Obituaries

Alfred Clinton Bradbury, 81, of Havre died Wednesday, March 1, 2006, at his home of cancer. A public viewing will be held from 9 a.m. to noon Monday at the Holland & Bonine Funeral Home. His funeral service will be held at 2 p.m. Monday at Fifth Avenue Christian Church with the Rev. Rowlie Hutton officiating. Burial will follow at Highland Cemetery. A luncheon will be held at the church immediately following the graveside services. Alfred was born Dec. 10, 1924, in Havre to Henry and Pearl (Slyter) Bradbury. He grew up and...

Jerry Dusek, 89, a Havre-area retired farmer, died of natural causes Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2006, at a Helena nursing home. A memorial service is planned for 2 p.m. Saturday at First Lutheran Church with the Rev. Brad Ulgenes officiating. Burial will take place in the Highland Cemetery, followed by a luncheon at the church. He was born Sept. 21, 1916, in Hingham to Fred and Pauline (Rypal) Dusek and spent all but his last five years in Hill County, where he farmed and worked in construction and carpentry. He attended school in...

HELENA - Myrna Alene Torgerson, 66, died Saturday, Feb. 25, 2006, after a long courageous battle with cancer. Visitation will be from noon to 6 p.m. Thursday at the Retz Funeral Home. A memorial service is scheduled for 1 p.m. Friday at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1610 Sixth Ave. A reception will follow at the Vets Club in East Helena. An interment service and dedication of her grave will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday at Forestvale Cemetery. Myrna was born in Harlem to Maude and Eldon Hulse on April 20,... Full story

FLORENCE - Kenneth Joseph “Kenny” Kane, 89, of Florence, died Monday, Feb. 6, 2006, at his home. A service was held Saturday at King's Christian Church north of Lolo with burial at the Florence-Carlton Cemetery. Kenny was born March 6, 1916, in Hinsdale to Leonard Patrick and Elinor Josephine (Anderson) Kane. He lived in Glasgow, where his parents homesteaded. He moved to Scobey during his early school years. He graduated from Conrad High School in 1934. He then attended Dickinson State Teachers College in 1935 in Dickin...

PLENTYWOOD - Roy Welter, 61, of Plentywood died just before noon Saturday, Feb. 25, 2006, at Sheridan Memorial Nursing Home. A memorial service will be held at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Fulkerson Memorial Chapel in Plentywood, with interment of cremated remains in Plentywood Cemetery to be held at a later date. Roy was born in Plentywood on Oct. 22, 1944, to Tom and Marge (Murphy) Welter. After graduation from Plentywood High School in 1962, Roy enlisted in the Montana National Guard. After his basic training at Fort Ord, Calif.,...

BIG SANDY - Myrtle Anna Dyrland Jappe, 88, died Saturday, Feb. 25, 2006, due to complications with diabetes at the Big Sandy Medical Center's long-term care facility. Her funeral service will be held at Christ Lutheran Church in Big Sandy at 11 a.m. Wednesday with the Rev. Jeff Stoopes officiating. Burial will follow at the Big Sandy Cemetery. Survivors include her sons, Larry (Marj) Jappe of Havre, Lenard (Nancy) Jappe of Big Sandy and Monte Jappe of Havre; daughters, Joyce (Merle) Olson of Chinook and Marla (Jim) Ray of...

RUDYARD - Buster Ness, 76, of Rudyard died Thursday, Feb. 23, 2006, at his home surrounded by his loving family. A funeral will be held at 2 p.m. today at Our Savior's Lutheran Church in Rudyard. Burial with military rites will follow at the Rudyard Cemetery. Buster was born Ferris Hartford Ness on July 17, 1929, at the family farm to Swan and Anna (Wiik) Ness. He grew up in Rudyard and received his education there, graduating from Rudyard High School in 1947. In the few years that followed, he worked with his family in the c... Full story

Willa Kooch, 69, of Havre died at her residence Friday, Feb. 24, 2006. A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Tuesday at Holland and Bonine Funeral Home with the Rev. Rowlie Hutton officiating. Burial of ashes at Highland Cemetery in Havre. A luncheon will follow at the Vets Club in Havre. Willa was born Oct. 13, 1936, in Chester to Melvin and Ella Erickson. She attended Havre High School and worked at Dido's Caf and the Eagles Manor. She married Kenneth Kooch on Oct. 12, 1996, in Havre. She lived in California for many ye... Full story

FORT BENTON - Ethel Mae Goldhahn, 85, Fort Benton, formally of Geraldine, died of natural causes Friday, Feb. 24, 2006, at Missouri River Medical Center in Fort Benton. Visitation will be from 2 to 8 p.m. today at Benton Funeral Home. A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday at Geraldine Community United Methodist Church in Geraldine with the Rev. Eric Stinett officiating. Interment will follow at the Geraldine Cemetery. She was born to Edward and Bertha Formanack on Dec. 9, 1920, in Box Elder. An exceptional...

