Obituaries

CHESTER - Ethel C. (Fugate) Keith Darnall, 80, of Chester died Wednesday, July 27, 2005, at her residence. A funeral service will be held at 2 p.m. Monday at the United Methodist Church in Chester. Burial will follow at the Chester Cemetery. Ethel was born June 1, 1925, at Greentop, Mo., to Oleph and Esther (Brenizer) Fugate. The Fugates moved to Washington state, where Ethel received her formal education. She graduated from Colville High School in 1943. Ethel was working in Spokane when she met Lloyd Keith, a Montana native...

HARLEM - Selma (Sam) C. Nelson Conner, 91, formerly of Harlem, died of natural causes on Wednesday, July 27, 2005, at the Northern Montana Care Center in Havre. Crema-tion has taken place under direction of Edwards Funeral Home of Chinook. A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday at the Methodist Church in Harlem. Burial of the cremated remains will follow at the Harlem Cemetery. Selma Christina Nelson Conner was born Nov. 13, 1913, to Viola and Ole Nelson in Harlem. Selma grew up in Harlem and attended schools...

LIBBY - Clayton "Clayt" Irwin Mejie, 83, of Libby, formerly of Hogeland, died Monday, July 25, 2005, at a Libby care center of natural causes. A memorial service will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday at American Lutheran Church in Turner with the Revs. Rowlie Hutton and Jack Siemens officiating. Inurnment with military honors will be at Wing Cemetery. Cremation has already taken place. Clayt was born Jan. 25, 1922, in a squatter's shack in Tweet to Lottie Mae (Davis) Ward and Ernest Mejie. From the time he was 3, Clayt lived with...

HARLEM - Selma (Sam) C. Nelson Connor, 91, formerly of Harlem, died of natural causes on Wednesday, July 27, 2005, at the Northern Montana Care Center in Havre. Crema-tion has taken place under direction of Edwards Funeral Home of Chinook. A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday at the Methodist Church in Harlem. Burial of the cremated remains will follow at the Harlem Cemetery. Selma Christian Nelson Conner was born Nov. 13, 1913, to Viola and Ole Nelson in Harlem. Selma grew up in Harlem and attended schools...

Jerold "Bud" Eugene Albertson, 76, of Havre died Sunday, July 24, 2005, at his residence of natural causes. A memorial service was held Wednesday afternoon at Fifth Avenue Christian Church with the Rev. Rowlie Hutton officiating. Interment of the ashes was at Highland Cemetery. A luncheon followed at the church. Jerold was born Dec. 15, 1928, in Havre to Jerry and Leola (Hedman) Albertson. Jerold grew up in Havre and attended the public schools. He married Rhoda (Reite) on Sept. 17, 1950, in Havre. Jerold worked for the...

HARLEM - Nancy L. Jendro, 76, of Havre, formerly of Harlem, died Tuesday, July 26, 2005, at Northern Montana Care Center due to kidney failure. A memorial service will be held Friday at 6 p.m. in the Edwards Funeral Home Chapel in Chinook. Nancy was born July 18, 1929, in Beach, N.D., to Vernon and Ina (Blue) Osterloth. She attended a country grade school in Wibaux and high school in Glendive. Nancy married Irving Jendro on June 6, 1948, in Glendive. They farmed near Wibaux until moving to Harlem in 1952. Nancy worked as a...

HAVRE - Thomas W. Baker Jr., 87, of Havre died Wednesday, July 20, 2005, at Lewistown while visiting family. Crema-tion has taken place. A vigil and rosary will be held at St. Jude's Catholic Church at 7 p.m. Thursday. A funeral Mass will be held at 2 p.m. Friday at St. Jude's Catholic Church. A gathering will be held at the Elks Club following the service. Tom was born July 17, 1918, in Lewistown to Tom and Vern Baker. He was educated in Augusta and Lewistown. Tom graduated from Fergus County High School in 1936. He then...

HARLEM - Shirley M. Richman, 74, of Harlem died Sunday, July 24, 2005, at her residence in Harlem due to natural causes. A funeral service will be held Wednesday at 11 a.m. in St. Thomas Catholic Church with burial fol- lowing in the Harlem Cemetery. Shirley was born on May 1, 1931, in Harlem to Irvin and Nellie (Miller) Goodheart. She attended schools in Harlem. Shirley married Billy T. Richman on June 11, 1950, in Havre. She worked with her husband operating a bowling alley in Scobey and later a grocery store in Poplar....

