Obituaries

Julie A. Turner, 72, of Havre died Saturday, Jan. 27, 2007, at Northern Montana Hospital of natural causes. Viewing will be held Wednesday at the Holland & Bonine Funeral Home from 11 a.m. to 4 p. m. Her funeral service will be held at 11 a. m. Thursday at the St. Jude Catholic Church with Tim Maroney officiating. Burial will follow at Highland Cemetery. Julie was born Sept. 26, 1934, in Havre to Julius and Severina “Marie” (Possenti) Morelli. She was raised and educated in Havre, graduating from Havre High School. After hig...

MALTA Sheila Mae Simanton, 76, retired owner of the Malta Mercantile, died Saturday, Jan. 27, 2007 at Phillips County Hospital of cancer. Her funeral service will be held at 11 a. m. Saturday at Malta Lutheran Church. Interment will be in the Malta Cemetery. Sheila was born Aug. 5, 1930, in Malta to Lochiel “Shingles” and Gladys (Tieden) Edwards. She graduated from the Malta High School in 1948 and attended Colorado Women's College. She returned to Malta and worked at the Malta Mercantile. She married Dwayne Simanton on Nov...

FORT BELKNAP Merrilyn (Black Tongue) Ricker, 36, died Friday, Jan. 26, 2007, at her residence in Havre from a drug overdose. Her funeral Mass will be Wednesday at 11 a.m. at the Red Whip Center with burial following at the Crazy Boy Family Cemetery south of Snake Butte. There will be a feed at the Red Whip Center following the burial. Wake service will begin at 5 p.m. today at the Red Whip Center with rosary recited at 7 p.m. Merrilyn was born to Caroline (Mountain) Crazy Boy and Ervin Black Tongue on Nov. 17, 1970, in...

CHINOOK Terry C. Goodbar, 96, of Chinook died Friday, Jan. 26, 2007, at Sweet Memorial Nursing Home due to natural causes. His funeral service will be Wednesday at 2 p.m. in the Edwards Funeral Home Chapel with burial following in Kuper Memorial Cemetery. Terry was born Dec. 1, 1910, in Indiana to Walter and Tesora (Terry) Goodbar. He attended school south of Chinook and worked on the family farm for a number of years. Terry moved to Chinook and worked in the Sanitation Department for the City of Chinook for 17 years. Terry...

HAYS George R. “Chinky” Doney, 78, died Friday, Jan. 26, 2007, at Fort Belknap Indian Health Center due to natural causes. His funeral Mass was scheduled for today at 10 a.m. at St. Paul's Catholic Church with burial following at Doney Owl Head Mountain Cemetery with military honors. His wake began Sunday at 5 p.m. at the Mission Recreation Center. His rosary was Monday at 7 p.m. at Mission Recreation Center. Chinky was born Sept. 22, 1928, to Dave and Ernestine (Fleury) Doney on Sage Brush Flats in Hays. Chinky attended St....

Julie A. Turner, 72, of Havre died Saturday, Jan. 27, 2007, at Northern Montana Hospital of natural causes. Viewing will be held Wednesday at the Holland & Bonine Funeral Home from 11 a.m. to 4 p. m. Her funeral service will be held at 11 a. m. Thursday at the St. Jude Catholic Church with Tim Maroney officiating. Burial will follow at Highland Cemetery. Julie was born Sept. 26, 1934, in Havre to Julius and Severina “Marie” (Possenti) Morelli. She was raised and educated in Havre, graduating from Havre High School. After hig...

MALTA Sheila Mae Simanton, 76, retired owner of the Malta Mercantile, died Saturday, Jan. 27, 2007 at Phillips County Hospital of cancer. Her funeral service will be held at 11 a. m. Saturday at Malta Lutheran Church. Interment will be in the Malta Cemetery. Sheila was born Aug. 5, 1930, in Malta to Lochiel “Shingles” and Gladys (Tieden) Edwards. She graduated from the Malta High School in 1948 and attended Colorado Women's College. She returned to Malta and worked at the Malta Mercantile. She married Dwayne Simanton on Nov...

FORT BELKNAP Merrilyn (Black Tongue) Ricker, 36, died Friday, Jan. 26, 2007, at her residence in Havre from a drug overdose. Her funeral Mass will be Wednesday at 11 a.m. at the Red Whip Center with burial following at the Crazy Boy Family Cemetery south of Snake Butte. There will be a feed at the Red Whip Center following the burial. Wake service will begin at 5 p.m. today at the Red Whip Center with rosary recited at 7 p.m. Merrilyn was born to Caroline (Mountain) Crazy Boy and Ervin Black Tongue on Nov. 17, 1970, in...

