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Rae Willette
Rae Willette, 78, of Billings, died peaceably at home Friday, Sept. 25, 1998.
A private family memorial will be held. Cremation has taken place at Cremation or Funeral Gallery and Cremation Society of Montana.
Bill Alexander Sr.
BELLINGHAM, Wash. - Bill Alexander Sr., of Bellingham, passed away on Wednesday, Sept. 23, 1998, at St. Joseph Hospital. He was 89, born April 8, 1909, to Samuel and Agnes (Pearson) Alexander in Bearcreek, Mont., where he grew up. He graduated from Bearcreek High School in 1927 and from Montana State Normal College, Dillon, Mont., in 1930. Bill married
Helen Kamppinen on Aug. 6, 1932. For two years, Bill taught grade school at the Jackson School near Red Lodge, Mont. In 1935, they moved to Frannie, Wyo., where he taught for 10 years before becoming office manager for an independent oil company. In 1994, they moved to Bellingham to live with their son, Bill, and his wife, Marlene, in a comfortable first-floor apartment.
Bill was an avid fly fisherman, and he was a devoted, loving family man.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Helen, on Dec. 26, 1997.
Survivors include his son, Bill Alexander Jr. and wife, Marlene of Bellingham, four grandsons, two great-grandchildren, two nieces and one nephew.
Memorials may be made to Immanuel Bible Church, 2000 W. North St., Bellingham, WA 98225.
A funeral service will be held Saturday, Sept. 26, 1998, 1 p.m. at Jones-Moles Funeral Home, officiated by the Rev. David Erickson of Immanuel Bible Church. Burial, Bayview cemetery.
Arrangements by Jones-Moles Funeral Home & Cremation Service, 2465 Lakeway Drive at Yew Street.
Vernal 'Vern' Dishon
SIDNEY - Vernal "Vern" Dishon, 69, died Monday, Sept. 21, 1998, at the VA Medical Center in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 26, at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Sidney with interment in the Fairview cemetery. Fulkerson Funeral Home is in charge.
Timothy Arthur Olson
HELENA - Timothy Arthur Olson, 33, of Helena, died suddenly on Wednesday, Sept. 23, 1998. Tim was born Feb. 5, 1965, and raised in Billings, the son of Ray and Mary Olson. In 1983, he graduated from Billings West High. He received his B.S. in civil engineering in 1989 from Montana State University in Bozeman and pursued his M.S. in environmental engineering in 1991. Then in April of 1998, he attained the designation of Registered Professional Engineer (P.E.). What a proud day!
In high school Tim was active in cross country, Key Club, National Honor Society and was a Boys State delegate in 1982. In college, Tim was RA in Langford Hall, receiving the award for Outstanding Male RA of the Year. Later he accepted the position of resident director (RD) of Roskie Hall. These experiences challenged and developed Tim's character. He was there whenever you needed him. Often Tim would see others' needs, step in, and get them handled now!
Tim was currently employed by Montana Department of Transportation in Helena in their Environmental Services Bureau where he enjoyed his work developing wetlands and working in the remediation of hazardous materials sites. In August, he was in Billings working the wetlands for the new interchange on Laurel Road ... Interstate 90. He had been working for MDT for eight years.
The vicariously enjoyable stories Tim shared came from his adventurous experiences in Kodiak, Alaska, fish cannery, Tecate, Mexico, Christmas mission project, Denver street living experience, Sailing Beyond, Malibu, Castaway, leading Young Life, Portland police rides, and hunting with his brothers, brothers-in-law and friends. Tim was a man on the move, loved life, and was energized by "in your face" confrontations as well as creative, generous acts from his heart.
But all the achievements and accreditations aside, Tim's faith in Jesus Christ was the center point of his life. His bold and honest character brought the subject up with anyone he felt had the need. For those he touched, Tim would even in his death, want them to know Christ's saving grace.
Survivors include Tim's parents; his 10 brothers and sisters and spouses, Michelle of Billings, Don (Karen) of Redlands, Calif., Karen Marie of Billings, Denise Frey of Great Falls, Debbie (Mike) Sevier of Glendive, Diane of Billings, John (Joyce) of Billings, Paulette (Jack) DeLeonardo of Anacortes, Wash., Sharon (John) Pierre of Laramie, Wyo., and Kristie of Taco Bell, whoops of Billings; and 14 deeply cherished nieces and nephews. Tim had such a jovial spirit, a great smile, a big hug for all, and a big heart.