HAVRE - Thomas W. Baker Jr., 87, of Havre died Wednesday, July 20, 2005, at Lewistown while visiting family. Crema-tion has taken place. A vigil and rosary will be held at St. Jude's Catholic Church at 7 p.m. Thursday. A gathering will be held at the Elks Club following the service. Tom was born July 17, 1918, in Lewistown to Tom and Vern Baker. He was educated in Augusta and Lewistown. Tom graduated from Fergus County High School in 1936. He then attended the University of Portland in Portland, Ore., on an athletic...

Jerold "Bud" Eugene Albertson, 76, of Havre died Saturday, July 24, 2005, at his residence of natural causes. A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. Wednesday at Fifth Avenue Christian Church with the Rev. Rowlie Hutton officiating. Interment of the ashes will take place at Highland Cemetery. A luncheon will follow at Fifth Avenue Christian Church immediately following the interment. Jerold was born Dec. 15, 1928, in Havre to Jerry and Leola (Henderson) Albertson. Jerold grew up in Havre and attended the public schools....

EVERETT, Wash. - Grace B. Wuerl, 77, of Everett, Wash., died Wednesday, July 20, 2005, at her home. A private family service will be held in August. Grace was born April 2, 1928, at Chinook to Harry E. and Wilma Varner Anderson. She was the first in her family to go to college. She attended the University of Montana, where she met Clay Wuerl. Grace married Clay and they lived in Helena many years before moving to Everett in 1967. She was preceded in death by her parents and husband, Clayton. Survivors include her children,...

TULSA, Okla. - Jan Miller, 59, of Tulsa, Okla., died Sunday, July 10, 2005, in her home of natural causes. A memorial service was held at World Outreach Church in Tulsa on July 14. A memorial service is scheduled for Jan at 11 a.m. on July 29 at Victory Christian Center at 3220 11th Ave. S. in Great Falls. Jan Miller was born Nov. 28, 1945, in Havre to George and Renette Turbak. She was raised in Havre and graduated from Havre Central High School in 1964. She married Terry La Valley and moved to Joplin in 1967. Jan was very...

COON RAPIDS, Minn. - Trudy E. Brown, 52, of Coon Rapids, Minn., died on Monday, July 18, 2005, due to a hemorrhage she suffered Sunday while boating with her grandchildren. A funeral service will be held at 1 p.m. Friday at Lord of Life Lutheran Church, 18500 County Road 101, Maple Grove, Minn. Interment will be at Morningside Memorial Gardens in Coon Rapids. Visitation will be one hour prior to service at church. Trudy was born in Havre on June 3, 1953, to Lawrence and Gertrude Branden. She attended Havre schools and earned...

HOGELAND - Mildred Bevolden, 83, of Hogeland died Friday, July 15, 2005, at Northern Montana Hospital due to natural causes. A funeral service will be held Tuesday at 10 a.m. in the Hogeland American Lutheran Church with burial following in Wing Cemetery. Mildred was born Nov. 27, 1921, in Oasdale, Wis., to Edwin and Adeline (Fuhrman) Straight. She attended schools in Wisconsin and moved to Hogeland in 1928. Mildred married Chester Bevolden in Hogeland on June 25, 1950. She farmed with her husband in the Hogeland area until...

Ellen Merle Schend, 86, of Havre died Saturday, July 16, 2005, at Benefis Hospital in Great Falls of natural causes. A viewing for family and friends will be Wednesday at the Holland & Bonine Funeral Home from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. Her funeral Mass will be held at 10 a.m. Thursday at the St. Jude's Catholic Church. Burial will follow at the Highland Cemetery. A fellowship luncheon will be held at the St. Jude Parish Center immediately after the graveside services. Merle was born March 15, 1919, in Kalispell to Emil and Mamie...

Margaret Swisher, 85, of Havre died Saturday, July 9, 2005, at Northern Montana Hospital of natural causes. Cremation has taken place and at her request no services will be held. Margaret was born Feb. 16, 1920, in Williston, N.D., to Murt and Eina Crow. The family moved to Glasgow in 1927, where she attended school and graduated high school in 1939. Margaret worked for Penney's and at the North Side Club before moving to Havre in 1962 to be near her family. She married Everette Swisher and the couple later divorced....

COOS BAY, Wash. - James "Jim" Melvin Stengem, 65, died Friday, July 8, 2005, at Coos Bay Washington of a heart attack while fishing on the ocean. He was born Dec. 3, 1939, in Havre to Melvin and Margaret (Hanning) Stengem. He was schooled in Havre, after which he joined and served four years in the U.S. Navy. He resided in California for the next 36 years, then relocated to Washington state. After retiring from Hicks Plumbing in Vancouver, Wash., he moved to Coos Bay in 2004 where he enjoyed his favorite pastime, fishing. He...

