Obituaries

TROY - Marjorie Ione Higgins, 82, of Troy died April 7, 2006, at her home. A memorial service was scheduled for 11 a.m. today at the Christ Lutheran Church, 200 West Larch in Libby. A reception was to follow at the Elks Lodge in Libby. She was born April 2, 1923, in Kenmare, N.D., to Engvald Bernard Beck and Ella May Bennett. Marge was raised in Shaunavon, Saskatchewan, before moving to Havre. She married Roy Higgins in 1938. They lived in Havre and Great Falls until 1946, when they moved to Bigfork. In 1978, they built a...

SPOKANE, Wash. - Claire Renee Gertson, 95, of Spokane, Wash., died Sunday, March 19, 2006, in Spokane. A funeral service was held at 1 p.m. Saturday, March 25, at Ball and Dodd Funeral Home with the Rev. Jack Barker officiating. Interment was at Greenwood Memorial Terrace. She was born Claire Renee Brendgord on Dec. 18, 1910, in Havre. He was educated in Havre and graduated from Havre High School. She was a member of the Hillyard Senior Citizens Center and loved to play penny bingo. She also enjoyed international rummy and a...

TROY - Marjorie Ione Higgins, 82, of Troy died April 7, 2006, at her home. A memorial service was scheduled for 11 a.m. today at the Christ Lutheran Church, 200 West Larch in Libby. A reception was to follow at the Elks Lodge in Libby. She was born April 2, 1923, in Kenmare, N.D., to Engvald Bernard Beck and Ella May Bennett. Marge was raised in Shaunavon, Saskatchewan, before moving to Havre. She married Roy Higgins in 1938. They lived in Havre and Great Falls until 1946, when they moved to Bigfork. In 1978, they built a...

SPOKANE, Wash. - Claire Renee Gertson, 95, of Spokane, Wash., died Sunday, March 19, 2006, in Spokane. A funeral service was held at 1 p.m. Saturday, March 25, at Ball and Dodd Funeral Home with the Rev. Jack Barker officiating. Interment was at Greenwood Memorial Terrace. She was born Claire Renee Brendgord on Dec. 18, 1910, in Havre. He was educated in Havre and graduated from Havre High School. She was a member of the Hillyard Senior Citizens Center and loved to play penny bingo. She also enjoyed international rummy and a...

Fredrick G. “Fred” Nimmick, 90, of Great Falls died on Monday, April 10, 2006, at his home due to natural causes. Visitation will be at Schnider Funeral Home on Thursday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. His funeral service will be at Peace Lutheran Church on Friday at 10 a.m., with Pastor Kent Stenzel officiating. Burial of ashes will be in Big Sandy Cemetery on Friday at 4:30 p.m. Fredrick Gust Nimmick was born Sept. 25, 1915, in Fingel, N.D., to Reihold and Anna (Schook) Nimmick. He was raised on a farm outside of Tower City, N...

HAYS - Marjorie Alice Mann, 54, died Monday, April 10, 2006, in Benefis Healthcare at Great Falls due to renal failure. A wake will begin at 5 p.m. today in the Red Whip Center with rosary at 7 p.m. A funeral Mass will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday at Red Whip Center with burial following at the Brown Family Cemetery near Three Buttes. Marjorie was born on Feb. 26, 1952, in Fort Belknap Agency to Frank and Edna (Brown) Mann. She was raised and attended schools in Havre. Marjorie lived in Havre before moving to Great Falls in...

Jennifer Marie Milam, 23, of Havre died Saturday, April 8, 2006, due to a four-wheeler accident in the Bear Paw Mountains. Cremation has taken place and her memorial service will be 11 a.m. Friday at Fifth Avenue Christian Church with Pastor Rowlie Hutton officiating. A fellowship luncheon will be held at the church immediately after the services. Burial will be held at a later time. Jennifer was born Aug. 19, 1982, in Scobey to Bruce and Louise (Perry) Siefert. She was raised in Chester and attended schools there. She moved...

Richard O. Greene, 76, died Saturday, April 8, 2006, at Northern Montana Hospital of natural causes. Cremation has taken place. A private burial will be held this week at Highland Cemetery. A memorial service will be held at a later date. Richard was born Jan. 4, 1930, in Havre to Grant and Pauline Greene. He was raised and educated in Havre, graduating from Havre High School in May of 1948. Richard enlisted in the U.S. Army on Feb. 22, 1951, and served in Korea. He was honorably discharged in August 1956. He married...

