Obituaries

Paul Albert Butler, the father of 14 children, died Friday, April 22, 2005, in Chinook. He was 86. A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Friday at Chinook Presbyterian Church. A graveside service will immediately follow at the Kuper Memorial Cemetery. After the burial, there will be a reception at the church. Paul was born Nov. 30, 1918, in Birch Tree, Mo., to Thomas and Josephine Butler. He was one of 12 children and also had a half-sister from his father's second marriage. In 1938, Paul moved to Chinook and began his... Full story

Shirley Grace Hoppe, 82, of Havre died Tuesday, April 19, 2005, at the Liberty County Nursing Home in Chester of natural causes. A graveside service will be 11 a.m. Friday at the Highland Cemetery with the Rev. Alfred Ebel officiating. Interment of the cremated remains will follow. Shirley was born May 29, 1922, to Lloyd and Wilma Totten in Pocatello, Idaho. She attended the Pocatello public schools, graduating from high school. Shirley entered into the Army Air Force in February of 1944. She served during World War II and... Full story

Thelma L. Crawford, 82, of Havre died Wednesday, April 13, 2005, at Northern Montana Hospital. Cremation has taken place and a memorial service will be held at a later time. A luncheon will be held for family and friends at the Eagles Club from 2 to 4 p.m. on Sunday. Thelma was born July 7, 1922, to Clarence and Annie (Taplin) Williams in Chester. Thelma married Sam Kampf and the couple later divorced. She married Ray Crawford Jan. 21, 1966, and they made their home in Havre. Thelma enjoyed working the dinners at the Eagles,... Full story

Shirley Grace Hoppe, 82, of Havre died Tuesday, April 19, 2005, at the Liberty County Nursing Home in Chester of natural causes. A graveside service will be 11 a.m. Friday at the Highland Cemetery with the Rev. Alfred Ebel officiating. Interment of the cremated remains will follow. Shirley was born May 29, 1922, to Lloyd and Wilma Totten in Pocatello, Idaho. She attended the Pocatello public schools, graduating from high school. Shirley entered into the Army Air Force in February of 1944. She served during World War II and...

Thelma L. Crawford, 82, of Havre died Wednesday, April 13, 2005, at Northern Montana Hospital. Cremation has taken place and a memorial service will be held at a later time. A luncheon will be held for family and friends at the Eagles Club from 2 to 4 p.m. on Sunday. Thelma was born July 7, 1922, to Clarence and Annie (Taplin) Williams in Chester. Thelma married Sam Kampf and the couple later divorced. She married Ray Crawford Jan. 21, 1966, and they made their home in Havre. Thelma enjoyed working the dinners at the Eagles,...

Irene H. Rockstroh, 94, of Havre died Monday, April 18, 2005, at Northern Montana Care Center of natural causes. Cremation has taken place and a graveside service will be held at 2 p.m. Friday at the Calvary Cemetery with the Rev. Alfred Ebel officiating. Irene was born to John and Christine (Rohde) Beck on April 16, 1911, in Havre. She was raised in Fresno. She attended school in Havre and graduated from Havre High School. Irene married A.W. "Rocky" Rockstroh in 1930 in Havre. The couple lived in Havre, where she worked as... Full story

BILLINGS - Delores Fritz Skaarer, of Bilings, formerly of Havre, died Monday, April 18, 2005. A memorial service is planned for 6 p.m. Wednesday at St. Johns Lutheran Home in Billings. Delores was born Oct. 6, 1922, to Frank and Celestine Fritz. Delores married Dale "Red" Skaarer in June of 1946. They lived most of their lives in Fargo, N.D., Billings and Havre. Dale preceded her in death in 1977. Delores spent many years working for J.C. Penney and Herberger's department stores. Her home and family were her life. As a...

Thelma L. Crawford, 82, of Havre died Wednesday, April 13, 2005, at Northern Montana Hospital. Cremation has taken place and a memorial service will be held at a later time. A luncheon will be held for family and friends at the Eagles Club from 2 to 4 p.m. on Sunday. Thelma was born July 7, 1922, to Clarence and Annie (Taplin) Williams in Chester. Thelma married Sam Kampf and the couple later divorced. She married Ray Crawford Jan. 21, 1966, and they made their home in Havre. Thelma enjoyed working the dinners at the Eagles,...