A Memorial Mass will be celebrated 11 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 26, at St. Pius X Church. Should friends desire, memorials, in lieu of flowers, may be directed to St. Pius X Church, 717 18th St. W., Billings, MT 59102, or Young Life of Montana, 402 N. 32nd, Billings, MT 59101. Michelotti, Sawyers & Nordquist has charge of arrangements.
Robert L. Richter
WORLAND, Wyo. - Robert L. Richter, 62, died Wednesday, Sept. 23, 1998, in a vehicle accident near Burlington.
Memorial services will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 29, at Bryant Funeral Home.
Lila Mae Stewart
AUGUSTA - Lila Mae Stewart, 70, passed away on Sept. 25, 1998, of injuries received when her horse fell with her while working on the family ranch in Augusta.
She was born April 14, 1928, at Helena, to Phillip and Ethel Bean. Lila Mae spent her early years on the family ranch, attending grade and high school at Augusta. She attended college at MSU-Bozeman. She was married
to Earl Stewart on April 20, 1949, in Helena. After several years they opened Stewart's Saddlery in Missoula in 1954 and operated it for 30 years.
Lila Mae was noted as one of the outstanding barrel racers at Montana and the Northwest. She won or placed at most of the major rodeos, including wins at Spokane and Kennewick, Wash., Cheyenne, and the Montana Circuit Finals. Her career included two trips to the National Finals Rodeo in Oklahoma City. She served as Northern Region director of the Women's Professional Rodeo Association for six years and is a gold card member of that association. Her life was horses and family.
Survivors include her husband, Earl Stewart of Augusta; a daughter, Jackie Stewart of Great Falls; a son, Curt Stewart of Wolf Point; and three grandchildren.
Cremation has taken place. At her request, no services will be held. Croxford & Sons Funeral Home of Great Falls was in charge of cremation.
Richard Wallace
Richard Lloyd Wallace, 67 of Billings, passed away at his home Friday morning, Sept. 25, 1998, in the care of his family and Big Sky Hospice.
Richard was born Nov. 10, 1930, in Red Lodge, the son of Lloyd and Helen Wallace. He spent four years in the U.S. Navy, from 1948 to 1951 and was Engineer 3rd Class. After being discharged, he worked for the Union Carbide Corp. as an industrial gas manager for 26 years. He then went to work for Valley Welder Supply for nine years in the same capacity.
When he retired, Richard enjoyed taking care of his yard and flowers, visiting with his special neighbors, and hunting, fishing and camping in the Red Lodge area that he loved so much.
Richard was preceded in death by his parents and is survived by his wife, Eileen of Billings; his three sons, Mike (Larilyn) of Reno, Nev., Tony of Ely, Nev., and Douglas (Anita) of Billings; his two brothers, Raymond and Paul, and his sister, Janice Rude, all of Billings; nine grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.
Cremation has taken place. A memorial service will be held 1 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 29, at Michelotti, Sawyers & Nordquist Alderson Chapel. Memorials may be sent to Big Sky Hospice, P.O. Box 35033, Billings, MT 59107 or Christ The King Lutheran Church, 759 Newman Lane, Billings MT 59101.
'Mel' Lloyd Werdal
SCOBEY - "Mel" Lloyd Werdal, 70, passed away Friday, Sept. 25, 1998, in the Daniel's Memorial Hospital in Scobey.
Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 29, in the Scobey Lutheran Church. Cremation will follow. Waller Funeral Home of Scobey is in charge of arrangements.
Cheryl Ann Fleming
MILES CITY - Cheryl Ann Fleming, 52, died Tuesday, Aug. 11, 1998, at her home in Miles City of cancer.
A prayer service will be at 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 13, in the chapel of Stevenson and Sons Funeral Home in Miles City. Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Friday, Aug. 14, at Grace Bible Church with interment in the family lot in the Custer County cemetery.
Leita Eulala Buckingham
BUFFALO, Wyo. - Leita Eulala Buckingham, 86, died Monday, Aug. 10, 1998, at the Johnson County Memorial Hospital.
Visitation will be 1-10 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 12, and 8-9:30 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 13, at the Adams Funeral Home Chapel in Buffalo. Services will be at 10 a.m. Thursday at the chapel with interment in the Willow Grove cemetery.
George R. Berge
GLASGOW - George R. Berge, 74, died Sunday, Aug. 9, 1998, in Glasgow of natural causes.
Services will be at 11 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 13, at the First Lutheran Church in Glasgow with interment in the Sunset Rest cemetery in North Frazer. Bell Mortuary of Glasgow is in charge.
