Obituaries

EARL K. POPPLER Obituary JOPLIN - Earl K. "Bud" Poppler, who worked in the grain elevator business and farmed in the Joplin community for many years, died of natural causes on Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2004, at the Liberty County Hospital in Chester. He was 91. A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. Monday at Bethel Lutheran Church in Joplin. Burial will follow at the Joplin Cemetery. He was preceded in death by his wife, Myrtle, in 2002, his parents, and four sisters, Lucille Thorson and Sarah, Joyce and Laura Poppler. Bud is...

SUN CITY, Ariz. - Mary Elizabeth Hoffman, 83, died Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2004, at the Home of Loving Hands in Glendale, Ariz., of natural causes. A funeral service will be 11 a.m. Monday at the Hillcrest Lawn Chapel in Great Falls with the Rev. Robert D. Grosch officiating. Entombment will follow at the Hillcrest Mausoleum. Mary Liz was born June 20, 1920, to Jack and Mae (Sheedy) Hennessy in Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. When she was 9, she moved with her family to Conrad, where her father and uncle operated the Hennessy Lumber Co....

George N. Wolf, 65, of Mesa, Ariz., and formerly of Havre, died Jan. 26, 2004, at Odyssey Hospice after a brief illness. A memorial service will be held tonight at 7 p.m. at Bunkers University Chapel in Mesa. Interment of ashes will be at the Hill County Cemetery in Havre. George was born Jan. 19, 1939, in Drake, N.D., to Anton and Anna Marie (Schafer) Wolf. He was reared and educated in the Drake area. He married Gail Gange on Oct. 13, 1959, in Karlsruhe, N.D. They lived in Minot, N.D., and Havre, and for the past 17 years...

INVERNESS - Adolph Edward Eggen, 86, a retired Inverness-area farmer, died on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2004, at a Chester nursing home of natural causes. Private family graveside services are being planned. Adolph was born March 12, 1917, on the family homestead south of Inverness. He was one of five children born to Harold and Nelsina (Otterness) Eggen. He was educated in Inverness, where he graduated from high school in 1937. In his younger years, Adolph enjoyed playing in a local band throughout the Hi-Line. His pride and joy...

HINGHAM - Robert Joseph "Bob" Blake Sr. died Sunday, Jan. 25, 2004, at the Chester rest home. He was 97. Cremation has taken place. A memorial service with burial of ashes is planned for later this spring at the Highland Cemetery in Havre. Bob was was born Sept. 3, 1906, at Maybass, N.D. He was the youngest of five sons born to Frank and Mary (Diermer) Blake. Bob's mother died when he was 8 years old, so he was raised by the Monroe family. He received his formal education at a country school near Fairfax, N.D., then began...

KALISPELL - Robert Lewis "Bob" Anderson of Kalispell died Jan. 20, 2004, at Kalispell Regional Medical Center after having suffered a cerebral hemorrhage. A funeral service was held Saturday in Kalispell. Bob was born on July 14, 1919, in Havre to Lewis and Bernice Anderson. He graduated from Havre High School, Northern Montana College, and Kinman Business School. On June 2, 1943, he married Lola B. McAuley. They celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary last year. Bob served in the Army and was stationed in France and...

INVERNESS - Adolph Edward Eggen, 86, a retired Inverness-area farmer, died on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2004, at a Chester nursing home of natural causes. Private family graveside services are being planned. Adolph was born March 12, 1917, on the family homestead south of Inverness. He was one of five children born to Harold and Nelsina (Otterness) Eggen. He was educated in Inverness, where he graduated from high school in 1937. In his younger years, Adolph enjoyed playing in a local band throughout the Hi-Line. His pride and joy...

HINGHAM - Robert Joseph "Bob" Blake Sr. died Sunday, Jan. 25, 2004, at the Chester rest home. He was 97. Cremation has taken place. A memorial service with burial of ashes is planned for later this spring at the Highland Cemetery in Havre. Bob was was born Sept. 3, 1906, at Maybass, N.D. He was the youngest of five sons born to Frank and Mary (Diermer) Blake. Bob's mother died when he was 8 years old, so he was raised by the Monroe family. He received his formal education at a country school near Fairfax, N.D., then began...

