Obituaries

ROCKY BOY Thomas Ray Patrick Gardipee, 48, of Rocky Boy died Tuesday, Oct. 10, 2006, at the Rocky Boy Clinic of respiratory failure. His wake service began Wednesday night at 5 p. m. at the Rocky Boy Catholic Church. His funeral service will be held at 10 a. m. today at the Rocky Boy Catholic Church with Kenneth Gopher, Roy Small and Derik Small officiating. Burial will follow at the Rocky Boy Cemetery. Thomas was born March 17, 1958, in Parker School on Rocky Boy's Indian Reservation. He attended schools in Rocky Boy and Box...

LONGVIEW, Wash. Vivian Doris Purdy, 87, of Longview, Wash., died Friday, Oct. 6, 2006, at Hospice Care Center. Cremation has taken place and inurnment will be in the Malta cemetery at the Thomson family plot. Vivian was born Jan. 12, 1919, in Malta to William Gordon and Annie Bella (Gauld) Thomson. She attended schools in Malta and was employed locally when she met C. Lowell Purdy. The Purdys were married Oct. 11, 1940, in Great Falls and settled in Havre, where they farmed a wheat ranch on the Hi- Line until 1970. During...

Leonard “Red” Opperud, 85, a retired city of Havre Waste Plant operator, died Monday, Oct. 9, 2006, at his home of natural causes. Cremation will take place. His memorial service will be held at 10:30 a.m. Friday at First Presbyterian Church in Havre with Pastor John Chapman officiating. Burial will follow at the Highland Cemetery. A fellowship luncheon will be held at the church immediately following the graveside services. Leonard was born Oct. 23, 1920, in Ambrose Divide County, N. D. He was raised on the family farm by...

SPOKANE, Wash. Paul W. Angstman, former Havre resident and businessman, died Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2006, at Harborcrest Retirement Estates in Spokane, Wash. Cremation has taken place. A memorial service will be held at St. Jude's Catholic Church at 2 p. m. on Tuesday, Oct. 17. Friends and family are invited to celebrate Paul's life in St. Jude's Parish Center after interment at Hill County Cemetery. Paul was born to Mr. and Mrs. Jess L. Angstman Sr. On Nov. 27, 1921, in Harlem. He attended Havre schools and graduated from Havre...

CHINOOK Terrie Lee Gorman, 55, died Saturday, Oct. 7, 2006, at her residence in Chinook due to cancer. A memorial service will be held Wednesday at 2 p.m. in Zion Lutheran Church with burial of the ashes following in the Kuper Memorial Cemetery. Terrie was born on July 16, 1951, in Havre to John and Margaret (Monroe) Gorman. She attended schools in Chinook and graduated from Chinook High School. Terrie worked at the Chinook Motor Inn in housekeeping for the past several years. She enjoyed her family, friends and cats, and...

Jeanette Ann Denny Stump, 69, a.k.a. Ne-mpe-s-tah-w AH Kop, which means Rain Blanket, died of cancer Saturday, Oct. 7, 2006, in Great Falls at Peace Hospice. Her wake service began at 7 p. m. Sunday at the Rocky Boy Lutheran Church. Traditional services will be held at the Rocky Boy Lutheran Church with Douglas Standing Rock officiating. The ceremony will include Native American Church members and local singing groups. Her funeral service was to begin at 10 a.m. today. Burial will follow at the Rocky Boy Cemetery. A journey...

FORT BELKNAP/BILLINGS Wesley Peter Stiffarm, 60, a former Marine and retired CDBG director for the BIA, died Thursday, Oct. 5, 2006, at his apartment in Billings of an apparent heart attack. His wake and rosary was at 7 p. m. Sunday at the Red Whip Community Center. A funeral Mass was scheduled for 10 a. m. today at the Red Whip Community Center with burial in the St. Paul's Mission Cemetery. Military honors will be by his fellow veterans from the Fort Belknap area. Wesley was born Feb. 5, 1946, in Havre to Peter and Ruby (Ch...

