Obituaries

If the Rocky Boy boys basketball team is going to win a state championship this season, it will have to win three more games in a season that has seen the Stars already capture 22 wins against just one loss. That quest to win three more games and bring the first ever state championship in boys basketball to Rocky Boy begins Thursday afternoon against Roberts in the opening round of the 2005 Class C state basketball tournament at the Four Seasons Arena in Great Falls. Regardless of what happens this week, the Stars can...

SHERIDAN, Wyo. - Curtiss L. Brenden, 56, of Sheridan Wyo., died Friday, Feb. 25, 2005, at the VA Medical Center in Sheridan. A funeral service was held March 1. Interment will be in Homestead. Curtiss was born Aug. 22, 1948, in Williston, N.D., to Vernie and Lorraine (McKenzie) Brenden. He grew up on the family farm near Homestead until the family moved to Froid and then to Dodson in 1963. He graduated from Dodson High School in 1967. Curtiss enlisted in the U.S. Navy and served on the carrier Kitty Hawk. After the service,... Full story

MISSOULA/ROCKY BOY - Carol Lynn Hernandez, 57, of Missoula died Friday, March 4, 2005, at a Missoula Hospital due to natural causes. A wake service began Sunday afternoon with the rosary service Sunday evening at the Rocky Boy Catholic Church. Her funeral service was scheduled for 10 a.m. today at the Rocky Boy Catholic Church with the Rev. Pete Guthneck officiating. Burial was to follow at the Rocky Boy Cemetery. Carol was born June 14, 1947, in Watsonville, Calif., to Arnold and Agnes (Lafromboise) Lopez. She attended...

JOPLIN - Candace Lorraine (Thorson) Nelson, 54, died Tuesday, March 1, 2005, at St. Vincent's Hospital in Billings following emergency surgery. A funeral service was scheduled for 10 a.m. today at the King of Glory Lutheran Church in Billings. Burial will follow in Mountview Cemetery in Billings. A memorial service will be held at 3 p.m. Saturday at the Bethel Lutheran Church in Joplin. Candy was born May 26, 1950, at Havre to Clifford and Lucille (Poppler) Thorson, who farmed in the north Joplin community. Candace, better...

HERMON, Maine - Lynn D. Rydell, 41, died Wednesday, March 2, 2005, at a Hermon hospital with her family present. Inter-ment will be at Beth El Cemetery in Bangor, Maine. She was born Aug. 11, 1963, in Holland, Mich., to Randall and Sally (Vandyck) Brondyke. Lynn was educated in the Holland, Mich., public school system. She attended Grand Rapids Junior College and City Colleges of Chicago. She earned her bachelor of science degree from St. Francis College in Illinois. She was a radiation therapist for many years and then...

BOX ELDER - Carl Kuhn, 64, died Tuesday, March 1, 2005, at Benefis East in Great Falls due to cardiac arrest. Carl asked to be cremated. There will be no services at his request. Carl was born Oct. 3, 1940, in Kalispell to Helmuth and Martha Kuhn. He worked for Burlington Northern Railway and retired after 31 years. Carl loved farming and working on cars, tractors, combines, lawn mowers and many projects around his home. He loved teaching all of his kids and grandkids as many things as he could. Carl was preceded in death by...

James E. Galbavy, 62, died unexpectedly Tuesday, March 1, 2005, at his residence in Havre due to natural causes. A funeral service will be Friday at 11 a.m. in the Messiah Lutheran Church with burial following in Highland Cemetery with military honors. Memori-als may be sent to Havre Fraternal Order of Eagles for charities.Arrangements are by Edwards Funeral Home of Chinook. James was born on Nov. 18, 1942, in Butte to Samuel and Elsie (Faechner) Galbavy. He was raised and attended schools in Havre. James served in the U.S.... Full story

GREAT FALLS - Margaret E. Adams, 84, died Thursday, February 24, in Great Falls. Margaret asked that no memorial service be held. Margaret, daughter of Frank Leslie Adams and Fannie Mae Judkins, was raised with her seven siblings in Havre. She graduated from Northern Montana College in Havre. After teaching sixth-grade students in Havre for several years, she moved to Great Falls in 1957 and began teaching at Lincoln Elementary. She gained her master's degree in administration from the University of Northern Colorado,...

