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Louis E. 'Bud' Printz Jr.
MISSOULA - Louis E. "Bud" Printz Jr. passed away April 6, 2001, after a hard-fought battle with cancer.
He was born Nov. 11, 1917, in Corvallis, the son of Nellie (Powell) and Louis E. Printz Sr. and grandson of Bitterroot pioneers Jim and Elvira Powell and John and Henrietta Printz. His was the second generation of the Printz family born in the Bitterroot. Bud attended elementary school in Hamilton Heights and graduated from Corvallis High School. He was known for his rebel spirit and mischievous ways.
In 1938 he met Mamie Lande on a Friday the 13th blind date. They recently had celebrated their 60th anniversary with family and friends.
He was a decorated veteran of World War II, enlisting in 1943 and serving with the "Old Breed" of the 1st Marine Division. He was with them as they were awarded Presidential Unit Citations by President Franklin Roosevelt for action on Pelelu and again by President Harry Truman for action on Okinawa.
After the war, the 1st Division was transferred to China to accept the surrender of Japanese troops who refused to surrender to the Chinese. Arriving at Peking, he found himself in the unthinkable position of defending the Japanese from their Chinese tormentors who were seeking revenge for Japanese atrocities. One of his few comments about the war was that he had "seen the very best and the very worst of human capabilities."
After returning to the States in 1945, Bud worked in the logging industry, moving his family to Darby, Hamilton, Tuscor, Rexford, Grantsdale and finally Missoula.
After a serious close call working in the woods, Bud left the timber industry and entered into heavy construction, working until his retirement in 1979. Bud and Mamie traveled the western United States for the next 13 years as snowbirds. After they returned to Missoula, they lived on the Printz Gelbvieh Ranch at Arlee. Bud loved the ranch and the animals, especially his two burros, Pistol and Molly. He had an enormous affection for animals and many a stray or injured animal benefited from his care.
Bud was a man's man, fiercely independent with a deep-rooted philosophy for honest hard work. He was proud of saying he had never drawn a day's unemployment or had a day's paid vacation in his entire life. He was known for his sharp wit and incredible memory for names, dates, events and all the details.
Bud is survived by his loving wife Mamie at the family home; daughters Jo Printz Krieg of Missoula and Peggy Printz Froio of Las Vegas; sons Ronald and wife Karen, and Jerry, all of Missoula; seven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Graveside services will be 1 p.m. Wednesday, April 11, at Sunset Memorial cemetery. A reception at the cemetery will follow.
As we lay our old warrior to rest, in proud sorrow, we mark the end of an era.
The Malletta Family of Funeral Homes, Sunset Chapel, assisted the family with arrangements.
Sister Mary Lois
(Anna Mary Rochester)
SPOKANE - Sister Mary Lois (Anna Mary Rochester), 94, died on April 8, 2001, at Mount St. Joseph in Spokane after 69 years as a Sister of Providence.
She was born Sept. 28, 1906, in Tuxedo, Md., to Samuel H. and Mary Lou (Zura) Rochester, the second of 13 children. She became a Catholic in 1928, entered the Novitiate of the Sisters of Providence in 1932 and professed her final vows in 1936.
Her ministry assignments included telephone operator at St. Patrick Hospital in Missoula from 1936 to 1950.
Survivors include her sister Mabel Suitter of Smelterville, Idaho; brother Floyd Rochester of Libby; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Funeral Mass will be celebrated 9:30 a.m. Wednesday, April 11, at Mount St. Joseph, 12 W. Ninth Ave, in Spokane. Burial will follow at Holy Cross cemetery.
Ora Evelyn Clark
KALISPELL - Ora Evelyn Clark, 87, passed away on April 6, 2001, at Kalispell Regional Medical Center.
She was preceded in death by her husband Robert Clark on Dec. 29, 1999.
Survivors include her sons Dave of Seattle, and Roger and wife, Nancy, of Valley Center, Calif.; grandson Jeff Clark of Kirkland, Wash.; granddaughter Sandy Rota and husband, Brett, of Henderson, Nev.; sister Helen Simpson and husband, Hap, of Kalispell; sister-in-law Opal Cameron of Kalispell; and several nieces, nephews and their families.
A memorial celebration was held Monday at Epworth United Methodist Church. Burial will be at Conrad Memorial cemetery.