Ione V. Wetzel
GLASGOW - Ione V. Wetzel, 64, died Monday, Aug. 10, 1998, at the Frances Mahon Deaconess Hospital in Glasgow of heart failure.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Friday, Aug. 14, at the First Lutheran Church with interment in the Highland cemetery. Bell Mortuary of Glasgow is in charge.
Ora Jeanette Barr
LAUREL - Ora Jeanette Barr, 92, of Laurel, passed away Sunday, Aug. 9, 1998, at Evergreen Care Center in Laurel. She was born in Iowa in 1906 to Emily and Bert Shaffer. She was the eldest of three sisters. When Ora was 11, she and her family moved to Edgar and later to Laurel. She graduated from Laurel schools and married
Russell E. Barr in 1925. Together they had three daughters and one son: Lenore Easton of Laurel, Trevie Livingston of Pomona, Calif., Bonnie Latham of Joliet and Bernard E. Barr of Billings.
Ora was very active in the Laurel Methodist Church and United Methodist Women. She belonged to the Laurel Federated Woman's Club for many decades. She was a homemaker all of her married
years.
She is survived by her children, 10 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren, all of whom she loved dearly. She had been in ill health for 10 years and resided at the Evergreen Care Center.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Russell; her two sisters, Meredith Pewitt Rydell, Mildred Shaffer; and one great-grandchild, Stacy Owens.
Cremation has taken place and a memorial service is planned for a later time. Smith Funeral Chapel of Laurel was in charge of arrangements.
Marian Jacobson Kirkness
Marian Jacobson Kirkness passed from our lives Aug. 9, 1998, but she'll never leave our hearts. She goes to join her loving husband, Duane, who passed in 1994; her adoring son-in-law, Ken (1990); her beloved grandson, Tyson (1997); and precious great-grandson, Jordan (1993).
Marian was born in Valley City, N.D., on Oct. 12, 1918, into a loving family of five brothers and three sisters. Her parents were Omund and Mary Jacobson. Marian lived her life to the fullest, and her zeal for life was contagious to all around her. In 1936, she played in the Softball World Series at Chicago's Wrigley Field and again in 1937 at Chicago's Soldier Field. That milestone was inevitable; her ambition cited in her senior yearbook was to be an Olympic Athlete.
In 1941, when Marian was 23, she traveled to Seattle, Wash., and went to work for Boeing. There she met her future husband, Duane Kirkness. They were married
in April 1943 and moved to Billings in 1948. They shared three beautiful children together: David, who resides in Billings, Jim, who resides in Missoula, and Rosemary, who also resides in Billings.
Marian wore many hats. She worked for the Northern Pacific Lunchroom, the Yellowstone County Election Department and the Motor Vehicle Department. A husband, children, and work did little to quell Marian's love of sports and activity. Winning many trophies and awards, she was inducted into the Billings Bowling Hall of Fame in 1987. After retiring from work, she never considered retiring from life. Besides playing Bridge twice a week with friends, she spent many hours in her flower and vegetable gardens. It's been known for years that hers was the prettiest yard on the block.
Her passion for antique glass provided many special hours of fun for those who shared her interest. Every antique store from Seattle to Billings and farther was visited by Marian and the faithful few who shared her passion. What fun times she had collecting glass and beautiful hutches to hold all those precious treasures. Marian had so much to share. She taught everybody she knew something about life. But, she didn't teach by telling, she taught by living. She was generous, loving, and kind. Her house was always open to the family that she cherished. There was David and his wife, Deani, Jim and his wife, Kim, Rosemary and her husband, Kenny. Marian had five grandsons for whom she was very proud, four granddaughters that were her darlings, and eight great-grandchildren, the joy of her life, who kept her young and vital through her later years.
In sorrow we bid her good-bye, but the love and devotion that she showered upon the ones she loved will never be forgotten. She is in our hearts forever!
A memorial service will be held in her garden at 515 16th St. West, Billings, on Aug. 15, 1998, at 10 a.m. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to Billings Hospice whose gentle care helped Marian through her final journey, aided by her special Hospice angel Terri Berrish, whom we send our gratitude and appreciation.
John Michael Madler
John Michael Madler, 84 years old, of Baker passed away on Sunday, Aug. 9, 1998, at Aspen View in Billings. He was born on Oct. 30, 1913, the son of Joseph and Rosa Lampl Madler on the family homestead north of Baker. As a lad, John attended the O'Donnell School when the school calendar fluctuated to accommodate farm kids who worked at home. He joined the Civilian Conservation Corps assigned to the Big Fork and Missoula areas. John Michael married
Bertha Rose Paul on Jan. 18, 1948. They raised their daughters on the family homestead. After retiring from the farm, John spent summer days gardening and sharing his produce, from artichokes to zucchini, with friends He enjoyed many tours with Bertha including Alaska, Hawaii and Nashville. In October of 1997, John and Bertha moved to Billings to be nearer to their daughters.
