Obituaries

COEUR D'ALENE, Idaho - Joyce Elaine Barkus, 83, former owner-manager of the Coast to Coast Store in Havre, died on Thursday, June 3, 2004, of natural causes at her home in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. A memorial service for Joyce was scheduled for 11 a.m. today at the First Presbyter-ian Church in Havre, followed by a fellowship at the Havre Vets Club. Joyce was born in Tagus, N.D., to LeRoy and Martha (Allers) Larsen on Oct. 21, 1920. Her mother died in 1922. Later her father married Martha's sister, Lucille, and blessed Joyce...

Beatrice B. Morris, 91, of Billings died Wednesday, June 2, 2004, at a Billings care center. Cremation has taken place. Inurnment will be held at the Hill County Cemetery in Havre at a later date. Beatrice was born on Jan. 30, 1913, in Pueblo, Colo., to William and Mary Baltezar. She spent much of her younger life in Butte. She was married to Myron Morris for more than 50 years. They lived in Havre for most of those 50 years. Beatrice loved visiting with family and friends, and spending time with her six grandchildren. She...

CHINOOK - Ordway Clinton "Bud" Rafter, died Saturday, May 29, 2004, at the central Montana nursing center. Burial will be at 10 a.m. Thursday at the Wing Cemetery with the funeral to follow at 11 a.m. at the American Lutheran Church in Hogeland. Visitation will be at the Rafter farm east of Hogeland on Wednesday. Bud Rafter was born on Oct. 18, 1913, in Harlem to William and Elsie (Hogaboam) Rafter. Bud spend most of his life on the family farm near Hogeland. He went his first eight years of school at Wing School, which was...

Richard John "Dick" Hary, former business owner and longtime resident of Havre, died Saturday, May 29, 2004, at a Havre hospital due to heart disease. Cremation will take place and his memorial service will be 2 p.m. Thursday at the Holland and Bonine Funeral Chapel with the Rev. Robert D. Grosch officiating. A private family interment will be held later on Thursday. Richard was born on Nov. 19, 1937, in Havre to John and Cecelia (White) Hary. He was raised and educated in Havre and attended St. Jude School. He graduated...

Martha Mary (Naber) Davis, 95, a homemaker, died of natural causes on Saturday, May 29, 2004, in a Chinook nursing home. No services are planned and cremation has taken place. Her ashes will be buried in the Kuper Cemetary in Chinook. She was born in Frankfort, Germany, on Feb. 27, 1909, to John Naber Sr. and Clara Naber. She came to this country with her parents as a young child, and the family homesteaded on a farm north of Havre. She attended country school for several years and graduated from Havre High School. She...

MISSOULA - Ann Mary Yarmey, 78, loving mother, sister and friend, died after an illness Wednesday, May 26, 2004, in her family's home in Missoula. A viewing will be held from 2 to 3 p.m. Monday at the Garden City Funeral Home at 1705 W. Broadway in Missoula. The Trisagion service will be held at 7 p.m. Monday at the Garden City Funeral Home. The Rev. Gregory Wingenbach will lead the funeral at 1:00 p.m. on Tuesday at the Church of The Annunciation at 301 S. Sixth St. W. in Missoula, MT. A makaria meal will immediately follow... Full story

FORT BENTON - Mildred V. (Ojala) Lidstone, 92, of Big Sandy died Thursday, May 27, 2004, at a Fort Benton medical center of natural causes. A memorial service will be Tuesday at 2 p.m. at the Christ Lutheran Church with the Rev. Jeff Stoopes officiating. Burial will be in the Big Sandy Cemetery. Mildred was born at Kenilworth to Joseph and Agnus (Orr) Drew on April 1, 1912. She graduated from the Big Sandy High School and Northern Montana College in Havre. Mildred married William "Bill" Ojala in June 1935 and from this... Full story

ROCKY BOY - Robert C. Geboe, 67, whose Indian name Hebas means Beaver, died Thursday, May 27, 2004, at a Havre hospital after a battle with cancer. A wake service began Thursday night at Rocky Boy Catholic Church. A rosary will be held at 7 p.m. today at Rocky Boy Catholic Church with a funeral service beginning 10 a.m. Saturday, also at the Rocky Boy Catholic Church. Burial will follow at the Parker Canyon Family Cemetery at Rocky Boy. Robert was born April 30, 1937, to Robert C. and Emily (White Plume) in Riverton, Wyo. He...

