Obituaries

Gladys Lenore (Lyon) DeLong, 88, of Havre died Dec. 9, 2004, at Northern Montana Care Center due to natural causes. Cremation has taken place and a memorial service will be at a later time. Gladys was born in Dunseith, N.D., on Feb. 13, 1916, the fourth of five children of George and Flora (Hart) Lyon. She received her schooling in Pine River, Saskatschewan, and Alkabo, N.D. When Gladys was 7 years old, her mother took Gladys and her three sisters and a brother in a covered wagon to homestead in Pine River. They lived there...

BIG SANDY - John Paul Tourtlotte, 51, died Tuesday, Dec. 7, 2004, from complications of pneumonia at Big Sandy Medical Center. A funeral service was scheduled for today at 11 a.m. at First Lutheran Church in Glasgow with the Rev. Martin Mock officiating. Interment will be at Highland Cemetery in Glasgow. A memorial service will also be held Saturday at 2 p.m. at First Lutheran Church in Havre. John was born Feb. 1, 1953, in Glasgow. During his early years in Glasgow, he attended a special-needs preschool at First Lutheran... Full story

Former Havre resident James R. Anderson, 77, a retired Cascade County Road Department employee, died Wednesday, Dec. 8, 2004, at Peace Hospice in Great Falls due to renal failure. His memorial service will be at Hillcrest Lawn Chapel on Saturday at 11 a.m. Jim was born in Great Falls on Nov. 24, 1927, the son of David and Dorothy (Moran) Anderson. He was raised and educated in Great Falls, graduating from Great Falls High School. He married his wife of 56 years, Mary Louise Rickard, on Nov. 24, 1948, in Great Falls. Jim...

MIAMI - James D. Owens, 66, of Miami, a longtime Montana school principal, superintendent and basketball coach, died of cardiac arrest Friday in Miami. Cremation has taken place. Services will take place in White Sulphur Springs in early summer. Owens, 66, was born on Jan. 2, 1938, in Circle, MT. Jim lived most of his life in Montana. He graduated from Wibaux County High School, where he excelled in basketball, baseball and football. Jim attended the University of Montana and Montana State University, where he played basketba... Full story

CHESTER - Lila E. (Ward) Laas, 85, who was diagnosed with cancer in July, died Saturday, Dec. 4, 2004, in her Chester home. A memorial service will be 11 a.m. Thursday at Our Savior's Lutheran Church in Chester. Burial of ashes will follow at the Chester Cemetery. Lila was born near Chester on Sept. 27, 1919. She received her education at the Erickson School, then attended beauty college. She married Walter Laas on June 17, 1939. They made their home in Chester and ran Laas Bar in those early years. Her husband served as a... Full story

GRASS RANGE - Gregory "Buck" Joseph Henderson of Grass Range, 85, died Dec. 3, 2004, at a Billings hospital of natural causes after a lengthy illness. A funeral service was held today at 10 a.m. in the Cloyd Chapel in Lewistown. A second service will be held Saturday at 11 a.m. in St. Jude's Catholic Church in Havre, with interment to follow at the Highland Cemetery. Henderson was born Aug. 4, 1919, on a homestead at Warrick in the Bear Paw Mountains to Fred and Alice (Gregory) Henderson. He ranched in the Bear Paws until he...

Juanita L. Christiansen, 70, died Sunday, Dec. 5, 2004, at Peace Hospice Home in Great Falls of natural causes. Her funeral service will be 2 p.m. Thursday at Fifth Avenue Christian Church with the Rev. Rowlie Hutton officiating. Burial will follow at the Highland Cemetery. A fellowship luncheon will be held at the church immediately after the graveside service. Juanita was born in Eugene, Ore., to Tom and Lucille Stimson. She moved to Havre as a young child with her family. She married Donald Christiansen on Aug. 18, 1950,... Full story

CHESTER - Lila E. (Ward) Laas, 85, who was diagnosed with cancer in July, died Saturday, Dec. 4, 2004, in her Chester home. A memorial service will be 11 a.m. Thursday at Our Savior's Lutheran Church in Chester. Burial of ashes will follow at the Chester Cemetery. Lila was born near Chester on Sept. 27, 1919. She received her education at the Erickson School, then attended beauty college. She married Walter Laas on June 17, 1939. They made their home in Chester and ran Laas Bar in those early years. Her husband served as a... Full story

GRASS RANGE - Gregory "Buck" Joseph Henderson of Grass Range, 85, died Dec. 3, 2004, at a Billings hospital of natural causes after a lengthy illness. A funeral service was held today at 10 a.m. in the Cloyd Chapel in Lewistown. A second service will be held Saturday at 11 a.m. in St. Jude's Catholic Church in Havre, with interment to follow at the Highland Cemetery. Henderson was born Aug. 4, 1919, on a homestead at Warrick in the Bear Paw Mountains to Fred and Alice (Gregory) Henderson. He ranched in the Bear Paws until he...

