Obituaries

CHINOOK - Cora Mae Benson, 76, died at a Havre care center due to natural causes on Tuesday, April 13, 2004. A graveside service will be held Friday at 9 a.m. in the Harlem Cemetery. A memorial service will follow at the Chinook High School Gymnasium at 11 a.m. Cora was born to Miles and Jennie (James) Emerson on Nov. 24, 1927, in Bracken, Saskatchewan. Her family moved to the "big flat" area and she attended school in Loring and graduated from Turner High School in 1946. She attended Northern Montana College in Havre and...

Matilda Mary Wells Converse, 84, died Tuesday, April 13, 2004, at a Havre hospital of natural causes. A funeral service will be held at 2 p.m. Friday at the Holland and Bonine Funeral Chapel with Marvin Russette officiating. Burial will follow at the Highland Cemetery. A fellowship luncheon will be held at the Eagles immediately following the services at the graveside. Matilda was born Dec. 21, 1919, in Williston, N.D., to Alex and Virginia (Kline) Wells. As a young girl she moved to Rocky Boy. She attended schools in Box Eld...

RUDYARD - Irvin August Brandt, 88, died Thursday, April 8, 2004, at a Havre hospital. A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. Monday at Our Savior's Lutheran Church in Rudyard. Burial will follow at the Rudyard Cemetery. Irvin was born Nov. 6, 1915, at Hingham to Ernest C. and Hertha (Krueger) Brandt. Irvin grew up on the family farm and received his education in town. He graduated from Hingham High School in 1934. In those early years he worked for the Civil Conservation Corps in western Montana. In addition, he farmed wit...

ALAMOGORDOD0, N.M. - Denzil "Denny" Jay Barker, 69, of Alamogordo, N.M., died Sunday, April 11, 2004, in Alamogordo. Cremation has taken place and no services are scheduled. Denny was born June 15, 1934, in Bismarck, N.D., to John W. and Vivian Barker. The family moved to Montana in 1938 and he was raised in Glasgow and Havre. He joined the U.S. Air Force in 1952 and served four years in England and Germany. Upon his discharge in 1956, he returned to Havre and became a carpenter. Denny later moved to California where he was...

CHINOOK - Ellen Eleanora "Toots" McGillivray, 87, died Friday, April 9, 2004, at a Havre care center on due to natural causes. A graveside service was scheduled for 1 p.m. today at the Kuper Memorial Cemetery with burial following. Toots was born on Feb. 28, 1917, to Al and Veronica (Catani) August of Zurich. Her mother, who died in 1918 during a flu epidemic, left behind five children. Toots and William Smithson, whose mother had also died, were raised by foster parents Harry and Ella Becker of Hogeland. She attended school...

HAYS - Judith Ann "Judy" Gray, whose Indian name was Eagle Feather Woman, 63, died Friday, April 9, 2004, at a Great Falls hospital after a lengthy illness. A rosary will be held at 7 p.m. today at St. Paul's Recreational Center at Hays. A funeral Mass will be held at 10 a.m. Tuesday at St. Paul's Mission Catholic Church. Burial will be at St. Paul's Mission. Judy was born Sept. 1, 1940, to Bertha Gone and Paul Myrick. She grew up in Hays and, except for short stays in California and Washington state, always lived in Hays....

PORTLAND, Ore. - Gertrude Seidel Loveland, 81, died Monday, March 29, 2004, in Portland. Gertrude was born June 13, 1922, at Chinook to Charles and Anna Seidel. The family moved to Havre that same year. She attended St. Jude's Elementary School and graduated from Havre High School in 1940. Gertrude married Orville Loveland in 1941. In September 1942, they moved to Portland, Ore. She worked at bookkeeping until retirement. She and Orville made many trips back to Havre to visit family and friends. Gertrude was preceded in...

Mary Patricia Guevara, 79, died Saturday, April 3, 2004, at a Great Falls hospice due to renal failure. Cremation has taken place. A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Friday at the St. Jude Catholic Church with the Rev. Robert D. Grosch officiating. A fellowship luncheon will be held immediately following the service at the VFW. Memorials in Mary's honor may be made to the St. Jude Parish Center, 624 Fourth St., Havre, MT 59501, or to Peace Hospice, 1101 26th St., Great Falls, MT 59405. Mary was born Dec. 27, 1924, in...