ROCKY BOY - Patrick Chief Stick, 80, of Box Elder, passed away Friday at the Big Sandy Nursing Home. A wake service began Saturday at the Rocky Boy Senior Citizens Center. A funeral service was to be held at 11 a.m. today at the Rocky Boy Catholic Church with the Rev. Pete Guthneck officiating. Burial was to be in the Rocky Boy Cemetery. He was born March 23, 1925, at Rocky Boy to Grant and Bad Looking Big Wind Chief Stick. He attended school at Rocky Boy and Flandrau S.D. He joined the U.S. Army in July of 1945 and served...

FORT BELKNAP AGENCY - Donald Edward “Turkey” Birdtail, 70, died Thursday, Feb. 23, 2006, at Benefis East Hospital in Great Falls due to respiratory failure. Wake and rosary were to be held Sunday evening in the Red Whip Center. A funeral Mass was to be held today at 11 a.m. in the Red Whip Center with burial following at the Birdtail Family Cemetery at Lodge Pole. He was born on June 17, 1935, at the Birdtail residence near Lodge Pole to James and Alvina (Morsette) Birdtail Sr. Midwife Ghost Calf delivered Donald. D... Full story

RUDYARD - Buster Ness, 76, of Rudyard died Thursday, Feb. 23, 2006, at his home surrounded by his loving family. A funeral will be held at 2 p.m. today at Our Savior's Lutheran Church in Rudyard. Burial with military rites will follow at the Rudyard Cemetery. Buster was born Ferris Hartford Ness on July 17, 1929, at the family farm to Swan and Anna (Wiik) Ness. He grew up in Rudyard and received his education there, graduating from Rudyard High School in 1947. In the few years that followed, he worked with his family in the c...

Willa Kooch, 69, of Havre died at her residence Friday, Feb. 24, 2006. A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Tuesday at Holland and Bonine Funeral Home with the Rev. Rowlie Hutton officiating. Burial of ashes at Highland Cemetery in Havre. A luncheon will follow at the Vets Club in Havre. Willa was born Oct. 13, 1936, in Chester to Melvin and Ella Erickson. She attended Havre High School and worked at Dido's Caf and the Eagles Manor. She married Kenneth Kooch on Oct. 12, 1996, in Havre. She lived in California for many ye... Full story

FORT BENTON - Ethel Mae Goldhahn, 85, Fort Benton, formally of Geraldine, died of natural causes Friday, Feb. 24, 2006, at Missouri River Medical Center in Fort Benton. Visitation will be from 2 to 8 p.m. today at Benton Funeral Home. A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday at Geraldine Community United Methodist Church in Geraldine with the Rev. Eric Stinett officiating. Interment will follow at the Geraldine Cemetery. She was born to Edward and Bertha Formanack on Dec. 9, 1920, in Box Elder. An exceptional...

POWELL, Wyo. - A memorial service for Charles L. “Chuck” McCauley Sr., 66, of Powell, Wyo., was held Feb. 25, 2006, at the Eagles Club in Powell. Chuck suffered a massive heart attack while working in Rawlins for McGarvin Moberly Construction. Chuck was born in Riverside, Calif., to Stella and Thomas McCauley. The family moved to Montana and resided in Ronan, where he graduated in 1958. He served in the Army two years. Chuck worked in the trucking industry, both long haul and road construction. He and his wife, Judy, r...

FARIBAULT, Minn. - Dale Striker, age 89, of Faribault, Minn., died Saturday, Feb. 18, 2006, at his home. A funeral service will be held Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. at the Celebration of Life Assembly in Faribault with the Rev. Craig Breimhorst, pastor of Christ Lutheran Church in Faribault, officiating. Interment will be held at the Meadow Ridge Memorial Park in Faribault. Visitation will be held at the Parker Kohl Funeral Home in Faribault on Tuesday from 4 to 7 p.m. and Wednesday at the church for one hour prior to the...