VICTOR - Norman Ray Friede, 69, of Victor died Sunday, Feb. 27, 2005, at his home from cancer. A service will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday in the Daly-Leach Chapel with the Rev. Gregory Karlsgodt officiating. There will be a reception following the services in the funeral home's community room. He was born October l4, 1935 on the family farm in Chinook to Otto Walter Friede and Mary Kimsey Friede. He was raised on the farm and graduated from Chinook High School in l955. Norm worked at the Chinook meat plant during high... Full story

VICTOR - Norman Ray Friede, 69, of Victor died Sunday, Feb. 27, 2005, at his home from cancer. A service will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday in the Daly-Leach Chapel with the Rev. Gregory Karlsgodt officiating. There will be a reception following the services in the funeral home's community room. He was born October l4, 1935 on the family farm in Chinook to Otto Walter Friede and Mary Kimsey Friede. He was raised on the farm and graduated from Chinook High School in l955. Norm worked at the Chinook meat plant during high...

obituary BIG SANDY - Wilfred A. Berlinger, 84, died, Monday, Feb. 21, 2005, at the Big Sandy Medical Center of natural causes. A Mass of Christian burial was scheduled for 11 a.m. today at St. Margaret Mary Catholic Church. Interment will be in the Big Sandy Cemetery, with military honors provided by the Big Sandy Veterans of Foreign Wars. A vigil service was scheduled for Sunday evening at St. Margaret Mary Catholic Church. He was born July 16, 1920, to John and Katherine (Joa) Berlinger in Canada at Maple Creek, and moved...

Eva Elizabeth (Benner) Slonaker, 86, died peacefully with her children and husband at her bedside Thursday, Feb. 24, 2005, at a Havre hospital of natural causes. Cremation has taken place. Her memorial service was scheduled for 11 a.m. today at the Holland & Bonine Funeral Chapel with Brad Ulgenes officiating. Burial will be held at a later date with a private family ceremony at the John Stevens Memorial Cemetery. A fellowship luncheon will be held at the Eagles immediately after the service. Eva was born 86 years ago in...

obituary BIG SANDY - Wilfred A. Berlinger, 84, died, Monday, Feb. 21, 2005, at the Big Sandy Medical Center of natural causes. A Mass of Christian burial was scheduled for 11 a.m. today at St. Margaret Mary Catholic Church. Interment will be in the Big Sandy Cemetery, with military honors provided by the Big Sandy Veterans of Foreign Wars. A vigil service was scheduled for Sunday evening at St. Margaret Mary Catholic Church. He was born July 16, 1920, to John and Katherine (Joa) Berlinger in Canada at Maple Creek, and moved... Full story

Eva Elizabeth (Benner) Slonaker, 86, died peacefully with her children and husband at her bedside Thursday, Feb. 24, 2005, at a Havre hospital of natural causes. Cremation has taken place. Her memorial service was scheduled for 11 a.m. today at the Holland & Bonine Funeral Chapel with Brad Ulgenes officiating. Burial will be held at a later date with a private family ceremony at the John Stevens Memorial Cemetery. A fellowship luncheon will be held at the Eagles immediately after the service. Eva was born 86 years ago in... Full story

obituary BIG SANDY - Wilfred A. Berlinger, 84, died, Monday, Feb. 21, 2005, at the Big Sandy Medical Center of natural causes. A Mass of Christian burial was scheduled for 11 a.m. today at St. Margaret Mary Catholic Church. Interment will be in the Big Sandy Cemetery, with military honors provided by the Big Sandy Veterans of Foreign Wars. A vigil service was scheduled for Sunday evening at St. Margaret Mary Catholic Church. He was born July 16, 1920, to John and Katherine (Joa) Berlinger in Canada at Maple Creek, and moved... Full story

HAVRE-Delbert R. Jensen, 46, a maintenance engineer, died Tuesday, Feb. 22, 2005, at Northern Montana Hospital of apparent natural causes. The Hill County coroner is investigating. A funeral Mass will be 10 a.m. Saturday at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Dodson. Interment will be in the Hillside Cemetery at Dodson. Del was born Aug. 5, 1958, in Havre, to Gordon and Leona (Albrecht) Jensen. He was raised and educated in Havre, Washington and Alaska. Delbert married Melissa Cohenour in 1989 and was later divorced. Del...

