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Lt. Col. Randolph Perry Jr.
Graveside services with full military honors will be conducted at 11 a.m. on Saturday at the Troy cemetery for Lt. Col. Randolph A. (Larry) Perry Jr., U.S. Air Force.
Larry was a radar/navigator aboard an Air Force B52 that was shot down on Dec. 20, 1972, on a mission over Hanoi.
Listed as missing in action for 30 years, his unidentified remains were turned over to the United States by North Vietnam in 1985. Due to advances in DNA technology, Larry’s remains were positively identified in 2003.
Born on June 17, 1937 in California to Randolph Perry and Hope Mayfield Perry, Larry came to Troy with his family in 1939.
Raised and educated at Troy, Larry graduated from Troy High School with the Class of 1956.
He attended college briefly before entering the U.S. Air Force, later becoming an officer and serving multiple tours of duty overseas, including Vietnam.
He was the recipient of several distinguished service awards and was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Air Medal and the Purple Heart.
Survivors include sons William Perry of Fresno, Calif., and Troy Perry, Olympia, Wash.; sisters and brothers Janet Pearson, Troy, James Perry, Fresno, Calif., and Gary Perry and Sharon Perry, both of Tucson, Ariz., and four grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his parents.
Arrangements are under care of the Nelson & Vial Funeral Home.
Jody Denning
Jody Denning, 51, died on June 8, 2004, at Libby.
He was born on Nov. 20, 1952, at Malta, to Ray and Dot Denning, and came to Libby in 1960.
Jody attended Libby schools and had been employed in various fields including work on the Libby Dam Project and later in mining and auto sales.
He lived in the Flathead Valley for 13 years where he enjoyed breeding and training horses.
Jody returned to Libby three years ago.
Survivors include daughters Shannon Nagle, Libby, and Krista Ray, Kalispell; his mother Dot Denning, Libby; father Ray Denning, Kalispell; sisters Kathy Blauvelt and Dawn Weston and brother Jeff Denning, all of Kent, Wash., grandsons Austin and Ryan, along with several nieces and nephews.
Services will be conducted at 2 p.m. on Saturday at Milnor Lake cemetery.
Arrangements are under direction of Nelson & Vial Funeral Home.
Laura Seifert Hanlon
Laura Joele Seifert Hanlon, 36, died unexpectedly and unexplainably in the night between June 1 and June 2, 2004, at her home in Arnold, Mo.
She is survived by her husband Ryan Scot Hanlon and their children Elizabeth Jean, Paul Cecil and Nathan Orion; her parents Steven Seifert, Troy, and Sharon Tisher Slaback and her husband Gary of Geraldine; brother Jade Seifert and his wife Annie, Missoula; father-in-law Paul Hanlon and sister-in-law Kara Hanlon in Kentucky; brother-in-law Marc and his wife Dianne Hanlon in California, and their children.
She was preceded in death by grandparents Dr. Paul and Jean Seifert and Les and Jackie Tisher; mother-in-law Jeni Hanlon and cousin Adam Seifert.
Born on Sept. 11, 1967, at Libby, Laura graduated from Columbia Falls High School and attended the University of Montana where she met and married
Ryan Hanlon.
As a child, some of Laura’s happiest times were spent with family at Bull Lake, where Grandma Jean Seifert made a fellow water nymph of her.
Wanting their children to have the same unforgettable summers, Laura and Ryan returned to Montana annually and considered Angel Island a second home. Laura had previously expressed her wish that Montana to be her final resting spot, and her cremains will be returned here later this summer.
Laura is cherished and missed by a large and loving group of extended family members and friends including Jim and Jennifer Seifert, Troy, and Paul and Paula Tisher, Libby.
Condolences may be sent to Sharon and Gary Slaback, P.O. Box 255, Geraldine, MT 59446 and to Steve Seifert, currently at the Ryan Hanlon home, 2351 Oaker Drive, Arnold, MO 63010.
Irene Thompson
Irene V. Thompson, 83, of Libby, died on June 9, 2004, at the Libby Care Center.
She was born on Nov. 17, 1920, at Spirit Lake, Idaho, to Donald and Edna Burgeson MacPhail.
Irene graduated from Spirit Lake High School in 1938 and married
Gene Thompson on Sept. 28, 1940 at Priest River, Idaho.
Irene worked for Simpson’s Variety in Priest River, was a member and past matron in the Order of the Eastern Star and also a guardian of Job’s Daughters.
After moving to Libby in 1952, Irene worked at Chapman’s Variety and also managed Santa’s Warehouse and Big T’s Discount.
She helped start the missions store at the Libby Christian Church.
Irene enjoyed gardening, square dancing, canning and taking care of people.