KALISPELL - Robert Lewis "Bob" Anderson of Kalispell died Jan. 20, 2004, at Kalispell Regional Medical Center after having suffered a cerebral hemorrhage. A funeral service was held Saturday in Kalispell. Bob was born on July 14, 1919, in Havre to Lewis and Bernice Anderson. He graduated from Havre High School, Northern Montana College, and Kinman Business School. On June 2, 1943, he married Lola B. McAuley. They celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary last year. Bob served in the Army and was stationed in France and...

MALTA - Lorraine J. Grabofsky, a homemaker, died Jan. 23, 2004, at the Phillips County Hospital after a lengthy battle with emphysema. She was 72. A funeral service will be 11 a.m. Tuesday at Malta Lutheran Church with interment in the Malta Cemetery. Lorraine was born on May 15, 1931, in Saco to Vern and Hazel (Buttolph) Newton. She married Alfred Grabofsky on July 2, 1956, in Malta. They resided on the family farm northwest of Loring until retirement in November of 1994. She was a member of the Loring Lutheran Church and...

Mildred Tangmo Mikkelson Bergum, 93, died Jan. 22, 2004, at a Havre hospital. A funeral service will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday at First Lutheran Church in Havre with Pastors Brad Ulgenes and Catherine Card officiating. Burial will follow at the Highland Cemetery. A fellowship luncheon will be held at the church immediately following the graveside service. Mildred was born April 21, 1910, in Havre to Haakon A. and Anna (Larson) Tangmo. She was raised and educated in Havre. She met Engval Mikkelson and they were married May 13,...

MALTA - Lorraine J. Grabofsky, a homemaker, died Jan. 23, 2004, at the Phillips County Hospital after a lengthy battle with emphysema. She was 72. A funeral service will be 11 a.m. Tuesday at Malta Lutheran Church with interment in the Malta Cemetery. Lorraine was born on May 15, 1931, in Saco to Vern and Hazel (Buttolph) Newton. She married Alfred Grabofsky on July 2, 1956, in Malta. They resided on the family farm northwest of Loring until retirement in November of 1994. She was a member of the Loring Lutheran Church and...

Mildred Tangmo Mikkelson Bergum, 93, died Jan. 22, 2004, at a Havre hospital. A funeral service will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday at First Lutheran Church in Havre with Pastors Brad Ulgenes and Catherine Card officiating. Burial will follow at the Highland Cemetery. A fellowship luncheon will be held at the church immediately following the graveside service. Mildred was born April 21, 1910, in Havre to Haakon A. and Anna (Larson) Tangmo. She was raised and educated in Havre. She met Engval Mikkelson and they were married May 13,...

Theodore "Ted" K. Hazel, 63, died Thursday, Jan. 15, 2004, at a Great Falls hospital of natural causes. Cremation has taken place. A private family service will take place at a later date. Ted was born Aug. 4, 1940, to Mason and Pearl (Rink) Hazel in Columbus. He grew up in and around Columbus and moved with his family to Billings. He attended and graduated from Billings High School and later attended college at Eastern Montana College. In 1960, he met and married Phyllis Schutz. They had four children. The couple later...

Theodore "Ted" K. Hazel, 63, died Thursday, Jan. 15, 2004, at a Great Falls hospital of natural causes. Cremation has taken place. A private family service will take place at a later date. Ted was born Aug. 4, 1940, to Mason and Pearl (Rink) Hazel in Columbus. He grew up in and around Columbus and moved with his family to Billings. He attended and graduated from Billings High School and later attended college at Eastern Montana College. In 1960, he met and married Phyllis Schutz. They had four children. The couple later...

CHESTER - Sandra Jane (White) Friberg, 66, died Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2004, apparently of natural causes at her home in Chester. A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday at Our Savior's Lutheran Church in Chester. Her ashes will be buried in the family plot at Absarokee later this spring. Sandy was born on Nov. 12, 1937, at Orange, Calif., to Lysle "Whitie" White and Mary Kathryn "Kay" Weir. Sandy was raised at Chinook and received her formal education there. She graduated from Chinook High School in 1956 and continued...

Jerald A. Amor, 62, died Saturday, Jan. 10, 2004, at a Havre care facility of natural causes. Cremation has taken place. A memorial service will be held at the Edwards Funeral Home at 11 a.m. Saturday. Burial will follow at the Kuper Memorial Cemetery in Chinook. Jerald was born on Sept. 30, 1941, to Harlen and Esther (Robley) Amor in Williston, N.D. The family moved to Havre in 1953. Jerald graduated from Havre High School in 1958. He enlisted in the Montana National Guard and attended college at Northern Montana College,...

