Obituaries

RUDYARD - Albert Fredrick Hansen, 89, died on Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2004, at a Chester rest home. A funeral service will be at 3 p.m. Sunday at Our Savior's Lutheran Church in Rudyard, followed by burial in the Rudyard Cemetery. Albert was born on April 6, 1914, on the family farm at Brinkman. He was the only child of Fred and Lena (McDonald) Hansen, who homesteaded 20 miles south of Rudyard. Albert attended the Black Coulee country school. After finishing his formal education in Big Sandy, he began working on the farm. Albert...

Richard L. Smith, 64, died at his home of cancer on Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2004. He was under the care of Bear Paw Hospice. A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday at Fifth Avenue Christian Church with the Rev. Rowlie Hutton and John Musgrove officiating. A fellowship luncheon will be held at the church immediately following the service. Richard was born July 20, 1939, to Marvin and Gladys (Patrick) Smith. He was raised in Havre and attended schools in Box Elder until the fifth grade and then was a student at Havre...

Odin H. "Dean" Blockhus, 89, died on Jan. 19, 2004, at the Montana Veterans Home in Columbia Falls. A graveside service will be held at the Big Sandy Cemetery on Saturday at 1 p.m. A reception will follow at the Masonic Lodge. Dean was born March 19, 1914, in Big Sandy to Ole and Maria Blockhus. He attended school in Big Sandy, where he was active in sports. He graduated in 1923. In 1936 he married Jennie Turner and they had one daughter, Sherry. They later divorced. Dean was in the U.S. Navy and served in both WW II and the...

Hazel Standiford of Chester died Jan. 13, 2004. She was 93. A funeral service will be held at 2 p.m. Friday at Our Savior's Lutheran Church in Chester. Burial will follow at the Chester Cemetery. Hazel Luverne (Rishoff) Standiford was born June 5, 1910, in Gary, Minn. She was one of seven children born to Anton E. Rishoff and Martha B. Holm. Hazel received her early schooling in Minnesota before moving to Montana with her family in 1927. She finished her education at Galata, where she graduated from high school in 1929. For...

Roy A. Olson, 78, died Jan. 18, 2004, at a Havre hospital of natural causes. Cremation has taken place and a memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday at Messiah Lutheran Church with the Rev. Rodney Mruk officiating. Burial will follow with military honors at the Highland Cemetery. Roy was born Feb. 17, 1927, in Havre to Andrew and Marie (Anderson) Olson. He was raised and educated in Havre, graduating from Havre High School in 1945. He then entered the U.S. Army and served in the Korean War. After his honorable...

Leon "John" Cowdery, 58, died Saturday Jan. 17, 2004, at a Havre hospital of liver failure. A Vigil service will be held at 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Holland and Bonine Funeral Chapel for family and close friends. A funeral Mass will be held Thursday at 11 a.m. at the St. Jude Parrish Center with the Rev. Robert D. Grosch officiating. Burial will be at Highland Cemetery in Havre following the Mass. A fellowship reception will be held at the parrish center following the graveside service. John was born Jan. 25, 1945, in Long...

ROCKY BOY's INDIAN RESERVATION - Duane Patrick Belcourt, 58, died on Monday, Jan. 19, 2004, of cancer. A wake service will be held at the Rocky Boy Catholic Church today with a Rosary at 7 p.m. The funeral service will be held Wednesday at 11 a.m. at Rocky Boy Catholic Church with burial at the Rocky Boy Cemetery. The Rev. Pete Guthneck will officiate, with Kenny Writing Bird to sing a going-away song in Duane's honor. Duane, whose Indian name was Ki-iw-wah Kah-wi-che-kot or Eagle with Him, was born on May 7, 1945, to Levi Be...

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,...

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,...

GREAT FALLS - Esther (Christopherson) Derbyshire, 87, of Great Falls, formerly of Havre, a former cook, died of natural causes Saturday at a Great Falls hospice. At her request, no services are planned. Cremation will take place under the direction of O'Connor Funeral Home. Esther was preced- ed in death by her husband, Howard Derbyshire in 1993; son, Tracy Derbyshire; daughter, Shirley Christianson; and two grandsons. Survivors include daughters, Bev Gahagan of Black Eagle and Kathy Larson of Billings; sons, Jim Derbyshire...

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....

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,...

Dale Lewis Constable, 65, died Christmas Day at his winter home in Lake Medina, Texas. A memorial service will take place at 2 p.m. Friday at the Fifth Avenue Christian Church. Constable was born on Dec. 5, 1938, in Pasadena, Calif. At a young age, Dale moved with his parents to Nampa, Idaho, where he attended school. While working as a juvenile parole agent in California, Dale met his wife of 28 years, Marcia Divish. They retired in 1988 and moved to Kalispell where they operated a bed and breakfast. Recently, they moved to...

Stacey Lynn Peterson, 33, died Thursday, Jan. 1, 2004, at her home in Havre. The cause of death has not yet been determined. Cremation has taken place and a memorial service will be held at 10 a.m. Wednesday at Van Orsdel United Methodist Church with the Rev. VaunDalee Delong officiating. A fellowship luncheon will be held at the Eagles Club in Havre. Stacey was born on March 31, 1970, to Rod and Lillian (Felton) Stuker in Terry. When she was a young girl, the family moved to Havre where Stacey attended Havre Public Schools....

Dale Lewis Constable, 65, died Christmas Day at his winter home in Lake Medina, Texas. A memorial service will take place at 2 p.m. Friday at the Fifth Avenue Christian Church. Constable was born on Dec. 5, 1938, in Pasadena, Calif. At a young age, Dale moved with his parents to Nampa, Idaho, where he attended school. While working as a juvenile parole agent in California, Dale met his wife of 28 years, Marcia Divish. They retired in 1988 and moved to Kalispell where they operated a bed and breakfast. Recently, they moved to...

Stacey Lynn Peterson, 33, died Thursday, Jan. 1, 2004, at her home in Havre. The cause of death has not yet been determined. Cremation has taken place and a memorial service will be held at 10 a.m. Wednesday at Van Orsdel United Methodist Church with the Rev. VaunDalee Delong officiating. A fellowship luncheon will be held at the Eagles Club in Havre. Stacey was born on March 31, 1970, to Rod and Lillian (Felton) Stuker in Terry. When she was a young girl, the family moved to Havre where Stacey attended Havre Public Schools....

HILLDALE COLONY - Sarah P. Wipf, 82 years of age, died at her home at the Hilldale Colony, Tuesday, December 30, 2003 of natural causes. A wake began at 5 p.m. Wednesday and continued until today. A funeral service was to be held today with the Honorable John Waldner officiating. Sarah was born on April 17, 1921, to John J. and Sarah (Kleinser) Waldner in Magrath, Alberta. She grew up and was educated in the area. In 1944 she married Peter P. Wipf at the Rockport Colony in Alberta. From there, the family moved to the Pendroy...

HARLEM/MALTA - Louisa Miller, 96, a retired cook, died Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2003, at a Malta nursing home of natural causes. A funeral service was held at 11 a.m. Saturday at the Little Gym at Harlem High School. Interment will be in the Harlem Cemetery. Memorials may be made to the Good Samaritan Center in Malta. Louisa was born on July 1, 1907, at Eden, Utah, to James and Rosetta (Bingham) Shupe. She was raised in Utah and Idaho and came to Montana in 1919. She married Henry F. Miller on Sept. 24, 1924, in Chinook. She lived i...