She was a longtime member of the Libby Christian Church.
Survivors include her husband Gene, Libby; children Fred Thompson and his wife Merry, Libby; Sharon Raynor, Sandpoint, Idaho; Patty Thompson, Libby; sisters Viola Broesch, Spokane, and Florence White and her husband Duffy, Rathdrum, Idaho; 12 grandchildren and 29 great-grandchildren.
Services were conducted at 1 p.m. Monday at the Libby Christian Church.
Arrangements are under care of the Nelson & Vial Funeral Home.
Gladys Eva Bower
Gladys (Eva) Bower, 83, of Missoula, died at her home on June 5, 2004.
She was born to Oscar and Marie Martin on June 7, 1920 at Colville, Wash.
preceded in death by her husband Bennie, Eva is survived by her children Martin and his wife Linda Bower, Troy; Eva Poor and her husband Norman, Missoula; Roxie Sterling and her husband Dave, Seeley Lake, and Bud Bower and his wife LaVonne, Kalispell.
She is also survived by brothers Ernest, Everett and Joseph and their wives and sister-in-law Hallie Sharp, 21 grandchildren, 59 great-grandchildren, 10 great-great-grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.
Services will be conducted at 11 a.m. on Saturday at the Christian Life Center chapel with Pastor Don Johnson officiating.
Burial at Missoula City cemetery will be followed by a reception in the Christian Life Center auditorium.
Memorials may be sent to Norman and Eva Poor, 11680 Skagway, Missoula MT 59808.
Alene Sokoloski
Alene F. Sokoloski, 78, a 49-year resident of Libby, died on Monday, June 7, 2004 at the Libby Care Center.
She was born on July 29, 1925, at Spokane, to Oscar and Oneata Tucker Stempel.
Raised and educated in Spokane, Alene came to the Kootenai Valley in 1955. She married
David Sokoloski in 1969.
Alene enjoyed gardening, planting flowers and vegetables and working in her greenhouse.
A constant hunting companion to members of her family, she was known for her amazing “spotting” abilities.
She was also a card player extraordinaire, playing every known card game.
Alene will be remembered by family members and friends for voicing her opinions openly and never suffering fools gladly.
Survivors include her husband Dave, Libby; her children Alene Adkison, Hollis, Alaska, Mike Noble in Washington, Cathy Bauer, Libby, Debbie Noble, Spokane, and Ken Noble, Libby; step-children Dan Sokoloski, Asotin, Wash., Debbie Sellers and Don Sokoloski, both of Great Falls, Dean Gregory, Helena and Dorothy Little, Payson, Ariz.; sister Hazel Eby, Bonners Ferry, Idaho, 35 grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren.
Services will be conducted at 2 p.m. Friday at the Nelson & Vial Funeral Home Chapel.
Sadie Emmaline Wicen
Former Troy resident Sadie Emmaline Wicen, 106, died on Tuesday, June 8, 2004, at the Colonial Manor in Whitefish.
She was born on Oct. 12, 1897, at Indian Prairie, Wash., just outside of Spokane, to Louis and Nella Nopp.
Sadie grew up and attended schools in Washington and Montana and lived most of her life in the Whitefish and Troy areas.
She married
Jimmy Wicen on March 17, 1942.
Sadie cooked in restaurants throughout northwest Montana, at Whitefish, Troy, Hot Springs, Plains and Missoula.
She loved quilting, crafts, growing flowers and playing with her grandchildren.
Baptized and confirmed in Holy Nativity Episcopal Church in Whitefish, she also belonged to the Women of the Moose Lodge 597 for 48 years and to the Mountain View Rebekah Lodge of Whitefish for 35 years.
She was preceded in death by her parents, siblings Mary Courser, Ethel Klaven, Alice Kelly and George Nopp; her husband Jimmy Wicen, son Carl Goldsmith, stepsons Lowell Goldsmith and Robert Wicen, granddaughter Linda Lund and great-grandson Travis Hanson.
Survivors include daughter Marion Carr, step-daughter Frances Wicen, four grandchildren, 13 great-grandchildren, 18 great-great-grandchildren and lifelong friends Joe and Glady Weltz.
Graveside services will be conducted at 1 p.m. Friday at the Glacier Memorial Gardens cemetery in Kalispell with the Rev. Frank Johnson officiating.
Austin Funeral Home in Whitefish is in charge of arrangements.
Winnie Hostetler-Carosella
Former Libby resident Winnie Hostetler-Carosella, 85, died on June 1, 2004, in California.
She was born on Sept. 14, 1918, at Calgary, Canada, to Wendell and Edith Gage.
She married
Bill Hostetler in 1940 and in 1950 they moved to Libby where they raised their three children.