Dorothy Theresa "Dottie" Baker, 74, died peacefully on Wednesday, May 26, 2004, at a Big Sandy medical center. A liturgy of the Resurrection at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church will be in Butte on Tuesday at 10 a.m., officiated by the Rev. Edward Courtney. Visitation will be at 9 a.m. at the church. The Rev. Peter Guthneck will offer a memorial Mass at the St. Margaret Mary Catholic Church in Big Sandy on Wednesday at 11 a.m., with burial to follow in the Holy Cross Cemetery at her parents' gravesite. Dorothy was born... Full story

MISSOULA - Ann Mary Yarmey, 78, loving mother, sister and friend, died after an illness Wednesday, May 26, 2004, in her family's home in Missoula. A viewing will be held from 2 to 3 p.m. Monday at the Garden City Funeral Home at 1705 W. Broadway in Missoula. The Trisagion service will be held at 7 p.m. Monday at the Garden City Funeral Home. The Rev. Gregory Wingenbach will lead the funeral at 1:00 p.m. on Tuesday at the Church of The Annunciation at 301 S. Sixth St. W. in Missoula, MT. A makaria meal will immediately follow...

FORT BENTON - Mildred V. (Ojala) Lidstone, 92, of Big Sandy died Thursday, May 27, 2004, at a Fort Benton medical center of natural causes. A memorial service will be Tuesday at 2 p.m. at the Christ Lutheran Church with the Rev. Jeff Stoopes officiating. Burial will be in the Big Sandy Cemetery. Mildred was born at Kenilworth to Joseph and Agnus (Orr) Drew on April 1, 1912. She graduated from the Big Sandy High School and Northern Montana College in Havre. Mildred married William "Bill" Ojala in June 1935 and from this...

Clarence H. Ratchye, 92, retired district manager of the Montana State Highway Department in Havre, died Sunday, May 23, 2004, at a Havre care center of natural causes. At his request no services are being planned and cremation will take place. Clarence was born on Jan. 19, 1912, in Whitefish to Christian and Gay (Colvin) Ratchye. He attended school in Kalispell and graduated from Flathead County High School. After high school, Clarence worked various jobs, and in 1936 he went to work for the Montana Department of Highways... Full story

LEWISTOWN - Kermit Owen, 66, died Monday, May 24, 2004. A memorial service will be held at 10 a.m. Friday at Christian Church of Vista West, 8188 Zero Road, Casper, Wyo. Interment of cremated remains will be at 1 p.m. June 5 at city cemetery in Lewistown. Kermit was born on Dec. 10, 1937, at Lewistown to Sheridan "Ted" and Helen (Turck) Owen. He graduated from Stanford high School in 1956. After high school, he attended Nebraska Christian College where he met Garnet Alene Parker. Kermit and Garnet were married in August... Full story

CHESTER - The Rev. Alfred Joseph Morrison, 95, died Tuesday, May 25, 2004, at a Great Falls medical center. A funeral service will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday at the Chester Assembly of God Church with the Rev. Todd Lanman officiating. A luncheon will follow. A funeral service will be held at the Assembly of God Church in Blue Springs, Mo., at 2 p.m. next Thursday with the Rev. John Martz officiating. Burial will be in the family plot at the Lobb Cemetery near Independence, Mo. A luncheon will follow. Alfred was born on Oct....

BIG SANDY - Helen Sadie Barnes, 91, died Tuesday, May 25, 2004, at a Big Sandy nursing home of natural causes. A memorial service will be held at 3 p.m. today at the United Methodist Church in Big Sandy with the Rev. Marvin Eldridge officiating. A private family interment will be held at a later time. Helen was born on Aug. 31, 1912, to Thomas Aquinas and Grace E. (Beedy) Denley in Box Elder. Her family moved back to Minnesota when she was a young girl. She graduated from high school in Minnesota. She attended college for a...

Clarence H. Ratchye, 92, retired district manager of the Montana State Highway Department in Havre, died Sunday, May 23, 2004, at a Havre care center of natural causes. At his request no services are being planned and cremation will take place. Clarence was born on Jan. 19, 1912, in Whitefish to Christian and Gay (Colvin) Ratchye. He attended school in Kalispell and graduated from Flathead County High School. After high school, Clarence worked various jobs, and in 1936 he went to work for the Montana Department of Highways...

LEWISTOWN - Kermit Owen, 66, died Monday, May 24, 2004. A memorial service will be held at 10 a.m. Friday at Christian Church of Vista West, 8188 Zero Road, Casper, Wyo. Interment of cremated remains will be at 1 p.m. June 5 at city cemetery in Lewistown. Kermit was born on Dec. 10, 1937, at Lewistown to Sheridan "Ted" and Helen (Turck) Owen. He graduated from Stanford high School in 1956. After high school, he attended Nebraska Christian College where he met Garnet Alene Parker. Kermit and Garnet were married in August...