Memorials may be made to the Epworth United Methodist Church, 329 Second Ave. E., Kalispell, MT 59901.
Cremation and arrangements are by Johnson Mortuary.
Carol M Davis
MISSOULA - Carol M Davis of Missoula went home to the Lord on Tuesday, April 3, 2001.
She was born in Jeffers on Nov. 24, 1935, one of 15 children.
Carol was preceded in death by her parents George and Helen Mainwaring of Ennis; brothers David, Stephen, John and Dale Kent; and sisters Anna and Laura.
She is survived by her brothers Russel, George, Mick, Stan and Keith; sisters Doris, Marian and Janet; her husband Neal E. Davis; son Steve Ed Nichols; daughter Laura June Sharp of Missoula; son Shawn Davis of Butte; grandchildren Danielle, Bridger, Lacie, Chelsea, Benjamin, Jennifer, Courtney, Cody, Shawnte and Samantha; great-grandchildren Donald Joseph, David Alan and Evangelos Jacob; many much-loved nieces and nephews and several foster children.
Carol was very active in the Awana Club at the Missoula Alliance Church and cared very much for all of the children in the program. In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate any donations to the Awana Club in care of Missoula Alliance Church.
A memorial service will be 2:30 p.m. Saturday, April 14, at Missoula Alliance Church, 100 E. Foss Court. A reception will follow at the church.
Henry S. 'Hank' Cox
BILLINGS - Henry S. "Hank" Cox, 78, passed away at his Billings home March 30, 2001, following a valiant four and one-half year fight against lung cancer.
He was born Francis Wilkes in Chicago on March 24, 1923, but was adopted when he was 6 weeks old by Henry D. and Kathryn Cox, who named him Henry Stuart Cox. At a young age, he moved with his father to Ohio, where he was raised by a loving extended family.
While a student at North Lima (Ohio) High School, he met his future wife Doris at a county music festival. "He was sitting behind me, and he had the brightest blue eyes and big smile. He was so cute!" she said. Their mutual love of music and singing was one of the interests Hank and Doris shared throughout their 56-year marriage.
Hank graduated from high school in 1941 and, in the fall, entered Kent State University on a baseball and basketball scholarship. World War II interrupted his education and he promptly enlisted in the U.S. Navy. He served in the Pacific on the aircraft carrier USS Wasp until his discharge in August 1945. He and Doris were married
during a brief leave in 1944.
After the war, Hank re-entered college under the GI Bill. In 1951, the family - by then numbering three children - moved to Laramie, Wyo., where Hank finished his degree in education at the University of Wyoming, attending classes by day and working at night to support his family. He then moved the family to Basin, Wyo. There he taught several high school subjects and coached all sports, including American Legion baseball.
In 1956 Hank moved the family - now with five children - to Billings, where he became a popular government teacher and coach at Billings Senior High School. He soon turned his love of government and politics into action when he was elected to the Billings City Council in the early 1960s.
In 1966 he was elected to his first term in the Montana House of Representatives. In 1968 Hank unsuccessfully ran for state superintendent of public instruction. In 1970 he was re-elected to his former seat in the Legislature, where he served two additional terms.
Hank's political career was interwoven with his love of teaching and sports, and he continued teaching full time and coaching golf until his retirement in 1985. During 32 years in education, he touched the lives of many students, parents and fellow educators. When asked later in life what he had taught, he would always say, "I taught kids!"
For 15 years, he and Doris spent their winters in Hemet, Calif., where he was a fixture in their retirement community of Golden Village, organizing and running the Snowbird Golf League and participating in many activities. Hank always returned to Billings in time for baseball season, however, serving as the Billings Mustangs' public address announcer for 20 seasons until 1999.
Hank was a member of the Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd. Throughout his life, he was a faithful witness for Christ in the way he interacted with people and in his approach to life. He fought his disease with the same courage and sense of humor he displayed throughout his entire life.
He is survived by his wife Doris; children Karen Rasmussen of Springfield, Va.; David Cox of Scottsdale, Ariz.; Jeanne House of Mandan, N.D.; Mary Kimber of Wheatridge, Colo.; and Danny Cox of Missoula; 11 grandchildren, seven step-grandchildren, two great-grandchildren; and thousands of people he loved and who loved him.