Chester Marion Rochowicz, 75, died Monday, Jan. 22, 2007, at Sweet Memorial Nursing Home of natural causes. A memorial Mass will be held in Chester's honor on Saturday at 5 p.m. at St. Jude Catholic Church with Father Robert D. Grosch officiating. A fellowship will be held at the North Central Senior Citizens Center, 2 Second St. W., Havre, immediatley after the service. Chester was born Feb. 3, 1931, in Adena, Ohio, to Zegmout and Mary (Sgymanski) Rochowicz. He graduated from high school and then entered into the U.S. Air...

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. Melvin E. Wilson, 85, of Tallahassee, Fla., and formerly of Havre, died of a heart attack at his home Sept. 3, 2006. No services are planned and cremation took place. Melvin was born Jan. 27, 1921, Eyremore, Alberta, to Ernest E. and Mary Elizabeth Wilson. The family later moved north of Havre and his father worked for Jim Kirk. From there, they moved to their grandfather's farm south of Lohman. Several years later they moved to Lohman and eventually to Chinook, where Mel's father worked for the Blaine Count...

Hugh DeWinter Jr., 60, of Havre died Sunday, Jan. 21, 2007, at his home of natural causes. Cremation has taken place and Hugh's memorial service will be held at 1 p. m. Friday at the Holland & Bonine Funeral Chapel with Pastor Michael O'Hearn officiating. A fellowship luncheon will be held at the V. F.W. Club immediately after the services. Hugh was born Sept. 30, 1946, in Havre to Hugh and Gina (Henstra) DeWinter Sr. He was raised and educated in Big Sandy. In 1966, he entered into the U.S. Navy. He was honorably discharged...

Kenneth E. Christopherson Jr., 74, left his family and friends on January 19, 2007 at St. Vincent Healthcare in Billings. Services will be held at 2 p.m. today at the Smith Downtown Chapel, 925 S. 27 St. with the Rev. Don Dillavou will be officiating. Cremation has taken place. Interment will be held at a later date in Havre. Kenny was born the oldest of five to Mabel and Kenneth Christopherson Sr. On March 9, 1932, in Havre. He was raised in Havre and graduated from Havre High School in 1950. He began his long career with...

SANTA MONICA, Calif. Marian Schaller, 87, of Santa Monica, Calif., and formerly of Havre, died Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2007, in Santa Monica of natural causes. Cremation has taken place. Her memorial Mass will be held at 11 a. m. Tuesday at St. Jude Catholic Church with Father Robert D. Grosch officiating. A fellowship luncheon will be held at the St. Jude Parish Center immediately after the service. Marian was born April 12, 1919, at Goldstone to Andrew and Elizabeth (Heck) Schaller. She graduated from Havre High School in 1942...

MALTA Mike J. Hofer, 54, a local farmer and immaculate carpenter, died of cancer peacefully at his home with his family by his side. His funeral service was scheduled for 11 a.m. today, at the East Malta Colony with burial in the Colony Cemetery. Mike J. Hofer was born July 12, 1952, in Grass Range to John and Susie (Hofer) Hofer. He was raised in Grass Range and moved to Turner in 1961. He attended Turner Public Schools for eight years. In 1979, he moved to East Malta where he resided until his death. Mike had a great sense...

CHINOOK Meredith Gilmore, 81, of Chinook, a retired Blaine County mosquito supervisor, died Friday, Jan. 19, 2007, at Peace Hospice in Great Falls due to natural causes. His funeral service will be held at 1 p. m. Tuesday in Saint Gabriel's Catholic Church with burial following in Kuper Memorial Cemetery with military honors. Meredith was born on May 7, 1925, in Eagleton to Pearl S. and Josie M. (Good) Gilmore. He was raised in the Missouri River Breaks and attended school in Dodson and Havre. Meredith served in the U.S. Army...

Marion Rose Ekness, 76, died of cancer in Phoenix on Monday, Jan. 15, 2007. The memorial service for Marion will be at 10 a.m. Thursday at First Lutheran Church in Havre. She was born in Blaine County and lived the past 26 years in Havre. Marion was a loving wife, mother and grandmother as well as a caring sister and friend. She loved to be with her grandchildren, they brought so much joy and love into her life. She also enjoyed making gifts for them and always encouraged them in their endeavors. She worked as a nurse for...

SUNBURST Bonnie L. Dyrdahl, 73, a retired office manager from Sunburst, died Friday, Jan. 19, 2007, at the Marias Medical Center due to cancer. A graveside service will be held at 2 p.m. Wednesday at the Sunburst Cemetery. Bonnie was born June 30, 1933, at Big Sandy to Augustus and Alice (Flatness) Hobbs. The family moved to Box Elder in 1943, where she graduated from high school in 1951. Bonnie then moved to Shelby and married James Dyrdahl on Sept. 24, 1955 at Choteau. They moved from the family farm near Devon to Sunburst...

