Obituaries

BIGFORK - Arnold O. Lund, 88, of Bigfork and formerly of Havre, died Thursday, Aug. 18, 2005, surrounded by the love of his family at Brendan House in Kalispell. Cremation has taken place. A service will be held at Messiah Lutheran Church in Havre at 2 p.m. Saturday with a luncheon following. Arnold was born on Aug. 29, 1916, to Olaf and Lena Lund at Simpson. Arnold Lund and Ethel Boice were married on June 12, 1946. Arnold served in the Army Air Corps in the beginning of World War II. He then transitioned into work for Boein...

SUNLAND, Calif. - Dick Banks, 68, of Sunland, Calif., died Saturday, Aug. 13, 2005, at his home of cancer with his family at his side. A celebration of his life was scheduled for this evening at Joselito's Restaurant in Montrose, Calif. A memorial service will be held in Montana at a later date. Dick was born Sept. 16, 1936, in Havre to Cliff and Jewell Banks. Shortly after graduating from the University of Montana, he moved Minneapolis to enter the women's fashion business with Buttrey Stores. Dick eventually became vice...

CASA GRANDE, Ariz. - John Robert Rominger, longtime Havre teacher, died Monday, Aug. 22, 2005, at RTA Hospice & Palliative Care in Casa Grande, Ariz., after a long struggle with health problems. A memorial service will be held at the Casa Grande United Methodist church at 11 a.m. Friday. Private burial will be held at a later date at Highland Cemetery in Havre. John was born Jan. 23, 1924, in Floweree to William Preston and Adelene Pearl (Rankin) Rominger. He attended schools in Montana and New Hampshire and completed his edu...

BILLINGS - Mary Lou Reeder, 75, died Thursday, Aug. 18, 2005, after years of declining health. Her body has been cremated and a memorial service will be held Saturday at 10 a.m. at First Baptist Church in Billings. A time of sharing and singing hymns will be held at 7 p.m. Friday at the church. Mary Lou was born July 7, 1930, in Mitchell, S.D., to Herbert Bird Watson and Ella Lucile Grout Watson. She was active in 4-H and made her commitment to the Christian faith at her church in Mitchell. She attended rural schools and...

BIGFORK - Arnold O. Lund, 88, of Bigfork and formerly of Havre, died Thursday, Aug. 18, 2005, surrounded by the love of his family at Brendan House in Kalispell. Cremation has taken place. A service will be held at Messiah Lutheran Church in Havre at 2 p.m. Saturday with a luncheon following. Arnold was born on Aug. 29, 1916, to Olaf and Lena Lund at Simpson. Arnold Lund and Ethel Boice were married on June 12, 1946. Arnold served in the Army Air Corps in the beginning of World War II. He then transitioned into work for Boein... Full story

HAYS - Theresa Cuts The Rope Werk, 75, "Yo Who Tha" (Hiding Woman), died Aug. 19, 2005, at the Werk family ranch near Hays. A funeral Mass was held Monday at 10 a.m. in Saint Paul's Catholic Church with burial following at Mission Cemetery. Wake and rosary began Sunday at 7 p.m. at Harold and Theresa Werk's residence. Theresa was born on Aug. 10, 1930, to Frank and Matilda (White Plume) Cuts the Rope at Hays. She attended school at St. Paul's Mission School for 12 years. She married Harold "Bazoo" Werk Sr. on Nov. 24, 1951,...

CASA GRANDE, Ariz. - John Robert Rominger, longtime Havre teacher, died Monday, Aug. 22, 2005, at RTA Hospice & Palliative Care in Casa Grande, Ariz., after a long struggle with health problems. A memorial service will be held at the Casa Grande United Methodist church at 11 a.m. Friday. Private burial will be held at a later date at Highland Cemetery in Havre. John was born Jan. 23, 1924, in Floweree to William Preston and Adelene Pearl (Rankin) Rominger. He attended schools in Montana and New Hampshire and completed his edu...

BILLINGS - Mary Lou Reeder, 75, died Thursday, Aug. 18, 2005, after years of declining health. Her body has been cremated and a memorial service will be held Saturday at 10 a.m. at First Baptist Church in Billings. A time of sharing and singing hymns will be held at 7 p.m. Friday at the church. Mary Lou was born July 7, 1930, in Mitchell, S.D., to Herbert Bird Watson and Ella Lucile Grout Watson. She was active in 4-H and made her commitment to the Christian faith at her church in Mitchell. She attended rural schools and... Full story

BIGFORK - Arnold O. Lund, 88, of Bigfork and formerly of Havre, died Thursday, Aug. 18, 2005, surrounded by the love of his family at Brendan House in Kalispell. Cremation has taken place. A service will be held at Messiah Lutheran Church in Havre at 2 p.m. Saturday with a luncheon following. Arnold was born on Aug. 29, 1916, to Olaf and Lena Lund at Simpson. Arnold Lund and Ethel Boice were married on June 12, 1946. Arnold served in the Army Air Corps in the beginning of World War II. He then transitioned into work for Boein...