PORTLAND, Ore. - Gertrude Seidel Loveland, 81, died Monday, March 29, 2004, in Portland. Gertrude was born June 13, 1922, at Chinook to Charles and Anna Seidel. The family moved to Havre that same year. She attended St. Jude's Elementary School and graduated from Havre High School in 1940. Gertrude married Orville Loveland in 1941. In September 1942, they moved to Portland, Ore. She worked at bookkeeping until retirement. She and Orville made many trips back to Havre to visit family and friends. Gertrude was preceded in...

Mary Patricia Guevara, 79, died Saturday, April 3, 2004, at a Great Falls hospice due to renal failure. Cremation has taken place. A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Friday at the St. Jude Catholic Church with the Rev. Robert D. Grosch officiating. A fellowship luncheon will be held immediately following the service at the VFW. Memorials in Mary's honor may be made to the St. Jude Parish Center, 624 Fourth St., Havre, MT 59501, or to Peace Hospice, 1101 26th St., Great Falls, MT 59405. Mary was born Dec. 27, 1924, in...

PORTLAND, Ore. - Gertrude Seidel Loveland, 81, died Monday, March 29, 2004, in Portland. Gertrude was born June 13, 1922, at Chinook to Charles and Anna Seidel. The family moved to Havre that same year. She attended St. Jude's Elementary School and graduated from Havre High School in 1940. Gertrude married Orville Loveland in 1941. In September 1942, they moved to Portland, Ore. She worked at bookkeeping until retirement. She and Orville made many trips back to Havre to visit family and friends. Gertrude was preceded in...

Mary Patricia Guevara, 79, died Saturday, April 3, 2004, at a Great Falls hospice due to renal failure. Cremation has taken place. A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Friday at the St. Jude Catholic Church with the Rev. Robert D. Grosch officiating. A fellowship luncheon will be held immediately following the service at the VFW. Memorials in Mary's honor may be made to the St. Jude Parish Center, 624 Fourth St., Havre, MT 59501, or to Peace Hospice, 1101 26th St., Great Falls, MT 59405. Mary was born Dec. 27, 1924, in...

Robert Stanley Waid, 75, retired rancher, died Friday, April 2, 2004, at a Havre care facility of natural causes. A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Tuesday at the Van Orsdel United Methodist Church with the Rev. VaunDalee DeLong officiating. Cremation has taken place. Interment will be at the Highland Cemetery in Havre with DeLong officiating. A fellowship reception will be held at the church following the committal service. Robert was born June 14, 1928, to Carl and Berniece (Wolary) Waid at the home of his...

SEATTLE - Charles "Charlie" Howard Tibbetts, 47, of Seattle and formerly of Havre, died on March 18, 2004, at Seattle. A graveside service will be held at 1 p.m. May 1 at the Hill County Cemetery with a fellowship gathering after interment at the Townhouse Inns meeting room from 2-4 p.m. Charlie grew up in Havre and attended Havre schools. He graduated from Havre High School in 1975. Charlie worked as a brakeman for the Burlington Northern Railway and later traveled throughout the northwest. He traveled by whatever means...

Delores Vivian Sohm, 69, died Sunday, April 4, 2004, at a Havre care center after a long battle with cancer. A rosary will be held at 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Holland and Bonine Funeral Chapel with the funeral service at 11 a.m. Wednesday, also at the Holland and Bonine Funeral Chapel with the Rev. Pete Guthneck officiating. Burial will follow at the Highland Cemetery. A fellowship luncheon will be held at the VFW immediately after the services at the graveside. Delores was born Sept. 30, 1934, in Havre to Floyd L. and Sarah...

SPOKANE, Wash. - John J. Black, 82, died Tuesday, March 30, 2004, at Spokane. A memorial Mass will be celebrated at 2 p.m. Saturday at St. Mary's Catholic Church, 304 S. Adams Road, Spokane Valley. John was born on March 13, 1922, at Superior, Wis., to Florence (Wolf) and John Black. He grew up in Havre and developed a lifelong joy of the outdoors, hunting and fishing. He graduated from Havre High School in 1940. He married Ethel "Pat" Throm shortly before enlisting in the Army Signal Corp. He served and earned medals as a...

SEATTLE - Charles "Charlie" Howard Tibbetts, 47, of Seattle and formerly of Havre, died on March 18, 2004, at Seattle. A graveside service will be held at 1 p.m. May 1 at the Hill County Cemetery with a fellowship gathering after interment at the Townhouse Inns meeting room from 2-4 p.m. Charlie grew up in Havre and attended Havre schools. He graduated from Havre High School in 1975. Charlie worked as a brakeman for the Burlington Northern Railway and later traveled throughout the northwest. He traveled by whatever means...

