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... Full story

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,...

HARKER HEIGHTS, Texas - Rickie Lynn Knudson, 40, a captain in the Texas National Guard, died Wednesday, July 13, 2005, in Burnet, Texas. A funeral service was held Tuesday at Heritage Funeral Home Chapel in Harker Heights, Texas, with cremation to follow. A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday at First Lutheran Church in Havre, with a luncheon to follow at the Eagles Club. Rickie was born Nov. 22, 1964, in Havre. He attended Havre schools and graduated from Havre High School in 1983. After graduating, he joined...

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... Full story

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,... Full story

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.... Full story

Ann Pauline Simko, 91, of Havre died Monday, July 4, 2005, at her home of natural causes. Cremation has taken place. Ann's memorial service will be held Tuesday at the Holland & Bonine Funeral Chapel with the rosary beginning at 9:30 a.m. and the memorial service at 10 a.m. with the Rev. Robert D. Grosch officiating. Burial will follow at the Highland Cemetery. Ann was born March 5, 1914, to Michael and Meri (Elias) Simko in Vedora, Saskatchewan. They were immigrants from Czechoslovakia and the family came to the United...

Gladys Bialek, 94, of Havre died Tuesday, July 5, 2005, at the Northern Montana Hospital of natural causes. A prayer vigil service will be held at 7 p.m. Friday at the Holland & Bonine Funeral Chapel. Her funeral Mass will be at 9 a.m. Saturday at St. Jude's Catholic Church with the Rev. Robert D. Grosch officiating. Burial will follow at the Calvary Cemetery. Gladys was born March 26, 1911, to Guy and Olga (Holen) Hockett in a small room above her father's barber shop in Havre. Gladys was raised and educated in Havre and...

CHESTER - Robin Estelle O'Neil, 50, of Chester died Monday, June 27, 2005, at the Liberty County Hospital in Chester due to cancer. Her memorial services will be 11 a.m. Friday at the Chester Assembly of God Church. It was Robin's request that all family and friends planning to attend her funeral dress in bright, colorful, spring attire. Robin was born July 4, 1954, at Great Falls to Douglas and Josephine (Plank) Gunderson. She grew up on the family farm north of Chester and received her early schooling at the Osler Country S... Full story