HARLEM - Ray Williams, 72, died Sunday, May 23, 2004, at his home in Harlem due to natural causes. A funeral service will be held at 10 a.m. Thursday in the New Horizon Day Center in Joliet. Burial will be in the Joliet Cemetery at 4:30 p.m. Ray was born on Aug. 23, 1931, in Boyd to John and Ann Williams. Ray was raised in Joliet until 1937 and then moved to Boulder due to health problems. He came to Harlem in 1978 and was a member of the activity center. Ray enjoyed doing woodwork, bowling, playing cards and listening to...

NASHVILLE - The Rev. Donna Lou Van Buren, 69, a missionary with the United Methodist Church, died at a hospital in the Philippines on Sunday, May 9, 2004, after a long illness. A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. Sunday at the Scarritt-Bennett Center's Wightman Chapel in Nashville. A reception will follow immediately after the service. Donna Lou was born in Olympia, Wash., on May 21, 1934, to the Rev. Harold and Dorothy Nelson. The family moved to Chinook in 1945. She attended school in Chinook and Havre and graduated f...

NASHVILLE - The Rev. Donna Lou Van Buren, 69, a missionary with the United Methodist Church, died at a hospital in the Philippines on Sunday, May 9, 2004, after a long illness. A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. Sunday at the Scarritt-Bennett Center's Wightman Chapel in Nashville. A reception will follow immediately after the service. Donna Lou was born in Olympia, Wash., on May 21, 1934, to the Rev. Harold and Dorothy Nelson. The family moved to Chinook in 1945. She attended school in Chinook and Havre and graduated...

SODA SPRINGS, Idaho - Jeanette (Grandma Cookie) Sanderson, 85, of Soda Springs, Idaho, and formerly of Havre, died Wednesday, May 12, 2004, of complications related to a hip fracture. In keeping with her wishes, immediate cremation was completed and a family memorial service is being planned. She was born on April 1, 1919, to Henry Hebert and Alice Bouchard Hebert on Fox Creek near Savage. Since her parents had recently immigrated from Ontario and Quebec, Jeanette started school without knowing English. Her quick reflexes... Full story

CLINTON - Matthew Paul Kuhr, 25, died Friday, May 21, 2004, at his home in Clinton. A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Wednesday at the Community Activity Building at the Hill County fairgrounds in Havre. Matthew was born on July 8, 1978, to Pamela Sue and Peter Jurgen Kuhr in Havre. He grew up on the Squaw Butte Ranch south of Havre. He graduated from Havre High School in 1996. He then went to college at Montana State University-Northern. He graduated from college with a bachelor's degree in design drafting in 2000.... Full story

Percy P. Hobbs, 101, former mechanic and farmer, died Sunday, May 23, 2004, at a Havre care center of natural causes. Cremation has taken place. His graveside service will be held 10 a.m. Saturday at the Calvary Cemetery in Havre. Percy was born on May 22, 1903, in the Bear Paw Mountains south of Havre to Augustus William and Mary Louise (Griffin) Hobbs. Percy grew up in the Bear Paw Mountains and worked on various ranches and farms in the area. In later years he went to Seattle, Wash., where he worked in the lumber industry...

Stephen Adam Borris, 20, died on May 12, 2004, at a Great Falls hospital. A rosary was held on Monday at 7 p.m. at the Old Eagle Shields in Browning. The funeral Mass was on Tuesday at 10 a.m. at the Little Flower Parish with burial at the Willow Creek Cemetery in Browning. Stephen was born on Nov. 2, 1983. Stephen loved being around friends and family. He enjoyed playing basketball and always seemed on top of the world. If there was a crowd around, Stephen always seemed to be there. He was a son, grandson, brother, nephew,...

Stephen Adam Borris, 20, died on May 12, 2004, at a Great Falls hospital. A rosary was held on Monday at 7 p.m. at the Old Eagle Shields in Browning. The funeral Mass was on Tuesday at 10 a.m. at the Little Flower Parish with burial at the Willow Creek Cemetery in Browning. Stephen was born on Nov. 2, 1983. Stephen loved being around friends and family. He enjoyed playing basketball and always seemed on top of the world. If there was a crowd around, Stephen always seemed to be there. He was a son, grandson, brother, nephew,...