SPOKANE, Wash. - Claire Renee Gertson, 95, of Spokane, Wash., died Sunday, March 19, 2006, in Spokane. A funeral service was held at 1 p.m. Saturday, March 25, at Ball and Dodd Funeral Home with the Rev. Jack Barker officiating. Interment was at Greenwood Memorial Terrace. She was born Claire Renee Brendgord on Dec. 18, 1910, in Havre. She was educated in Havre and graduated from Havre High School. She was a member of the Hillyard Senior Citizens Center and loved to play penny bingo. She also enjoyed international rummy and...

CASPER, Wyo. - Beatrice D. (Watson) Cioc, 79, died March 27, 2006, at her home. A memorial service was held April 4 at First Christian Church, Disciples of Christ. She was born Nov. 1, 1926, in Eureka, to Harry (Red) Watson and Myrtle Watson. She was raised and educated in Havre. On Feb. 20, 1948, she married Charles J. Cioc. They moved to Casper, Wyo., in 1956. She was preceded in death by her husband, parents and one step-grandson. Survivors include her children, Kristen Zerizef of Casper, Lisa (Ray) Corbitt of Miller,...

ROCKY BOY - Pearl Jean Zumbaum, 57, of Rocky Boy and Havre, died Friday, April 7, 2006, at Benefis Health Care in Great Falls of cancer. Her memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. Tuesday at Darlene Berger's residence in Rocky Boy with Pastor Marvin Russette officiating. Pearl was born Oct. 3, 1948, in Fort Belknap to Phillip Elkhead and Marion (Russette) Saddler. She was raised in Rocky Boy, attending grade school there. She also attended school in St. Pierre, S.D., and college in Mandan, N.D., and Northern Montana College...

SHELBY - Donald “Smitty” Howard Smith, 97, a World War II veteran and school custodian from Malta and formerly of Shelby, died Wednesday, April 5, 2006, at a Great Falls hospital due to natural causes. A funeral service will be held at 2 p.m. Wednesday at the Whitted Funeral Chapel in Shelby with burial to follow in Valley View Cemetery. Visitation is Tuesday from 1 to 8 p.m. He was born in Havre Nov. 16, 1908, where he grew up on the family farm north of town. He served in the U.S. Army during World War II. He m...

ROCKY BOY - Gene Arthur Russette, 69, of Rocky Boy died Sunday, April 9, 2006, at the Big Sandy Nursing Home of heart problems. His wake service will begin today at the Rocky Boy Lutheran Church with his funeral service at 10 a.m. Tuesday, also at the Rocky Boy Lutheran Church with Father Pete Guthneck and Pastor Arden Barden officiating. Burial will follow at the Russette Family Cemetery. Gene was born Jan. 3, 1937, in Rocky Boy to Mike and Helen (Champagne) Russette. He was raised in Rocky Boy and attended schools there and...

ROSEVILLE, Minn. - Albert Gale Linebarger, 79, of Roseville, Minn., died Saturday, March 25, 2006. A funeral service was held March 31 at North Como Presbyterian Church in Roseville. Albert was born May 7, 1926, in Havre. He graduated in business from the University of Montana. He worked at Western Life Insurance in Helena as an underwriter and moved to Roseville in 1960 as the company merged with the St. Paul Co. He served as president of the Twin Cities Home Office Underwriters Association and was on the board of directors...

Marvin Jerome Gunnarson, 75, of Havre died Saturday, April 8, 2006, at his home in Havre. Marvin was born July 12, 1930, in Grafton, N.D. Marvin married Marilyn Joyce Hoag on June 13, 1955, in Moorhead, Minn. He earned a bachelor of arts degree from Central Bible Institute, a bachelor of science degree from Moorhead State University, and a master of science degree from Texas A&M. He retired from teaching in Havre. Marvin contributed to the Hi-line community through annual youth retreats, the Resting Place at the Great Norther...

ROCKY BOY - Donna Lee Arkinson, 56, died Friday, March 31, 2006, at Presbyterian Hospital in Oklahoma City, Okla., of cancer. Her wake service began Wednesday evening with her funeral service scheduled for 11 a.m. today at Our Saviour's Lutheran Church in Rocky Boy with Pastor Arden Barden officiating. Burial was to follow at Rocky Boy Cemetery. Donna was born March 30, 1950, in Browning to Edward and Cora (Bullchild) Arkinson. At 19, Donna gave birth to her first son Joseph Derek “Scout” Moran, who was adopted and raise...