LODGE POLE Rosalie Monica (Wing) Saufley, 58, whose Assiniboine Indian name was “Small Woman,” died Saturday, Oct. 7, 2006, at her residence in Fort Belknap due to liver failure. A wake and rosary will begin today at 7 p. m. in Medicine Bear Lodge at Lodge Pole. Her funeral Mass will be at 11 a. m. Tuesday at Medicine Bear Lodge with burial following in the Wing Family Cemetery. Rosalie was born in Lodge Pole on July 12, 1948, to Leo and Isabelle (Walking Chief) Wing. She attended school at Lodge Pole, Havre and Los Ang...

CHINOOK Kenneth Gilmore, 87, carpenter, ferry operator and a cowboy, passed away at his home south of Chinook on Saturday, Oct. 7, 2006. His funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday in the Edwards Funeral Home Chapel. Burial will follow at 2:30 p.m. in the Alice Nash Memorial Cemetery at the Lone Tree Bench with military honors. Kenneth was born in Geraldine on April 21, 1919, to Pearl and Josie (Good) Gilmore. His family moved several times, winding up 80 miles south of Chinook in the Missouri River badlands. On...

ROCKY BOY Marie Cecile Eagleman, 68, died Thursday, Oct. 5, 2006, at a hospital in Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada, from cancer. Her wake service will began Friday night at Our Saviour's Lutheran Church in Rocky Boy. Her funeral service was scheduled for 2 p.m. Saturday, also at the Our Savior's Lutheran Church with Pastor Marvin Russette Officiating. Burial was to follow at the Eagleman Family Cemetery. Marie was born Feb. 11, 1938, in Meadow Lake, Saskatchewan, Canada, to Louie Merasty and Elizabeth Desjarles. She was raised...

ROCKY BOY Gary Paul Eagleman, 71, a resident of Rocky Boy, died Sunday, Oct. 1, 2006, at a Portland, Ore., hospital of natural causes. A wake service started Thursday at Our Saviour's Lutheran Church. His funeral service was scheduled for 10 a.m. today at the church. A traditional Native ceremony was to be held. Burial will follow the service at the Rocky Boy Cemetery. The Farewell Feast will be held at the church. Gary was born on Sept. 25, 1935, to Paul and Pearl Wells Belcourt. He was raised by his grandparents and...

HELENA Patrick Leon LaSalle, 70, died Monday, Oct. 2, 2006. His funeral service was scheduled for 10 a.m. today at the Fortress of Joy with interment to follow at the Montana State Veterans Cemetery at Fort Harrison. A reception was to follow immediately at the Fort Harrison Service Club. Pat was born in Havre on Dec. 14, 1935, while his family lived in the Bear Paw Mountains, to Patrick Joseph and Juanita Pearl (Clayborn) LaSalle. He spent some of his very young life there and attended the Shambo School. The family also live...

ROCKY BOY Gary Paul Eagleman, 71, a resident of Rocky Boy, died Sunday, Oct. 1, 2006, at a Portland, Ore., hospital of natural causes. A wake service started Thursday at Our Saviour's Lutheran Church. His funeral service was scheduled for 10 a.m. today at the church. A traditional Native ceremony was to be held. Burial will follow the service at the Rocky Boy Cemetery. The Farewell Feast will be held at the church. Gary was born on Sept. 25, 1935, to Paul and Pearl Wells Belcourt. He was raised by his grandparents and...

Lucille A. Martens, 94, died Wednesday, Oct. 4, 2006, at Northern Montana Care Center due to natural causes. Memorial services will be held Friday at 4:30 p.m. at First Lutheran Church in Havre. Cremation has taken place and burial will be at the Kuper Memorial Cemetery in Chinook. Lucille was born on May 23, 1912, at the family ranch in the Bears Paw Mountains south of Cleveland to Louis and Rena (Jons) Kuhr. Lucille attended schools at Cleveland, Chinook and graduated from the Ursuline Academy in Great Falls. She married...

Lucille A. Martens, 94, died Wednesday, Oct. 4, 2006, at Northern Montana Care Center due to natural causes. Memorial services will be held Friday at 4:30 p.m. at First Lutheran Church in Havre. Cremation has taken place and burial will be at the Kuper Memorial Cemetery in Chinook. Lucille was born on May 23, 1912, at the family ranch in the Bears Paw Mountains south of Cleveland to Louis and Rena (Jons) Kuhr. Lucille attended schools at Cleveland, Chinook and graduated from the Ursuline Academy in Great Falls. She married...

