Obituaries

ROCKY BOY - John Roddy "Eagle" Sunchild, an enrolled member of the Chippewa Cree Tribe of Rocky Boy's Indian Reservation died Wednesday, Oct. 6, 2004, of natural causes at the Virginia Hospital Center in Arlington, Va. A wake will be held on Saturday and Sunday at Our Saviour's Luthern Church at Rocky Boy. A burial with military honors will be held at 10 a.m. Monday at the Rocky Boy Cemetery. John was born on June 10, 1930, in the Bear Paw Mountains to Pete and Fannie (Oats) Sunchild. He was the grandson of Sunchild, an early...

HARLEM - Catherine L. Wilson, 94, a longtime resident of Harlem, died Tuesday, Oct. 5, 2004, at Sweet Memorial Nursing Home due to natural causes. A rosary will be recited at 7 p.m. today in Saint Thomas Catholic Church. A funeral Mass will be Friday at 10 a.m. in Saint Thomas Catholic Church, with burial following in the Harlem Cemetery. Catherine was born on April 11, 1910, in Yellow Grass, Saskatchewan, to Fred and Mary (Metchuk) Andrews. Catherine came with her parents to Caldwell by wagon from Lone Tree, Saskatchewan,...

MILES CITY - Marjorie "Marge" Lucille Urick, 89, of Miles City died on Friday, Oct. 1, 2004, at her home in Miles City surrounded by the love of her family and friends. Marge was born on Dec. 29, 1914, in Hinsdale, Ill., to Knute and Anna Martha (Sandstrom) Anderson. She grew up in northern Minnesota and attended a country grade school near Grand Rapids, Minn. She moved with the family to Coleraine, Minn. She graduated from Greenway High School in Coleraine, and Itasca Junior College and Business College in Duluth. Marge...

Ruth R. Possenti, 95, died at her home of natural causes on Friday, Oct. 1, 2004. In accord with Ruth's wishes, there will be no service. Ruth was born on Sept. 6, 1909, in Minneapolis, Minn. Abandoned as an infant, she was adopted by Emma and William Rathbone of Minneapolis. When Ruth was 13, she and her mother moved to Havre. Her brother Ed Rathbone worked on the railroad here. Ruth married Sam Possenti, who preceded her in death. She is survived by her daughter, Brooke Possenti, of Havre, and granddaughter, Laurie, who...

MILES CITY - Marjorie "Marge" Lucille Urick, 89, of Miles City died on Friday, Oct. 1, 2004, at her home in Miles City surrounded by the love of her family and friends. Marge was born on Dec. 29, 1914, in Hinsdale, Ill., to Knute and Anna Martha (Sandstrom) Anderson. She grew up in northern Minnesota and attended a country grade school near Grand Rapids, Minn. She moved with the family to Coleraine, Minn. She graduated from Greenway High School in Coleraine, and Itasca Junior College and Business College in Duluth. Marge...

Ruth R. Possenti, 95, died at her home of natural causes on Friday, Oct. 1, 2004. In accord with Ruth's wishes, there will be no service. Ruth was born on Sept. 6, 1909, in Minneapolis, Minn. Abandoned as an infant, she was adopted by Emma and William Rathbone of Minneapolis. When Ruth was 13, she and her mother moved to Havre. Her brother Ed Rathbone worked on the railroad here. Ruth married Sam Possenti, who preceded her in death. She is survived by her daughter, Brooke Possenti, of Havre, and granddaughter, Laurie, who...

CASA GRANDE, Ariz. - Lee Todd, 77, longtime Montana resident, died on Wednesday, Sept. 29, 2004, in Casa Grande. Cremation has taken place. A memorial service was held in Casa Grande on Oct. 2 with Win Alme officiating. Lee was born on June 11, 1927, in Bozeman to Ohmer and Sylvia (Covey) Todd. He was raised in Bozeman and served in the U.S. Navy. He returned to Montana and owned several businesses. He was a longtime employee of Baltrusch Construction in Havre. He retired seven years ago and moved to Arizona. Lee was active...

ROCKY BOY - Leon Wayne Stump Sr., 52, died Tuesday, Sept. 28, 2004, as the result of a train accident in Salt Lake City, Utah. A wake service began Saturday at Our Saviour's Lutheran Church at Rocky Boy. A funeral service was scheduled for 10 a.m. today at Our Saviour's Lutheran Church at Rocky Boy with the Rev. Pete Guthneck officiating. Burial was to follow at Rocky Boy Cemetery. Leon was born to Pat and Julia (Wolf Walker) Stump on Jan. 4, 1952, at Rocky Boy. He obtained a GED and then attended the South Western Indian Pol...

