Tyler James; grandparents Evelyn Nelson, Troy, Edel Elmont, Troy, and Ray Smith Sr., Payette, Idaho, and numerous aunts, uncles, cousins and close friends.
To them, Raleigh will always be their hero.
Visitation was from 5-8 p.m. on Monday at the Nelson & Vial Funeral Home.
Services were conducted at 2:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Troy High School gym.
Arrangements are under direction of the Nelson & Vial Funeral Home.