LINCOLN, Neb. - David J. Welchert, 61, of Lincoln, Neb., formerly of Havre, died Thursday, April 14, 2005. A funeral Mass will be held at 10 a.m. Tuesday at St. Mary's Catholic Church at the corner of 14th and K streets in Lincoln, Neb., with the Rev. Paul Witt officiating. A rosary will be held at 7 p.m. today at Butherus, Maser and Love Funeral Home, 4040 A Street in Lincoln. Welchert was a machinist with the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway and a U.S. Army veteran of the Vietnam War. He was preceded in death by his...

Betty C. Mariani, 74, of Havre died Thursday, April 14, 2005, at her home after a lengthy illness. Cremation has taken place. Betty's memorial service will be 10 a.m. Tuesday at St. Jude's Catholic Church with the Rev. Robert D. Grosch officiating. Burial will follow at the Highland Cemetery. A fellowship luncheon will be held at the St. Jude Parish Center immediately after the services at the graveside. Betty was born May 7, 1930, in Poplar to Gordon and Esther (Lauridsen) Rodewald. She was raised and educated in Brockton... Full story

CHICAGO, Ill. - Yoshio "Yatzh" Kato, 86, of Chicago, Ill., died Friday, April 8, 2005, at his home of natural causes. Memorial visitation will be 2 p.m. Friday at Lakeview Funeral Home in Chicago. A memorial service will be held at 6:30 p.m. at Lakeview Funeral Home. Kato was born in Havre to Hachiemon Kato and Yoshiko (Iwata) Kato in July 1918. He attended schools in Havre and graduated from Havre High School. He attended Northern Montana College and then joined the U.S. Army and served as a paratrooper. He was active in...

Freda Mildred Stoneman Surber, 82, died Saturday, April 9, 2005, in Chinook after a short battle with cancer at the home of her son Larry and surrounded by her family. A funeral service will be Friday at the Methodist Church in Denton. A memorial service will be held at 5:30 p.m. Thursday in the United Methodist Church in Chinook. Born Oct. 1, 1922, in Lewistown to Raymond and Mildred Stoneman, Freda spent her entire life in central Montana. Her childhood years were spent in Christina, where she attended grades one through... Full story

LODGE POLE - Angel Lynn Denny, 15, whose Indian name "Wiyaga Ska" means White Feather, died in a house fire on Saturday, April 9, 2005. A wake service will be held at 7 p.m. today at the Medicine Bear Lodge in Lodge Pole. A funeral Mass will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday at the Medicine Bear Lodge with interment in the Cliff Family Cemetery at Lodge Pole. Angel was born on April 15, 1989, at Havre to Bruce L. Sr. and Wanda (Cliff) Denny. She was currently attending the Hays/Lodge Pole High School, where she was a junior. Angel...

Johanna (Grandma Jennie) Hanson, 83, of Havre died Wednesday, April 6, 2005, at Northern Montana Hospital of lung cancer. A prayer vigil/rosary service will be held at 7 p.m. today at St. Jude's Catholic Church with her funeral Mass at 10 a.m. Tuesday at St. Jude's Catholic Church with the Rev. Robert D. Grosch officiating. Burial will follow at Calvary Cemetery. Jennie was born Sept. 8, 1921, at Center, N.D., to Monica and Florian Mosbrucker on her grandparents' farm with a midwife in attendance. In 1928, the family moved to... Full story

Johanna "Grandma Jennie" Hanson, 83, of Havre died Wednesday, April 6, 2005, at Northern Montana Hospital of lung cancer. A prayer vigil/rosary service will be held at 7 p.m. Monday at St. Jude's Catholic Church with her funeral Mass Tuesday at St. Jude's Catholic Church with the Rev. Robert D. Grosch officiating. Burial will follow at Calvary Cemetery. Jennie was born Sept. 8, 1921, at Center, N.D., to Monica and Florian Mosbrucker on her grandparents' farm with a midwife in attendance. In 1928, the family moved to Senate,... Full story

MALTA - Doris E. Potter, 78, a retired nurse, died Sunday, March 27, 2005, at the Phillips County Good Samaritan Center of natural causes. A funeral service was held Friday at Adams Funeral Chapel in Malta. Interment was in Malta Cemetery. Doris was born Aug. 22, 1926, in Canon City, Colo., to Lewis and Clara B. (Marlett) Henry. Her family moved to the Bennett Lake community in 1927. She graduated from Malta High School and attend the Sacred Heart School of Nursing in Havre and graduated with an LPN degree. She lived in...

SANTA MARIA, Calif. - Sister Susanne "Helen" Kantorowicz, 88, of Santa Maria, Calif., died Feb. 2, 2005, at Marian Residence in Santa Maria. A vigil service was held Feb. 9 and a funeral Mass was held Feb. 10 at Santa Maria. Interment was in Santa Maria Cemetery. A memorial is planned at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Chester in July. Susanne was born July 7, 1916, on a farm south of Chester to Stanislaw and Katherine Lopata Kantorowicz. Susanne met the Sisters of St. Francis at Sacred Heart Hospital in Havre when she worked...