CHINOOK - Herbert O. Gruss, 78, formerly of Chinook, died Sunday evening, February 20, 2005, at his Missoula residence. Herb was born Nov. 17, 1926, to Otto Wilhelm and Berta Gruss in Langenols, Germany. Before the age of 18, he was drafted into the German army. He fought in several World War II historical campaigns, including the Battle of the Bulge. Near the end of the war, he surrendered to the British Army. After his release from POW camp, Herb resided in Wolfenbrttle Germany, where he met the love of his life, Ingeburg S...

obituary Lorraine Helen Louise Richards, 93, died Saturday, Feb. 12, 2005, at Northern Montana Hospital of natural causes. Her funeral service will be 2 p.m. Wednesday at the Holland & Bonine Funeral Chapel with Ila McClenahan officiating. Burial will follow at the Highland Cemetery. Lorraine was born Jan. 23, 1912, in Burlington, Wis., to Louie and Esther (Oberg) Lightfield. When she was a young girl, she moved with her family to Sidney, where she attended country school. The family later moved to Havre. On Nov. 4, 1930, Lor... Full story

LIBBY - Geneva McCrory, 92, of Libby, formerly of Havre, died Thursday, Jan. 27, 2005, at her daughter's home in Libby due to cancer. Cremation has taken place under the direction of Nelson and Vial's Funeral Home in Libby. Burial of ashes will be at a later date in Havre. She was preceded in death by her husband, Donald "Bus" McCrory; four sisters; and one son-in-law. Survivors include her daughters, Rita Hval of Fargo, N.D., Georgina (Gene) Hansen of Glendive and Mary Lou (Gary) Livesay of Libby; 11 grandchildren; and 14... Full story

Dale Dean Kinniburgh, 66, died Saturday, Feb. 12, 2005, at Northern Montana Care Center of natural causes. His memorial service will be 2 p.m. next Tuesday at Calvary Baptist Church with Adam Harris offi- ciating. A second memorial service and interment of the ashes will follow July 31 at the First Baptist Church in Marion. Dale was born Sept. 9, 1938, in Marion to John and Jeanette (Rawson) Kinniburgh. He attended the Marion schools and Flathead High School. Dale married Juanita Patton on March 7, 1958, in Norwalk, Calif....

WHITEFISH - William F. Hoppe, 86, of Whitefish died Wednesday, Feb. 9, 2005, of congestive heart failure at Kalispell Regional Medical Center in Kalispell. A memorial service was held at 1 p.m. Saturday at Our Redeemer Lutheran Church in Columbia Falls with the Rev. Terry Forke officiating. Bill was born in Havre on Feb. 6, 1919, to Carl and Elizabeth Hoppe. He attended schools in Havre and worked in his father's coal mine and on construction, until he was inducted into the Army. Bill married his wife, Erma, on March 4,...

MISSOULA - Vera M. Heil, 84, of Missoula died Sunday, Feb. 13, 2005, after a short illness. A service was scheduled for 2 p.m. today at Sunset Memorial Funeral Home in Missoula with the Rev. David W. Renfro officiating. Cremation has taken place. Vera was born June 13, 1920, in Charbono, N.D., to Murray and Jane Vanderhoef. Vera led a long and rewarding life. She was preceded in death by her parents, siblings and husband, Vernon. Survivors include her children, Vandra Hanson of Bozeman, DeeAnn Messmer of Fairview, Kathy... Full story

memorial service BIG SANDY - A memorial service for Grace Garcia, mother of Joseph DiSalvo of Big Sandy, will be held at 7 p.m. Thursday at St. Anthony's Catholic Church in Box Elder. Grace died Saturday, Jan. 29, 2005, at a Great Falls hospital of lung cancer.... Full story

Matthew Tyson Yates IV, 26, of Havre died Thursday, Feb. 10, 2005, at his residence. The cause of death is under investigation by the Hill County coroner's office. A funeral service will be 6 p.m. Tuesday at Holland & Bonine Funeral Chapel with the Rev. Rowlie Hutton officiating. Visitation is 6 to 9 p.m. Monday and from 1 p.m. to service time Tuesday at the Holland & Bonine Funeral Chapel. Cremation will follow the service and interment of the cremains will take place at a later date. A luncheon will be held at the VFW Club...

Edward John Olszewski, 67, formerly of Hogeland and Colstrip, died Feb. 10, 2005, at Benefis East Healthcare due to natural causes. A funeral Mass was scheduled for 11 a.m. today in Saint Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church with burial following in Wing Cemetery with military honors. Rosary was recited Sunday at 7 p.m. at Edwards Funeral Home Chapel in Chinook. Edward (Ed) was born April 21, 1937, at Havre to Adrian and Kathleen (Leinan) Olszewski. He was raised on the Big Flat, graduated from Hogeland High School in 1955 and...