Dona Rae Madden, 76, of Havre died Friday, Jan. 12, 2007, at her home of natural causes. Her funeral service will be 11 a.m. Wednesday at Fifth Avenue Christian Church with Rowlie Hutton officiating. Burial will follow at Highland Cemetery. A fellowship luncheon will be held at the Eagles immediately after the service at the graveside. Dona was born Oct. 22, 1930, in Duluth, Minn., to Donald M. and Claire (Sutton) Tennant. She attended school in Minneapolis. When she was a freshman in high school, Dona moved to Havre with...

CHESTER Ada O. Anderson, 86, of Chester died Saturday evening, Jan. 13, 2007, at the Liberty County Nursing Home. Cremation is planned with burial of ashes in the Chester Cemetery. A memorial service will be held at 11 a. m. Saturday at Our Savior's Lutheran Church in Chester, conducted by Pastor Peter Erickson. Ada was born April 23, 1920, at Fort Benton to Leslie and Floy (Maguren) Collar, homesteaders in the Kenilworth community. When she was very young, her family moved to Oregon. Ada received her formal education in...

Lydia Verploegen 92, of Havre died Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2007, at Northern Montana Hospital after a short illness. A viewing will be held from 10 a. m. to 4 p.m. Friday at the Holland & Bonine Funeral Home. Her prayer vigil service will be held at 7 p. m. Friday at the St. Jude Catholic Church with her funeral Mass 10 a.m. Saturday at the St. Jude Catholic Church with Father Robert D. Grosch officiating. Burial will follow north of Havre at the Cottonwood Cemetery. A fellowship luncheon will be held at the St. Jude Parish Center i...

Lydia Verploegen 92, of Havre died Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2007, at Northern Montana Hospital after a short illness. A viewing will be held from 10 a. m. to 4 p. m. Friday at the Holland & Bonine Funeral Home. Her prayer vigil service will be held at 7 p. m. Friday at the St. Jude Catholic Church with her funeral Mass 10 a.m. Saturday at the St. Jude Catholic Church with Father Robert D. Grosch officiating. Burial will follow north of Havre at the Cottonwood Cemetery. A fellowship luncheon will be held at the St. Jude Parish Center...

BIG SANDY Grace Georges Petronilla (Diacon) Sanford, 71, long-time resident of the Missouri River Breaks on the Sanford Farm, died Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2007, in Great Falls due to natural causes. Her funeral Mass service will be held at 10 a. m. Saturday in Saint Margaret Mary's Catholic Church in Big Sandy with burial following at 2 p.m. in the Alice Nash Memorial Cemetery on the Lone Tree Bench. Rosary and vigil services will begin today at 7 p.m. in St. Margaret Mary's Catholic Church. Grace was born Aug. 10, 1935, north of...

Lydia Verploegen 92, of Havre died Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2007, at Northern Montana Hospital after a short illness. A viewing will be held from 10 a. m. to 4 p.m. Friday at the Holland & Bonine Funeral Home. Her prayer vigil service will be held at 7 p. m. Friday at the St. Jude Catholic Church with her funeral Mass 10 a.m. Saturday at the St. Jude Catholic Church with Father Robert D. Grosch officiating. Burial will follow north of Havre at the Cottonwood Cemetery. A fellowship luncheon will be held at the St. Jude Parish Center i...

CHEYENNE, Wyo. Howard M. Mellblom, 83, of Cheyenne, Wyo., died Saturday, Dec. 16, 2006, in Cheyenne. A memorial service will be held at a later date. Howard was born Feb. 2, 1923, in Havre to Victor and Thora (Kittelsrud) Mellblom. He attended Northern Montana College in Havre and in 1942 enlisted in the Naval Air Cadet program earning his wings in 1944. He was assigned to fighter training and flew as a member of the Hellcat Squadron VF 151. After World War II, Howard returned to Havre and volunteered for active duty during...

MALTA Raymond Joseph Demarais, 69, of Malta died Wednesday, Jan. 3, 2007. He was an enrolled member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians in Belcourt, N.D. The funeral service will be at 2 p.m. Tuesday in Adams Memorial Chapel in Malta. Visitation will be Monday at 6 p. m. at the Adams Memorial Chapel. Burial will be in the Malta Cemetery. Raymond was born in Malta on Feb. 11, 1936, to Joseph and Philomene (McGillis) Demarais. Raymond went to school in Malta, then attended Indian boarding schools in Wahpeton, N....