Laura Elizabeth (Betty) Honadel, 94, died Friday, March 18, 2005 at the Northern Montana Care Center of natural causes. Her memorial service was scheduled for this morning at St. Mark's Episcopal Church with the Rev. Carolyn Kuhr officiating. A fellowship luncheon, sponsored by P.E.O. and St. Mark's Guild, was to follow the service at the church. Betty was born Nov. 22, 1910, to Oto and Gertrude North in Billings. She graduated from Billings High School and attended Stephens College in Missouri. In 1933, she married Gerald...

CLARKSTON, Wash. - Walter H. Kuenzel, 87, of Clarkston, Idaho, formerly of Havre, died Friday, April 1, 2005, at his home in Clarkston. A memorial service will be held at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at Valley Christian Center, 3215 Echo Hills Dr., Lewiston, Idaho, with the Rev. Jesse Wilkinson officiating. Walter was born Aug. 7, 1917, in Todd County, Minn., to Henry and Laura Kuenzel. Walter married Vera Johnson in 1936. They later divorced. He married Pat Carlson Dec. 25, 1979, in Cut Bank. Walter worked for Great Northern,...

TURNER - Alice Hutton, 88 years old, passed away at the Northern Montana Care Center on April 2, 2005 due to natural causes. A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday in Turner Christian Church with burial following in the Turner Cemetery. Alice was born Oct. 12, 1916, at Caldwell to Albert and Isabelle (Mortinson) Haugen. She married Leonard Hutton on Nov. 14, 1936, in Chinook. They lived in Turner and farmed and ranched northeast of Turner. Alice enjoyed gardening, tending to her flowers, making quilts,...

CLARKSTON, Wash. - Walter H. Kuenzel, 87, of Clarkston, Idaho, formerly of Havre, died Friday, April 1, 2005, at his home in Clarkston. A memorial service will be held at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at Valley Christian Center, 3215 Echo Hills Dr., Lewiston, Idaho, with the Rev. Jesse Wilkinson officiating. Walter was born Aug. 7, 1917, in Todd County, Minn., to Henry and Laura Kuenzel. Walter married Vera Johnson in 1936. They later divorced. He married Pat Carlson Dec. 25, 1979, in Cut Bank. Walter worked for Great Northern,...

TURNER - Alice Hutton, 88 years old, passed away at the Northern Montana Care Center on April 2, 2005 due to natural causes. A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday in Turner Christian Church with burial following in the Turner Cemetery. Alice was born Oct. 12, 1916, at Caldwell to Albert and Isabelle (Mortinson) Haugen. She married Leonard Hutton on Nov. 14, 1936, in Chinook. They lived in Turner and farmed and ranched northeast of Turner. Alice enjoyed gardening, tending to her flowers, making quilts,... Full story

CHESTER - Anselm James Hull, 89, died Thursday, March 31, 2005, at the Liberty County Nursing Home in Chester of natural causes. Rosary prayers will be at 7 p.m. Tuesday at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Chester. A funeral Mass will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday at the church. Burial will follow at the Chester Cemetery. James was born Nov. 19, 1915, on the family farm four miles north of Chester to Anselm Joseph Hull and Mary Ann Friel. From 1921-1926, the Hull family lived near Lewistown where James received his early...

ROCKY BOY - Lester Harold Russette, 63, died Thursday, March 31, 2005, at Deaconess Hospital in Billings of natural causes. His wake service will begin at 2 p.m. today at the Rocky Boy Lutheran Church with his funeral service at 11 a.m. Saturday, also at the Rocky Boy Lutheran Church. Burial will follow at the Russette Family Cemetery. Lester was born Sept. 1, 1941, in Fort Belknap to Mike and Helen (Champagne) Russette. He lived in Rocky Boy most of his life, attending schools there. He obtained his GED in 1970. He attended...

SPANAWAY, Wash. - Mary M. Nickels, 73, died Wednesday, March 23, 2005, at her home in Spanaway, Wash., after a five-year battle with breast cancer. A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. April 9 at Sound Life Church at 3425 176th St. E. in Tacoma, Wash. Mary was born Oct. 20, 1931 in Havre to Leonard and Carrie Christianson. She married Richard B. Nickels in Havre and they had seven children, 11 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents. Survivors include her husband and family....