Juanita L. Christiansen, 70, died Sunday, Dec. 5, 2004, at Peace Hospice Home in Great Falls of natural causes. Her funeral service will be 2 p.m. Thursday at Fifth Avenue Christian Church with the Rev. Rowlie Hutton officiating. Burial will follow at the Highland Cemetery. A fellowship luncheon will be held at the church immediately after the graveside service. Juanita was born in Eugene, Ore., to Tom and Lucille Stimson. She moved to Havre as a young child with her family. She married Donald Christiansen on Aug. 18, 1950,... Full story

Lawrence (Larry) Turgeon, 89, died Sunday, Nov. 28, 2004, at his residence in Havre. His memorial service will be 10 a.m. Tuesday at the Holland & Bonine Funeral Chapel. Burial with military honors will follow at the Calvary Cemetery. Larry was born July 7, 1915, in St. Paul, Minn., to Mariza Sabourin Turgeon and Joseph A. Turgeon. After his parents died, he and his brothers lived at Father Flannigan's Boys Town. From Boys Town, Larry studied at the Meritz Seminary for the priesthood. He was a brother in the order but left... Full story

Gladys Roberta (Patrick) Smith, 93, died Dec. 2, 2004, at her home of natural causes. Her funeral service will be held 11 a.m. Thursday at First Lutheran Church with the Rev. Brad Ulgenes officiating. Burial will follow at the Highland Cemetery. A fellowship luncheon will be held at the church immediately after the graveside service. Gladys was born Feb 9, 1911, to Charles and Sadie (Gale) Patrick at LaBelle, Mo. In 1915 the family of then four children with their parents homesteaded north of Rudyard. Gladys was the second...

Robert James Montalbetti Sr. died at his home on Dec. 2, 2004, of natural causes. A memorial service was held at the Holland & Bonine Funeral Home in Havre today at 10 a.m. Robert was born in Aug. 23, 1936, at Great Falls, where he grew up on the family farm. When he was 18 he joined the U.S. Navy and served in Korea. Robert was honorably discharged from the service in San Diego, where he worked as a firefighter until moving back to Montana. Here he started a 30-plus-year career in the construction/truck driving business for...

Chris Heggen, Jr., 76, of Kremlin died Friday, Dec. 3, 2004, at a Great Falls hospital of natural causes. Cremation has taken place. His memorial service will be 10 a.m. Friday at the Holland & Bonine Funeral Home with the Rev. Rowlie Hutton officiating. Burial will follow at the Highland Cemetery. A fellowship will be held at the Eagles Club immediately after the graveside service. Chris was born April 22, 1928, south of Kremlin to Chris L. and Olive (Reum) Heggen Sr. He attended country school at Halfway Coulee and worked... Full story

Arvid John Blessing, 85, died Friday, Dec. 3, 2004, at his Great Falls home after a battle with cancer. A memorial services will be 2 p.m. Tuesday at the Rockman Funeral Chapel in Chester. Military rites with burial of ashes will follow at 4 p.m. at the Highland Cemetery in Havre. A reception will follow at the Havre senior center. Arvid was born Sept. 10, 1921, at Dawson, N.D., to John and Dora (Joslyn) Blessing. He was one of eight children. When Arvid was a child, the Blessings moved to Montana and eventually settled in...

Mary Elizabeth Hinrichs, 81, died Wednesday, Dec. 1, 2004, at the Big Sandy Medical Center of natural causes. Viewing will be from 1 to 3 p.m. Sunday at the Holland & Bonine Funeral Home. Her funeral service will be 2 p.m. Monday at the Holland & Bonine Funeral Chapel with Ila McClenahan officiating. Burial will follow at the Highland Cemetery. A fellowship luncheon will follow at the Eagles Club immediately after the graveside service. Mary was born July 23, 1923, in Havre to Calvin J. and Ethel (Kimsey Hall) Hall. Mary and...

HAYS - Roland F. Brockie, 52, died Tuesday, Nov. 30, 2004, at his residence south of Havre due to natural causes. A wake and rosary will be 7 p.m. today at St. Paul's Recreation Center at Hays. A funeral Mass will be Saturday at 11:30 a.m. at the center. Roland was born on April 17, 1952, at Poplar to Frances Brockie and Raymond Scott. He was raised in the Harlem area and graduated from Harlem High School in 1969. Roland lived in Harlem except for short stays in Great Falls and the last 10 years in Havre. In Harlem, he was a...