ROCKY BOY - Donna Lee Arkinson, 56, died Friday, March 31, 2006, at Presbyterian Hospital in Oklahoma City, Okla., of cancer. Her wake service began Wednesday evening with her funeral service scheduled for 11 a.m. today at Our Saviour's Lutheran Church in Rocky Boy with Pastor Arden Barden officiating. Burial was to follow at Rocky Boy Cemetery. Donna was born March 30, 1950, in Browning to Edward and Cora (Bullchild) Arkinson. At 19, Donna gave birth to her first son Joseph Derek “Scout” Moran, who was adopted and raise...

Lucille Mildred (Dehl) Thomsen, 88, of Chester died Sunday, April 2, 2006, in Chester. A funeral service will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday at Rockman Funeral Chapel in Chester. Cremation will follow the services. Lucille was born Dec. 20, 1917, at Chinook to Nellie Light and Albert Dehl. She grew up in Chinook and received her formal education there. Lucille married Emil Guertzgen in 1934. They made their home in Chinook, where Lucille worked at the sugarbeet factory during the early years. The Guertzgens began raising their...

Lucille Mildred (Dehl) Thomsen, 88, of Chester died Sunday, April 2, 2006, in Chester. A funeral service will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday at Rockman Funeral Chapel in Chester. Cremation will follow the services. Lucille was born Dec. 20, 1917, at Chinook to Nellie Light and Albert Dehl. She grew up in Chinook and received her formal education there. Lucille married Emil Guertzgen in 1934. They made their home in Chinook, where Lucille worked at the sugarbeet factory during the early years. The Guertzgens began raising their...

Raymond O. Tweeten, 81, of Havre died peacefully at his home in Havre on Saturday, April 1, 2006. His funeral service will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday at First Lutheran Church in Havre, with graveside services with military honors to follow at Calvary Cemetery. Ray was born April 7, 1924, on the family farm near Ulen, Minn., son of Christian and Gina Braseth Tweiten. He learned the lessons of thrift, self-reliance, optimism and hard work that would serve him all his life growing up on the farm during the Depression of the...

ELLENSBURG, Wash. - Charles “Chuck” Donald Beston, 69, died on Monday, March 17, 2006, after a battle with cancer. A memorial service will be held Saturday at 2 p.m. in the American Legion Hall at 1101 Craig Ave. in Ellensburg, Wash. Chuck was born June 10, 1936, in Belcourt, N.D., and grew up in Harlem and Havre, the oldest of 10 children. He served as an Army cook during the Korean War. He maintained his love for cooking throughout his life and enjoyed the pleasure of sharing his talent with others. Although he e...

WHITEFISH - Winifred “Winnie” Osburnsen, 87, died peacefully Tuesday, March 28, 2006, at her daughter and son-in-law's home in Whitefish. A celebration of Winnie's life will be held at Missoula First Presbyterian Church in late May. Winifred was born in Havre on Sept. 2, 1918, to Martha and Hiram Bickle. After graduating valedictorian from Havre High School, Winnie moved to Great Falls, where she met Laurence Osburnsen. They were married in Arkansas in 1942, while he was in the Army Air Corps. After his discharge, they m...

Jerry Hayes, 71, died Saturday, April 1, 2006, at Benefis Hospital in Great Falls after battling an aggressive cancer that led to renal failure. Cremation has taken place and his memorial service will be held at 3:30 p.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 memorial service. Jerry was born June 30, 1934, in Chinook to Edwin and Thelma (Overcast) Hayes. He was raised and educated in Chinook and...

Raymond Charles Berg, 71, of Havre died Friday, March 31, 2006, at his home of natural causes. His prayer vigil service will be held at 7 p.m. Wednesday at St. Jude Catholic Church with his funeral Mass 11 a.m. Thursday at St. Jude Catholic Church in Havre with Father Robert D. Grosch officiating. A fellowship luncheon will be held at the St. Jude Parish Center immediately after the funeral Mass. Burial will be held at Cottonwood Cemetery north of Havre at 3 p.m. with military honors. Raymond was born Jan. 15, 1935 in Circle...

Laura Aageson, 86, of Havre died Thursday, March 30, 2006, at Northern Montana Hospital of natural causes. Viewing was held at Holland & Bonine Funeral Home on Sunday evening for family and friends. A graveside service was scheduled for 10 a.m. today at Highland Cemetery, followed by a funeral service at 11 a.m. at First Lutheran Church with the Revs. Brad Ulgenes and Michael O'Hearn officiating. A luncheon was to follow the service at the church. Laura was born Oct. 25, 1919, in Gildford to Lydia and Henry Miller. Laura...