Winnie worked for 25 years as a legal secretary for Shelton Williams at the Lincoln County Title Company.
She made many friends through her contacts with the courthouse, teaching Sunday School classes at the United Methodist Church, square dancing for three decades and playing pinochle with family members, friends and neighbors.
After retiring in 1980, Winnie and Bill moved to Spokane but maintained contact with Libby friends through visits to Libby and entertaining Libby people who traveled to Spokane.
Bill Hostetler died in 1996, and four years later Winnie married
Phil Carosella, a former high school friend.
After Phil’s death in 2001, Winnie moved to California to be near her daughter Gayle and some of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Survivors include son Dennis Hostetler, Collinsville, Ill.; daughters Gayle Henderson, Mission Viejo, Calif., and Janice Hostetler, Seattle; sister Gerry Gama, San Jose, Calif., five grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Cremation took place at the O’Connor LaGuana Hills Mortuary and a memorial service will be conducted on Saturday, June 12, at the home of her daughter Gayle Henderson at Mission Viejo.
Johnathan Wilson
Johnathan Wilson, 21, of Troy, died Saturday, June 5, 2004, in a one-vehicle accident in Washington, where he was working.
He was born on July 5, 1982, at Borger, Texas, to Tracy and Yvonne Wilson.
Johnathan grew up in the Troy area, attending schools at Sylvanite and Troy.
He had an outgoing personality and loved playing the guitar and playing pool with his dad.
Johnathan had worked mostly in construction.
Survivors include his parents, Tracy Wilson, Troy, and Yvonne Dunihoo in Colorado; sisters Heidi Wilson in Troy and Jessica Casias in Colorado; brothers Tracy Jr., Richard, James and Jeremy, all in Colorado; step-father Will Dunihoo in Colorado, fiancée Trisha Wilkes of Libby and numerous aunts, uncles, cousins and nieces and nephews.
Services will be conducted in Colorado.
Bryn Nelson
Carol Bryn Nelson, 50, died on May 26, 2004, in Spokane, after a five-year battle with breast cancer.
She was surrounded by her loving family and the love and prayers of hundreds of friends, colleagues and students whose lives she had touched.
Born and raised in Libby, Bryn graduated from Libby High School in 1971 and earned degrees in elementary and special education from Eastern Montana College-Billings in 1976.
She married
Les Miller in 1981 in the Ross Creek Cedars near Bull Lake.
Their sons, Edward (Ted) Nelson Miller, 15, and Andrew Nelson Miller, 12, were born in Juneau, Alaska.
Teaching was her passion and her legacy is the education of hundreds of children, many of whom she taught to read.
Her philosophy was that there was not a child without potential, either in the regular classroom or a special education program.
Bryn taught at Browning, Ronan and Libby, and most recently in Juneau.
She retired in 2001, after 25 years of teaching, to move to Spokane, get out of the southeast Alaska rain, and warm up her bones.
There were no strangers in Bryn’s life, only friends she had not yet met. Her warmth and enthusiasm drew people to her and held them in the circle of her friendship. Her memory of people, places, dates and events endeared her to friends and family and earned her the title of family historian.
Bryn loved to travel and always had a trip planned. She had been to Greece, The Netherlands and Germany, visiting friends and seeing places she had read about. She used these experiences and travel throughout the states in her teaching lessons.
Active in her church and the communities in which she lived, Bryn supported local events and her sons’ activities with time and enthusiasm. She was president of the local Delta Kappa Gamma chapter and was recording secretary for the state organization.
An unwavering supporter of breast cancer awareness, Bryn raised more than $10,000 for breast cancer research by participating in a 60-mile walk to Seattle in summer 2002, while she was being treated for the disease. She also walked in and spoke at smaller walks.
Bryn is survived by her husband Les and sons Ted and Andrew, parents Frank (Shorty) and Jenny Nelson, brother Joel Nelson, his wife Linda and their children Erik and Mali, sister Mary Beth Nelson, her husband Steve Paustian and their daughter Kari, sister Jennifer Nelson and her partner Ron Cummings and their children Seth, Sidney and Lucas, and many loving aunts, uncles and cousins.
Her husband’s family, the Millers, were an important part of Bryn’s life, and many happy occasions were celebrated at their farm in Cove, Ore.
Memorial services will be held at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Spokane at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, June 8. There was also a service at the Auke Bay School in Juneau at 11 a.m. on Thursday, June 3.
A celebration of Bryn’s life will take place in Libby in July.
In keeping with Bryn’s passion for education, a scholarship has been established at MSU-Billings for a Montana student earning a double degree in elementary and special education.
The family suggests memorials be made to the C. Bryn Nelson Scholarship, MSU Foundation, 1500 University Drive, Billings, 59101.