FORT BELKNAP - Michael Lee "Bruce" Yellow Robe, 39, a firefighter and construction worker, drowned in the Milk River on Friday, Aug. 19, 2005. A wake, rosary will be held at 7 p.m. today at the Red Whip Recreation Center at Fort Belknap. A funeral service will be held at 10 a.m. Tuesday at the Red Whip Recreation Center, with burial in the Highway Church Cemetery. Bruce was born July 30, 1966, at Fort Belknap to Rose L. Yellow Robe and Ralph Wayne. Bruce was also known as "Bread Truck." He had four children with Lenora...

GREAT FALLS/BOX ELDER - Leslie G. Wright Sr., 55, died Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2005, at Benefis West after being disconnected from life support. A wake service will be held at 6 p.m. today with the funeral 10:30 a.m. Saturday, all at the Rocky Boy Catholic Church with the Rev. Nyquist officiating. Burial will follow at the Rocky Boy Cemetery. Leslie was born May 24, 1950, in Fort Belknap to Charles and Julia (Peeper) Wright. He was raised and educated in Rocky Boy. He worked as a laborer for many years. He loved his family and...

Tom Peter Wipf, 20, of Havre died in a farm truck accident in the Shelby area Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2005. His funeral service was scheduled for Thursday at the Hilldale Colony north of Havre. Tom was born Sept. 12, 1984, to Peter and Mary (Kleinsasser) Wipf in Havre. He was raised and educated at the Hilldale Colony. He enjoyed farming, especially the dairy industry. He was a very kindhearted young man who loved his parents and family. Tom enjoyed music and traveling to see the country. At the time of his death, he was...

Bill S. Nicholson, 74, a retired car man for the Burlington Northern Railway in Havre, died of natural causes Thursday, Aug. 18, 2005, at Benefis Hospital in Great Falls. Cremation has taken place. A memorial service for family and friends will be held at 10:30 a.m. Monday at First Lutheran Church. Bill was born in Birch Tree, Mo., on April 14, 1931. He graduated from Birch Tree High School in 1947. He then worked in construction before moving to Chinook in 1949, where he married and had two children. In 1953, he joined the...

CHINOOK - Leona Grace Steffen Jensen, 84 of Chinook died Saturday, Aug. 13, 2005, after a courageous battle with cancer. A funeral service will be held Thursday at 11 a.m. in the American Lutheran Church with burial following in Kuper Memorial Cemetery. Leona was born April 18, 1921, in Harlem to Arthur and Emma (Anacker) Steffen. She attended Snake Creek School, Harlem Schools and graduated from Chinook High School in 1938. Leona married Kenneth Jensen in 1942. She was an active leader in Paradise Valley 4-H. She enjoyed...

Clifford Gaylord Haugen, 83, of Havre died Monday, Aug. 15, 2005, at Northern Montana Hospital, surrounded by his family. Public visitation will take place at Holland & Bonine Funeral Home in Havre from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday. His funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. Friday at First Lutheran Church with the Rev. Brad Ulgenes officiating. Burial with full military honors will follow at the Highland Cemetery. A fellowship luncheon will be held at the church immediately after the service at the graveside. Memorials in Cli... Full story

Karen Jo Meyers, 53, whose real name, Ka Say Way Skum Ka Po, loosely translated means Jingle Sitter, died Saturday, Aug. 13, 2005, at her home in Box Elder due to diabetic complications. A wake began at Our Saviour's Lutheran Church at Rocky Boy on Sunday and ends today. The funeral services will be held at the Lutheran Church in Rocky Boy 10 a.m. Wednesday, conducted by Kenny Writing Bird of Rocky Boy along with the Rev. Pete Guthnick and the Rev. Barden. Interment will follow at the Rocky Boy Cemetery. Following interment,...

Margaret L. "Marge" LaRocque, 58, of Havre died Sunday, Aug. 14, 2005, of lung cancer at Peace Hospice in Great Falls surrounded by her family and friends. Viewing will be Thursday from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Holland & Bonine Funeral Home. Her funeral service will be held at 2 p.m. Friday at the Holland & Bonine Funeral Chapel. Burial will follow at the Highland Cemetery. A fellowship will be held at the Gallery Restaurant at the Holiday Village Shopping Center immediately after the services at the graveside. Marge was...