RANCHO CUCOMONGA, Calif. - Dale Kinder, 72, formerly of Havre, died on Sunday, Sept. 12, 2004, in California. No service is planned. His ashes will be spread at sea. Dale was born to Anna and Otto Kinder in Havre. He was retired. Survivors include his wife, Emma; son, Randy; daughter, Gail; sister, Gen Nelson of Billings; and a number of nieces and nephews....

Albert Joseph Christian, 87, died Thursday, Sept. 30, 2004, at Northern Montana Hospital of natural causes. Viewing will be 1 p.m. Monday at the Holland & Bonine Funeral Home. A prayer vigil will be held at 7 p.m. Monday at the Holland & Bonine Funeral Chapel. His funeral service will be 10 a.m. Tuesday at St. Jude's Catholic Church with the Rev. Robert Grosch officiating. Burial will be at Highland Cemetery. A fellowship will be held at the St. Jude Parish Center immediately following the graveside service. Albert was born...

David Henry Turner, 86, died from Alzheimer's disease on Tuesday, Sept. 28, 2004, at Eagle Cliff Manor in Billings. Cremation has taken place, and a memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Monday at Cremation or Funeral Gallery, 29 Eighth St. W. in Billings. He was born on Aug. 27, 1918, in Malta to David William Turner and Alvina Beatrice Cebulski. He spent his early years on the family homestead southwest of Landusky. The family moved from the homestead and eventually settled in Havre, where he grew up and graduated from H...

BOX ELDER - Isabel M. Bitz, 87, died Tuesday, Sept. 28, 2004, at a Havre Care Center of natural causes. Her funeral service will be 11 a.m. Friday at the Fifth Avenue Christian Church in Havre 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. Isabel was born on Dec. 14, 1916, on the family farm in Brady to Harry and Selma (Wagner) McClintock. She was an only child. She attended country school in Brady...

WHITEFISH - Shari Marie McCann Harris, 43, died at her home in Whitefish on Friday, Sept. 23, 2004, after a long, courageous battle with cancer. A memorial service is planned for 11 a.m. on Oct. 9 at the Christ Lutheran Church in Whitefish. Cremation has taken place. Shari was born in Billings on Aug. 9, 1961, to Donald L. and Joneva Svetich McCann. Shari attended elementary schools in Yellowstone National Park and Billings. She graduated from high school in Bozeman in 1979, after spending a year as a foreign exchange student...

Karl A. Nystrom, 98, of Bozeman died Friday, Sept. 24, 2004, at his home of natural causes. A memorial service will be at 2 p.m. Thursday at the Havre Seventh-day Adventist Church, 405 Sixth St. Cremation has taken place. Karl was born to Fred and Anna Nystrom on June 28, 1906, in Havre. Karl married Ruth M. Cooper on May 19,1941. She preceded him in death in 1999. Survivors include his daughter, Carol A. Forshee, Caldwell, Idaho; son, Clair K. Nystrom of Bozeman; four grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; and numerous...

L. Jean Holden, 71, of Great Falls, a retired nurse's aide, died of natural causes on Saturday, Sept. 25, 2004, at a Great Falls hospital. A memorial service is 2 p.m. Thursday at St. Jude's Catholic Church in Havre, with burial of ashes in Highland Cemetery. Jean was on born, May 5, 1933, in Havre to Irene and Alex Gerstenberger. She grew up in Havre and graduated from Havre Catholic High School. She married Carl Holden on Oct. 4, 1949. They divorced in 1997. She started working at Sacred Heart Hospital in Havre in 1965 as...

CHINOOK - Elmer LeRoy Ross, 85, died of natural causes on Friday, Sept. 24, 2004, at Sweet Memorial Nursing Home. A funeral service will be 2 p.m. Wednesday in the American Lutheran Church with burial following in Kuper Memorial Cemetery. LeRoy was born on Aug. 4, 1919, in Gravelbourg, Saskatchewan by midwife to Pete and Jennie Mabel (Powell) Ross. He came to the United States at age 2 with his mother. They moved to Chinook in 1925 and lived out south on Cow Creek with his Uncle Dell Powell. He attended the Rattlesnake School...