Cynthia Lynn Richards, 43, died at her home in Woods Bay, out of Bigfork this past weekend. Her funeral service was held on Thursday afternoon, Sept. 21, at Christ Lutheran Church in Whitefish, followed by a coffee hour. A private family burial followed at Woodlawn Cemetery in Columbia Falls on Friday. She was born to James M. and Audrey D. Richards on June 8, 1963, at Malmstrom Air Force Base in Great Falls. She grew up in Havre and attended school there. She graduated from Havre High School with the class of 1982. During...

Cynthia Lynn Richards, 43, died at her home in Woods Bay, out of Bigfork this past weekend. Her funeral service was held on Thursday afternoon, Sept. 21, at Christ Lutheran Church in Whitefish, followed by a coffee hour. A private family burial followed at Woodlawn Cemetery in Columbia Falls on Friday. She was born to James M. and Audrey D. Richards on June 8, 1963, at Malmstrom Air Force Base in Great Falls. She grew up in Havre and attended school there. She graduated from Havre High School with the class of 1982. During...

Howard P. Miller, 76, of Havre died Sunday, Aug. 6, 2006, at the Northern Montana Hospital of natural causes. Cremation will take place and his memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday at Messiah Lutheran Church with Pastor Michael Dahle officiating. Military honors will follow outside the church on the front lawn. A fellowship luncheon will be held at the Eagles Club after the memorial service. Howard was born March 19, 1930, in Laurel to Peter and Frieda (Hilderman) Miller. He was raised and educated in Laurel...

ROCKY BOY Gilbert Belgarde, 71, died Monday, Aug. 7, 2006, at Northern Montana Hospital of natural causes. His wake service will began Monday at 4 p. m. at Our Saviour's Lutheran Church at Rocky Boy and his funeral was to begin at 11 a.m. today at the church. Burial will follow at the Rocky Boy Cemetery. Gilbert was born May 3, 1935, to Elizabeth Denny Belgarde and the late Jack Gopher. He was adopted by his stepfather, Louis “Happy Jack” Belgarde. Gilbert was raised by his late grandparents Alex Denny and Louisa Gar...

Howard P. Miller, 76, died Sunday, Aug. 6, 2006, at Northern Montana Care Center. A full obituary will follow....

GREAT FALLS Rhonda Marie Nelson, 41, of Great Falls, a group home manager, died of unknown causes Wednesday, Aug. 2, 2006, at her home. A service will be held at Schnider Funeral Home today at 3 p.m. Rhonda is survived by her mother, Anna E. Ramsay of Havre; sister, Kristina Ramsay of Camas, Wash.; and brother, Robert Rowland of Vancouver, Wash. Schnider Funeral Home is handling arrangements....

Virgil Cross, 86, of Havre died Saturday, Aug. 5, 2006, at Northern Montana Care Center of complications of Alzheimer's disease. A funeral service will be held at 10 a. m. Wednesday at Fifth Avenue Christian Church with burial following in Highland Cemetery. Virgil was born June 8, 1920, to Lizzie and Irl Cross in Warland, where he attended the first two years of elementary school. He moved with his family to Prosser, Wash., where he completed the eighth grade. He graduated from Denton High School in 1939, while living with...

John Jacob Bauer, 80, a retired maintenance worker of Havre died of natural causes at his home Saturday, Aug. 5, 2006. A wake service will start at 3 p.m. today at the Rocky Boy Catholic Church. A vigil service will be held at 7 p.m. at the church. His funeral service will be held at 9 a.m. at the church with Father Pete Guthneck officiating. Burial will be at Highland Cemetery in Havre. John was born March 8, 1926, at Culbertson to John and Justine (Houle) Bauer. He attended school in Brockton and graduated from Brockton...

Howard P. Miller, 76, died Sunday, Aug. 6, 2006, at Northern Montana Care Center. A full obituary will follow....

GREAT FALLS Rhonda Marie Nelson, 41, of Great Falls, a group home manager, died of unknown causes Wednesday, Aug. 2, 2006, at her home. A service will be held at Schnider Funeral Home today at 3 p.m. Rhonda is survived by her mother, Anna E. Ramsay of Havre; sister, Kristina Ramsay of Camas, Wash.; and brother, Robert Rowland of Vancouver, Wash. Schnider Funeral Home is handling arrangements....