POLSON - Frederick "Fred" H. Mielke, 85, of Polson, died at a Missoula hospital on Thursday, Jan. 8, 2004, from natural causes. A memorial service, with military honors and Masonic rites was scheduled for Monday afternoon at the Polson Community Church with the Rev. Richard Widerholdt officiating. Inurnment will be held at the Richland Memorial Park in Sidney. Fred was born on Oct. 14, 1918, in Sidney to George and Maude (Harrison) Mielke. He grew up and attended schools in Sidney and graduated from Sidney High School. Fred...

KALISPELL - Ethel B. Lund, 82, died while surrounded by family on Sunday, Jan. 11, 2004, at a Kalispell home. Cremation has taken place at Buffalo Hills Crematory, Kalispell. A memorial service will be held at Saint Matthews in Kalispell on Wednesday. Graveside services will be held in Havre in the spring. Ethel was born on June 26, 1921, to Celestine (Polly) and Norris Boice in South Shore, S.D. She was born in her grandfather's house and named after her grandmother. Arnold Lund and Ethel were married on June 12, 1946. They...

OROFINO, Idaho - Vonna L. Collins, 58, died Thursday, Jan. 8, 2004, at a Great Falls hospital. A memorial service will be held at a later date. Cremation has taken place. Vonna was born on July 21, 1945, in Williston, N.D. She grew up and attended schools in Williston, Glendive and Helena. She married Rex Wayne Gardner in 1969 in Glendive. They later divorced. Vonna worked for Potlatch in Headquarters, Idaho. Later, she worked in health care as a certified nursing assistant until her disability. Vonna was a member of Eagles....

MISSOULA - Bernard W. Thomas, 88, formerly of Chinook, a retired Montana District Court judge, died on Jan. 6, 2004, at a Missoula hospital of natural causes. A parish vigil service will be at 7 p.m. on Friday at Pope John XXIII Catholic Community with the Rev. Matthew Huber officiating. A funeral Mass will be at 10 a.m. on Saturday at the church with the Rev. Frank McCormick celebrant. Burial will follow at the Old St. Mary's Cemetery in Missoula. Bernard was born in Terry on Jan. 26, 1915, to Prairie County homesteaders Iva...

RUDYARD - Morris Nels Smith, 94, died Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2004, at a Havre care center. A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday at Our Savior's Lutheran Church in Rudyard. Burial is to follow at Rudyard Cemetery. Morris was born on Dec. 11, 1909, at Havre to Soren and Anna (Bohm) Smith. Morris grew up on his father's homestead north of Rudyard and attended the Oreana Country School. He entered the ninth grade in Rudyard, but quit to help out with the farming operations. Morris married Esther Goldberg on June 21,...

Gregory John Dorsha, 84, died of natural causes at a Havre care center on Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2004. Cremation is planned per his wishes. A private family service will be held. Greg was born on Sept. 28, 1919, at Buena Vista, Wis., to John and Ida (Newby) Dorsha. He grew up in Wisconsin and received his education there. He graduated from Stevens Point High School in 1938. He continued his education at Central State Tech College in Stevens Point, where he earned a bachelor of science degree. Gregory was inducted in to the U.S. A...

MISSOULA - Bernard W. Thomas, 88, formerly of Chinook, a retired Montana District Court judge, died on Jan. 6, 2004, at a Missoula hospital of natural causes. A parish vigil service will be at 7 p.m. on Friday at Pope John XXIII Catholic Community with the Rev. Matthew Huber officiating. A funeral Mass will be at 10 a.m. on Saturday at the church with the Rev. Frank McCormick celebrant. Burial will follow at the Old St. Mary's Cemetery in Missoula. Bernard was born in Terry on Jan. 26, 1915, to Prairie County homesteaders Iva...

RUDYARD - Morris Nels Smith, 94, died Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2004, at a Havre care center. A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday at Our Savior's Lutheran Church in Rudyard. Burial is to follow at Rudyard Cemetery. Morris was born on Dec. 11, 1909, at Havre to Soren and Anna (Bohm) Smith. Morris grew up on his father's homestead north of Rudyard and attended the Oreana Country School. He entered the ninth grade in Rudyard, but quit to help out with the farming operations. Morris married Esther Goldberg on June 21,...