Norman George Boucher, 95, died Tuesday, Nov. 30, 2004, at Northern Montana Hospital of natural causes. A memorial service will be held at 10 a.m. Friday at the Holland & Bonine Funeral Chapel with the Rev. Brad Ulgenes officiating, with burial to follow at the Highland Cemetery. A fellowship luncheon will be held at the Eagles Club immediately after the service at the graveside. Norman was born Nov. 12, 1909, to Charles and Angeline (Scott) Boucher in Max Bass, N.D. Norman and his family moved to Havre when he was a young... Full story

Norman George Boucher, 95, died Tuesday, Nov. 30, 2004, at Northern Montana Hospital of natural causes. A memorial service will be held at 10 a.m. Friday at the Holland & Bonine Funeral Chapel with the Rev. Brad Ulgenes officiating, with burial to follow at the Highland Cemetery. A fellowship luncheon will be held at the Eagles Club immediately after the service at the graveside. Norman was born Nov. 12, 1909, to Charles and Angeline (Scott) Boucher in Max Bass, N.D. Norman and his family moved to Havre when he was a young...

Melvin Allan Mickelson, 54, died Sunday, Nov. 28, 2004, at his home in Havre of natural causes. A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday at the Holland & Bonine Funeral Chapel. A potluck luncheon will be held at the Shanty Bar immediately after the memorial service. Melvin was born to Paul and Helen (Schach) Mickelson in Rugby, N.D., on June 16, 1950. At the age of 7, Mel received his first guitar and music became his life-long passion. His family soon moved to Havre where he attended and graduated from Havre High... Full story

Norman George Boucher, 95, died Tuesday, Nov. 30, 2004, at Northern Montana Hospital of natural causes. A memorial service will be held at 10 a.m. Friday at the Holland & Bonine Funeral Chapel with the Rev. Brad Ulgenes officiating, with burial to follow at the Highland Cemetery. A fellowship luncheon will be held at the Eagles Club immediately after the service at the graveside. Norman was born Nov. 12, 1909, to Charles and Angeline (Scott) Boucher in Max Bass, N.D. Norman and his family moved to Havre when he was a young...

Melvin Allan Mickelson, 54, died Sunday, Nov. 28, 2004, at his home in Havre of natural causes. A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday at the Holland & Bonine Funeral Chapel. A potluck luncheon will be held at the Shanty Bar immediately after the memorial service. Melvin was born to Paul and Helen (Schach) Mickelson in Rugby, N.D., on June 16, 1950. At the age of 7, Mel received his first guitar and music became his life-long passion. His family soon moved to Havre where he attended and graduated from Havre High...

Norman George Boucher, 95, died Tuesday, Nov. 30, 2004, at Northern Montana Hospital of natural causes. A memorial service will be held at 10 a.m. Friday at the Holland & Bonine Funeral Chapel with the Rev. Brad Ulgenes officiating, with burial to follow at the Highland Cemetery. A fellowship luncheon will be held at the Eagles Club immediately after the service at the graveside. Norman was born Nov. 12, 1909, to Charles and Angeline (Scott) Boucher in Max Bass, N.D. Norman and his family moved to Havre when he was a young... Full story

LODGE POLE - Tanner Emerson Lee Shortman, 3 months, died Wednesday, Nov. 24, 2004, at the Children's Hospital in Salt Lake City, Utah. A wake service will be Tuesday night at his the residence of his grandparent Curtis Snell in Lodge Pole. A funeral Mass will be 10 a.m. Wednesdayat Medicine Bear Lodge in Lodge Pole with burial in the Lodge Pole Cemetery. Tanner was born Aug. 2, 2004, at Havre to Bruce Shortman and Velvet Weatherwax. He had many health problems and was transferred to the Children's Hospital in Salt Lake City.... Full story

Donna Jean Wilson, 72, died Tuesday, Nov. 9, 2004, at Big Sky Care Center in Helena. A celebration of her life will be held at Immanuel Baptist Church in Havre on Nov. 20 at 11 a.m. and in Colorado Springs Colorado on Nov. 27, 2004 at 11 a.m. Donna was born on Aug. 20, 1932, to Wendall and Mary Winter of Kremlin. She was a Hi-Line girl, attending grade school and high school in the Kremlin school district. She graduated from Northern Montana College with a degree in nursing. Donna met and later married a young sailor,... Full story