CHINOOK - Lloyd R. Spring, 92, of Chinook died at his residence Tuesday, July 12, 2005, due to natural causes. A funeral Mass will be Friday at 10 a.m. in St. Gabriel's Catholic Church with burial with military honors following in Kuper Memorial Cemetery. Lloyd was born June 22, 1913, in Lloyd to Peter and Martha (Reis) Spring. He attended rural schools and graduated from Chinook High School in 1932. Lloyd served in the U.S. Army during World War II from 1942 to 1945. Lloyd married Betty Ann Hermes in Chinook on June 2,...

FAIRVIEW, N.D. - Maurice "Nig" Martin, 86, of Fairview, N.D., formerly of Havre, died Friday, July 1, 2005, at his home. A memorial service was held at Community Presbyterian Church in Fairview on Thursday. Maurice was born Feb. 26, 1919, in Fedora, S.D., to Charles and Emma (Boyer) Martin. He started school in south Dakota, before he and his family moved to Fairview, N.D., where he finished school. After school, he worked on the family farm and later hauled gas. Nig was married to Gladys Berndt on Sept. 23, 1945, in Sidney....

Margaret Swisher, 85, of Havre died Saturday, July 9, 2005, at Northern Montana Hospital of natural causes. Cremation has taken place and at her request no services will be held. Margaret was born Feb. 16, 1920, in Williston, N.D., to Murt and Eina Crow. The family moved to Glasgow in 1927, where she attended school and graduated high school in 1939. Margaret worked for Penney's and at the North Side Club before moving to Havre in 1962 to be near her family. She married Everette Swisher and the couple later divorced....

COOS BAY, Wash. - James "Jim" Melvin Stengem, 65, died Friday, July 8, 2005, at Coos Bay Washington of a heart attack while fishing on the ocean. He was born Dec. 3, 1939, in Havre to Melvin and Margaret (Hanning) Stengem. He was schooled in Havre, after which he joined and served four years in the U.S. Navy. He resided in California for the next 36 years, then relocated to Washington state. After retiring from Hicks Plumbing in Vancouver, Wash., he moved to Coos Bay in 2004 where he enjoyed his favorite pastime, fishing. He...

CHINOOK - Lloyd R. Spring, 92, of Chinook died at his residence Tuesday, July 12, 2005, due to natural causes. A funeral Mass will be Friday at 10 a.m. in St. Gabriel's Catholic Church with burial with military honors following in Kuper Memorial Cemetery. Lloyd was born June 22, 1913, in Lloyd to Peter and Martha (Reis) Spring. He attended rural schools and graduated from Chinook High School in 1932. Lloyd served in the U.S. Army during World War II from 1942 to 1945. Lloyd married Betty Ann Hermes in Chinook on June 2,...

COOS BAY, Wash. - James "Jim" Melvin Stengem, 65, died Friday, July 8, 2005, at Coos Bay Washington of a heart attack while fishing on the ocean. He was born Dec. 3, 1939, in Havre to Melvin and Margaret (Hanning) Stengem. He was schooled in Havre, after which he joined and served four years in the U.S. Navy. He resided in California for the next 36 years, then relocated to Washington state. After retiring from Hicks Plumbing in Vancouver, Wash., he moved to Coos Bay in 2004 where he enjoyed his favorite pastime, fishing. He...

CHINOOK - Lloyd R. Spring, 92, of Chinook died at his residence Tuesday, July 12, 2005, due to natural causes. A funeral Mass will be Friday at 10 a.m. in St. Gabriel's Catholic Church with burial with military honors following in Kuper Memorial Cemetery. Lloyd was born June 22, 1913, in Lloyd to Peter and Martha (Reis) Spring. He attended rural schools and graduated from Chinook High School in 1932. Lloyd served in the U.S. Army during World War II from 1942 to 1945. Lloyd married Betty Ann Hermes in Chinook on June 2,...

FAIRVIEW, N.D. - Maurice "Nig" Martin, 86, of Fairview, N.D., formerly of Havre, died Friday, July 1, 2005, at his home. A memorial service was held at Community Presbyterian Church in Fairview on Thursday. Maurice was born Feb. 26, 1919, in Fedora, S.D., to Charles and Emma (Boyer) Martin. He started school in south Dakota, before he and his family moved to Fairview, N.D., where he finished school. After school, he worked on the family farm and later hauled gas. Nig was married to Gladys Berndt on Sept. 23, 1945, in Sidney....