SPOKANE, Wash. - John J. Black, 82, died Tuesday, March 30, 2004, at Spokane. A memorial Mass will be celebrated at 2 p.m. Saturday at St. Mary's Catholic Church, 304 S. Adams Road, Spokane Valley. John was born on March 13, 1922, at Superior, Wis., to Florence (Wolf) and John Black. He grew up in Havre and developed a lifelong joy of the outdoors, hunting and fishing. He graduated from Havre High School in 1940. He married Ethel "Pat" Throm shortly before enlisting in the Army Signal Corp. He served and earned medals as a...

ROSWELL, N.M. - Wayne B. Simonton, 54, died Sunday, March 28, 2004, at an eastern New Mexico medical center. A funeral service will be held at 2 p.m. Friday with the Rev. Jack Ferguson of the First Baptist Church in Dexter officiating. Burial will follow at South Park Cemetery. A reception will be held from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. near the J.C. Penney store at the Roswell Mall. Wayne was born on May 23, 1949, in Havre to H.V. "Babe" and Edie Simonton. Wayne had resided in Roswell for 32 years. He was S.E. New Mexico manager for...

ROSWELL, N.M. - Wayne B. Simonton, 54, died Sunday, March 28, 2004, at an eastern New Mexico medical center. A funeral service will be held at 2 p.m. Friday with the Rev. Jack Ferguson of the First Baptist Church in Dexter officiating. Burial will follow at South Park Cemetery. A reception will be held from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. near the J.C. Penney store at the Roswell Mall. Wayne was born on May 23, 1949, in Havre to H.V. "Babe" and Edie Simonton. Wayne had resided in Roswell for 32 years. He was S.E. New Mexico manager for...

FORT BELKNAP AGENCY - Darryl Lynn Kirkaldie Jr., 24, died Nov. 27, 2003, at Hays due to a self-inflicted gunshot injury. He was located on Friday, March 26, 2004, an eighth of a mile north of Hays. A funeral Mass will be held Wednesday at 11 a.m. in Saint Paul's Mission Recreation Center with burial following in St. Paul's Mission Cemetery. Wake and rosary will be Tuesday at 7 p.m. in St. Paul's Recreation Center. Darryl was born on Feb. 5, 1979, to Darryl and Evelyn (Doney) Kirkaldie Sr. at Fort Belknap Agency. He attended...

Janet Maxine Boe, 69, died at her home Wednesday, March 24, 2004, after a battle with cancer. Cremation has taken place and a memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Tuesday at the Fifth Avenue Christian Church with the Rev. Willis Cook officiating. Burial will follow at the Highland Cemetery and a fellowship luncheon will be held at the church immediately following the services at the graveside. Janet was born on Feb. 24, 1935, in Chinook to Lester and Rose Marie (LaTray) Rattey. She was raised and educated in the Chinook...

CHINOOK - Duane Daniel Werk, 68, former Chinook resident, died on Thursday, March 18, 2004, in Belgrade following a battle with cancer. A funeral service will be held at 2 p.m. Tuesday in the Chinook High School gymnasium. Burial will follow in the Kuper Memorial Cemetery with military honors. Duane was born on July 12, 1935, to Charles and Calista (Barrett) Werk in Malta. He attended schools in Chinook and was raised in the Bears Paw Mountains. He was a devoted husband, father, grandfather and son, but most of all was a...

TURNER - Vernon V. Heilig, 94, died Thursday, March 18, 2004, at a Havre care center due to natural causes. A funeral service was scheduled for 2 p.m. today in the Turner Christian Church with burial following in the Turner Cemetery. Vernon was born on June 7, 1909, to Jesse and Amy (Viele) Heilig in Tecumseh, Neb. He was a football player, threw the disc and was class president of his graduat- ing class in Boise, Idaho, in 1929. Vernon worked as a mechanic at Buick Motors and the Coca Cola plant in Boise until the fall of...

SPOKANE, Wash. - The Rev. Jack Harrington, 89, formerly of Havre, died Friday, March 5, 2004, at Spokane. A funeral Mass was held March 12 at Jesuit House in Spokane with interment at Mount St. Michael Cemetery. Harrington was born in Los Angeles, Calif. He entered the Society of Jesus in 1936. After completing his studies at Sheridan, Ore., he began philosophy studies at Mount St. Michael's, Spokane, in September 1939. He taught at Gonzaga Preparatory School and Gonzaga University from 1942 to 1945. He studied theology at...