Lorraine D. Nordrum, 78, of Havre died Friday, Feb. 17, 2006, at Northern Montana Care Center after a lengthy illness. Cremation has taken place. Her memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Tuesday at Messiah Lutheran Church with Rev. Michael Dahle officiating. A time of fellowship will be held at the church immediately after the memorial service. Lorraine was born Oct. 31, 1927, in Racine, Wis., to Henry and Margaret Olson. She lived in California, then was informed that Arnold Nordrum had returned from Korea, so she...

POST FALLS, Idaho - Curtis O. Hanson, 82, of Post Falls, Idaho, died Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2006, at his home following a lengthy illness. Follow-ing cremation, his ashes will be interred with those of his wife, daughter and son at the Hillcrest Lawn Mausoleum in Great Falls. No services are planned at his request, but a revelry and celebration of his life characteristically suggested by him will be announced at a later date. He was born May 20, 1923, in Malta to Claude and Emma Hanson. He spent his youth on the Hi-Line, attending...

LOMPOC, Calif. - Francis A. “Sam” Burchard, 80, of Lompoc, Calif., died Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2006, at a Lompoc care facility. A family graveside service will be held at a later date in Highland Cemetery in Havre with burial of his ashes at his parents' grave site. Sam was born Sept. 7, 1923, in Havre to Charles and Anna (DuBois) Burchard. He served with the U.S. Navy during World War II on the USS Bunker Hill. Sam moved from Glasgow to Santa Maria, Calif., in 1965 to work with the civil service at a Vandenberg Air Force B...

BREAUX BRIDGE, La. - James “Jamey” or “J.T.” Weatherly, 27, of Breaux Bridge, La., died Thursday, Feb. 2, 2006, at St. Martin Hospital in Breaux Bridge. Funeral services were scheduled for 11 a.m. today at First Baptist Church of Breaux Bridge. Interment will be in St. Bernard Cemetery No. 2 in Breaux Bridge. Jamey was born in Havre on Aug. 16, 1978. He spent most of his adult life in the Breaux Bridge area. He was a jockey at Evangeline Downs Race Track; he had a real love for horses. He enjoyed Sunday barbecues wi...

MESA, Ariz. - Ricky Myles Simonson, 43, of Mesa, Ariz., died Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2006, due to heart disease. A memorial will be held at a later date. Ricky was born Oct. 4, 1962, in Libby. The family moved to California in 1962. Ricky loved the ocean and everthing to do with it. In 1979, the family moved back to Montana. Ricky worked at several jobs. Ricky met and married Connie Ahlert, and they moved back to California. They had one daughter and later divorced. Ricky got into the plumbing trade and worked at it ever since....

Wally F. Rathbone, 81, of Havre died Thursday, Feb. 2, 2006, at Northern Montana Hospital of natural causes. Cremation has taken place. His memorial service will be held at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at First Presbyterian Church with the Rev. John Chapman officiating. A private family interment will be held at a later time. A fellowship luncheon will be held immediately after the service in the church Fellowship Hall. Wally was born June 12, 1924, in Harlem to Fay and Cora (Dolven) Rathbone. He lived in Harlem until he completed the...

Alice Livingston, 88, of Havre died Monday, Feb. 6, 2006, at Northern Montana Hospital of natural causes. Cremation has taken place. Her memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Friday at St. Mark's Episcopal Church with the Rev. Gail Wheatley officiating. A fellowship luncheon will be held at the church immediately after the memorial service. Alice was born Dec. 27, 1917, in Glasgow to Victor and Mabel (Johnson) Archambeault. She was raised and educated in Glasgow. She graduated from high school in 1935. She then moved to...

Charles “Trent” Hiatt, 49, of Havre died Saturday, Feb. 4, 2006, at Northern Montana Care Center due to complications from cancer. His funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday in the Holland & Bonine Funeral Chapel with the Rev. Richard Rice officiating. Burial with full military honors will follow at Highland Cemetery. A fellowship luncheon will be held in the back room of the Oxford Bar immediately after the service at the graveside. Trent was born April 28, 1956, in Havre to Charles and Alice (Smith) H... Full story

Ruth Hentschel, 92, a Havre resident since coming to America with her family in 1952, died in her sleep Saturday, Feb. 4, 2006, while staying in loving care with her daughter, Inga Goebel. A prayer vigil and rosary will be held at 7 p.m. today in the Holland & Bonine Funeral Chapel, with her funeral Mass at 2 p.m. Tuesday at St. Jude Catholic Church with the Rev. Robert D. Grosch officiating. Burial will follow at Highland Cemetery. A fellowship luncheon will be held immediately after the graveside service at St. Jude Parish...