Orville Howard Goodrich, 88, of Havre died Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2005, of natural causes at Sweet Memorial Nursing Home in Chinook. Graveside services were in Kansas City, Mo., on Saturday. Orville was born June 16, 1917, in Wichita, Kan., to Bingham and Gracia (Wilhoite) Goodrich. Orville was raised in Kansas City and graduated from NorthEast High School. Upon graduation, Orville enlisted in the U.S. Navy. He was a World War II veteran and served as a radarman, mostly in the Pacific. In 1941, he married Rose Hines in Kansas... Full story

MISSOULA - James M. Elmslie, 83, of Missoula, formerly of Havre, died Thursday, Aug. 11, 2005, surrounded by his family in Missoula. A graveside service with full military honors will be held at 2:30 p.m. Monday at the Highland Cemetery with the Rev. Zoe Coutts officiating. Details regarding a reception will be announced at the service. Jim was born April 8, 1922, to James M. Elmslie Sr. and Pearl Webster Elmslie. He was a graduate of Havre High, class of 1940, and Northern Montana College. He served in the U.S. Army in...

WALKERVILLE - June Cady Corbitt, 85, of Walkerville died Monday, Aug. 8, 2001, at her home surrounded by her family. Visitation will be 9 to 10 a.m. Monday in St. Patrick's Church. A funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Cremation will take place following the Mass with private interment of ashes to be held at a later date. She was born on June 3, 1920, in Kremlin to Harry W. and Rose M. (Vosen) Cady. She attended grade school in Kremlin and graduated from high school in Gildford. June attended Northern Montana College a... Full story

CHINOOK - Monica Miller, 98, longtime resident of Chinook, died Monday, Aug. 8, 2005, of natural causes at Northern Montana Care Center in Havre. A funeral service will be held on Monday at 11 a.m. at the Edwards Funeral Home Chapel in Chinook. Monica was born on July 4, 1907, in Tomah, Wis., to the late Hugh and Maude (Gordon) Mathers. Monica came to Montana at the age of 14 to join her parents at the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation, and remained there until she graduated from Harlem High School. She attended college in...

MOSES LAKE, Wash. - Martha Martina Ohland, 89, longtime Moses Lake, Wash., resident, died Wednesday, Aug. 3, 2005, at SunBridge Care and Rehabilitation Center. Private family services will be held at Kayser's Chapel of Memories. Martha was born Nov. 17, 1915 in Charboneau, N.D., to the late Martina and Philander Yates. She graduated from Havre High School in 1933. Martha married her high school sweetheart, Hermie Ohland, in 1935. They then moved to Walla Walla, Wash. In 1941, they relocated to Ritzville, Wash., and settled...

CHINOOK - Christine Ann Whitney, 24, of Chinook, a homemaker who enjoyed hunting, fishing, camping, traveling and playing pool, died Sunday, July 31, 2005, in Great Falls of cardiomyopathy. A memorial service will be held at noon Friday at Ryan Dam north of Great Falls. Survivors include her life partner, T.R. Olson of Chinook; sons, Tehrin Kail Olson and Xandor Kegan Olson of Chinook; mother, Aarah Whitney of Calgary, Alberta; father, Daniel Whitney of Vallejo, Calif.; sisters, Tara Whitney of Corvallis; brother, Jason... Full story

Lawrence ( Larry) A. Weise, 87, died Tuesday, Aug. 2, 2005, at his daughter's home in Havre of natural causes. His funeral service will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday at St. Paul's Lutheran Church with the Rev. Alfred Ebel officiating. Burial will follow with military honors at the Highland Cemetery. A fellowship luncheon will be held at the Vets Club immediately after the services at the graveside. Lawrence was born Sept. 18, 1917, in St. Clair, Minn., to Edward and Gertrude (Hansel) Weise. He was raised and educated in Alma... Full story

Francis Alec "Johnnycake" Stiffarm Sr., 66, whose Indian name Thay Wus means Weasel-Bear, owner and operator of Budget Trimmers Tree Service in Havre, died Tuesday, Aug. 2, 2005, at the Fort Belknap Hospital. His cause of death has not yet been determined. His memorial service will be 3 p.m. Friday at the Holland & Bonine Chapel. Interment of the cremated remains will be held at a later time. A fellowship will be held at the North Central Senior Citizens Center immediately after the memorial service. Frank was born Jan. 23,...