When the sun goes below the horizon he is not set; the heavens glow for a full hour after his departure. And when a great and good man sets, the sky of this world is luminous long after he is out of sight. Such a man cannot die out of the world. When he goes he leaves behind him much of himself. Being dead, he speaks. We cannot describe John's generosity, humor, and honesty. We remember him for his dedication to his Lord, his family and his land. He lived unselfishly and his heritage goes on. He taught us to persevere in hard times, to celebrate good times, and to lean on the Lord at all times, Thank you. We love you dearly.
John was preceded in death by his parents, Joseph and Rosa Madler; siblings, Louis (L.J.), Charles, Margaret; and a daughter, Rita Rose Madler.
Survivors include: his wife of 50 years, Bertha; three daughters, Lynne (John) Weber, Rayna (Scott) Weiss, all of Billings, and Gale (Gordon) Williams of Bozeman; a sister, Helen Hensieigh of Kalispell; and a brother, Robert (Trudy) of Sparks, Nev.
A memorial has been established for the Big Sky Hospice, Box 35033, Billings, MT 59107.
Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Wednesday, Aug. 12, 1998, at 11 a.m. in the St. John's Catholic Church with Father Thomas Tobin officiating. Rosary Vigil will be held on Tuesday, Aug. 11, 1998, at 7:30 p.m. in the Stevenson's Funeral Home. Burial will be in the Family lot of the St. John's Catholic cemetery, all in Baker.
Ione Mauch
Ione Mauch, 71, passed away Saturday, Aug. 8, 1998. She was born Aug. 22, 1926, in Cooperstown, N.D.
Dearly beloved wife, mother and grandmother. She will be missed deeply.
Survivors include her husband of 49 years, Ernest; eight sons: Marvin, Harlan and wife, Luanne, Martin and his wife, Wyoma, of Billings; Merle and his wife, Susan of Livingston; Neil, Evan and his wife, Tammey of Billings; Les of Georgia; Sidney and his wife, Donna of Miles City; and 13 grandchildren. She was preceded in death by a son, Eric.
Cremation has taken place. Memorial Services will be at Hope Evangelical Church, 5554 Grand Ave., on Wednesday, Aug. 12, 1998, at 1 p.m. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to Ernest Mauch, 8 Adams, Billings, Mont. 59101.
Alexander (Alex) Shimskey
Alex Shimskey, 79, of Park City, passed away Sunday, Aug. 9, 1998, at Stillwater Convalescent Center. Alex was born Aug. 7, 1919, in Baxter, W.Va., to Michael and Eva Capp Shimskey. He graduated from Baxter High School in 1937. Alex married
Betty Kinney, of Park City, March 20, 1943, in Renton, Wash. On Sept. 9, 1940, he enlisted for six years in the US Navy. He was on active duty on the USS California at Pearl Harbor when it was attacked. Alex's ship was sunk but he was one of the survivors of this historic attack. He received an Honorable Discharge on Nov. 26, 1946, after World War II ended and moved back to Park City with his wife, Betty, where they raised three sons, Mike, Pat and Danny. Alex was employed with the Northern Pacific Railroad in Laurel until retirement in 1980 after 31 years.
Alex enjoyed fishing, gardening, and most of all visiting with his neighbors and friends in Stillwater and Yellowstone counties. He was a member of American Legion, Non-Commissioned Officers Association, and a life member of Pearl Harbor Survivors.
Alex was preceded in death by his wife, Betty; oldest son, Mike; and his parents. Survivors include sons, Pat (Eileen) Shimskey of Billings, Danny (Barbara) Shimskey of Park City; and four grandchildren, Pam (Jose) Madrigal of Denver, Colo., Rick (Lori) Shimskey of Kennewick, Wash., and Becky and Dannielle Shimskey of Park City.
Graveside interment of ashes is 2 p.m. Friday, Aug. 14, 1998, at Park City cemetery. Cremation or Funeral Gallery is in charge of arrangements. In lieu of flowers, memorials in Alex's name may be made to Stillwater Convalescent Center, P.O. Box 789, Columbus, MT 59019. A special thanks to all the staff at the Center for the outstanding love and treatment given to our father. God Bless you all.