ROCKY BOY - Sara Rachelle Big Knife, 19, died Friday, Sept. 24, 2004, from injuries she sustained in a vehicle accident on Duck Creek Road. A wake service began Saturday afternoon at Joe Big Knife's ranch. Sara was moved to Our Saviour's Lutheran Church at Rocky Boy on Sunday, with the wake service continuing there. A funeral service will begin at 11 a.m. Tuesday at the church with Tony Castillo officiating. Burial will follow at the Joe Big Knife Ranch. Sara was born to Shelley (Big Knife) Viall and Anthony R. Charles on Jan...

Francis Adeline Suttle, 73, died Friday, Sept. 10, 2004, at a Havre nursing home of cancer. A memorial service will be held at 3 p.m. on Saturday at the Northern Montana Care Center chapel with Ila McClenahan officiating. Interment of the ashes will be held at the Acton Cemetery in Acton, Ind. Adeline was born on July 28, 1931, in Horse Cave, Ky., to Johnnie Washington Jewell and Ida (Scott) Jewell. When she was 2, the family moved to Fairland, Ind. She attended school and graduated in 1949 from Fairland High School. She...

Elizabeth Anne Matelski, 62, a resident of Havre, died Tuesday Sept. 21, 2004, at Northern Montana Care Center of natural causes. Cremation has taken place. A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. on Friday at the Eagles Manor Community Room. Interment of the remains will be held at a later date in Minnesota. Betty was born on Nov. 5, 1941, at Little Fork, Minn., to William and Fannie (Manninen) Fors. The family lived near International Falls, where she attended school. She later obtained her GED. Betty married Ernest...

CHICAGO - Wayne W. Beach, 67, a Chicago-area orthodontist, died Thursday, Sept. 9, 2004. A private funeral service was planned. Wayne was a 1954 graduate of Havre Central High School. He graduated from Carroll College and the Loyola School of Dentistry and Orthodontics. Wayne had a practice in the Chicago area for 34 years. He was a free spirit who always gave to those in need. Wayne was preceded in death by his parents. Survivors include his sisters, Mary Roberts of Great Falls and Joyce Hickethier of Missoula; four...

Francis Adeline Suttle, 73, died Friday, Sept. 10, 2004, at a Havre nursing home of cancer. A memorial service will be held at 3 p.m. on Saturday at the Northern Montana Care Center chapel with Ila McClenahan officiating. Interment of the ashes will be held at the Acton Cemetery in Acton, Ind. Adeline was born on July 28, 1931, in Horse Cave, Ky., to Johnnie Washington Jewell and Ida (Scott) Jewell. When she was 2, the family moved to Fairland, Ind. She attended school and graduated in 1949 from Fairland High School. She...

Elizabeth Anne Matelski, 62, a resident of Havre, died Tuesday Sept. 21, 2004, at Northern Montana Care Center of natural causes. Cremation has taken place. A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. on Friday at the Eagles Manor Community Room. Interment of the remains will be held at a later date in Minnesota. Betty was born on Nov. 5, 1941, at Little Fork, Minn., to William and Fannie (Manninen) Fors. The family lived near International Falls, where she attended school. She later obtained her GED. Betty married Ernest...

CHICAGO - Wayne W. Beach, 67, a Chicago-area orthodontist, died Thursday, Sept. 9, 2004. A private funeral service was planned. Wayne was a 1954 graduate of Havre Central High School. He graduated from Carroll College and the Loyola School of Dentistry and Orthodontics. Wayne had a practice in the Chicago area for 34 years. He was a free spirit who always gave to those in need. Wayne was preceded in death by his parents. Survivors include his sisters, Mary Roberts of Great Falls and Joyce Hickethier of Missoula; four...

CHINOOK - Lillian Westin, 97, a longtime Chinook homemaker, died of natural causes Friday, Sept. 17, 2004, at a Chinook nursing home. At her request, no services are planned. Cremation has taken place with burial of ashes in Kuper Memorial Cemetery. Lillian was born in Chinook on Aug. 15, 1907, to Chris and Carolyn (Kuhr) Miller. She was raised on the Miller Brothers ranch near Cleveland. After graduating eighth grade at Cleveland School, she attended Chinook High School boarded in town for three years. She graduated from...

CHESTER - Richard Darby O'Brien, 82, died peacefully at Peace Hospice in Great Falls on Saturday, Sept. 18, 2004. A public visitation was scheduled for today at Rockman Funeral Chapel in Chester. A funeral Mass will be 2 p.m. Tuesday at St. Mary's Catholic Church. Cremation will follow. Darby was born on Aug. 22, 1922, at Grace City, N.D., to Joseph and Lucy (Willoughby) O'Brien. Darby grew up in the Chester community, where he received his formal education. He enjoyed journalism, so following his graduation from C.H.S. in...