Obituaries

Herschel Fox, 86, retired farmer/rancher, former Hill County Commissioner and a lifetime residence of this area, died unexpectedly Monday, Dec. 8, 2003, at his residence. A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. Monday, Dec. 15, 2003, in the Fifth Avenue Christian Church with burial following in the Highland Cemetery. Herschel was born on Aug. 29, 1917, at the family homestead 15 miles southeast of Havre on Clear Creek in Blaine County to Clyde and Bessie (Spoonemore) Fox. He attended Sprague School through the eighth grade...

ROCKY BOY - LeRoy Charles "Dakota" Windyboy, whose Indian names were Piyesis and Wahpos, 53, of Rocky Boy died Monday, Dec. 8, 2003, at a Havre hospital after a long illness. A wake service began Tuesday at 11 a.m. at the Rocky Boy Catholic Church. The funeral service will begin at 11 a.m. Thursday at the Rocky Boy Catholic Church with the Rev. Pete Guthneck officiating and Marvin Russette performing the Indian traditions. Burial will be held after the services at the Rocky Boy Cemetery. LeRoy was born on Jan. 14, 1950, to...

John P. Verploegen, 93, of Havre died Monday Dec. 8, 2003, at a Havre care center of natural causes. A vigil service will be held at 7 p.m. Thursday at St. Jude Catholic Church. The funeral Mass will be celebrated 10 a.m. Friday at St. Jude Catholic Church with the Rev. Robert D. Grosch officiating. Burial will follow at the Cottonwood Cemetery north of Havre. A fellowship dinner will be held at the St. Jude Parish Center immediately after the services at the graveside. J.P. was born on Aug. 20, 1910, in Milwaukee, Wis., to...

Gavin Lewis Vande Sandt, died six hours following his birth on Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2003, at a Great Falls hospital due to a chromosomal abnormality. A funeral service was scheduled for 11 a.m. today at the Assembly of God Church in Chester. Burial was to follow at the Chester Cemetery. Gavin was the first child born to Curtis and Sara (Gjesdal) Vande Sandt, who were married on Jan. 2, 2002. They made their home in Havre. Gavin is survived by his parents, Curtis and Sara (Gjesdal) Vande Sandt of Havre; paternal grandparents,...

FRESNO, Calif. - Daniel Francis Mueller, 70, died Thursday, Nov. 6, 2003, at Fresno of respiratory arrest a day after mitral valve replacement surgery. A celebration of life was held at Riverpark Bible Church at 1 p.m. Friday, Nov. 21. Dan was born on March 24, 1933, at Havre and was educated here. Before moving from Havre, he played softball and was a pitcher in the Havre fastpitch softball league Dan had lived in Des Moines, Iowa, and had been a resident of Fresno for 33 years. He worked in the life insurance field for 40...

George Albert Turbak, 89, died Friday, Dec. 5, 2003, at a Havre care facility after a long battle with cancer. A public viewing will be held from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday at the Holland and Bonine Funeral Home. A rosary will be recited at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Holland and Bonine Funeral Chapel with a vigil service at 7 p.m. with Tim Maroney officiating. The funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Wednesday at the St. Jude Thaddeus Church with the Rev. Robert D. Grosch officiating. George was...

Violet M. Swick, 70, of Cut Bank died Friday, Dec. 5, 2003, at a Shelby care center due to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. A funeral service will be held at 10 a.m. Wednesday with visitation starting one hour prior to service time at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Cut Bank. A luncheon will follow at the Moose Lodge. Graveside services will be at 3 p.m. Wednesday at Highland Cemetery in Havre, with a reception to follow at the Vet's Club. Violet was born on Feb. 14, 1933, to Albert and Dorothy (Schaffer) Knudson in Havre...

CHINOOK - Dorothy (Dot) Nelson, 70, died at a Havre hospital due to natural causes on Thursday, Dec. 4, 2003. A memorial service was held Saturday afternoon in the Edwards Funeral Home Chapel. Cremation has taken place. Dorothy was born on June 30, 1933, in Malta to Frank and Mary (Dove) Fanning. She attended schools in the Malta area. Dorothy married Elmer William Nelson in Havre on Aug. 8, 1949. She enjoyed camping, bowling, and was a lifelong member of the VFW. Dorothy worked as a waitress in Malta, Lewistown and Billings....

HINGHAM - Elizabeth "Lizzie" Schweitzer, 93, died Monday, Dec. 1, 2003, at a Chester rest home. A funeral Mass will be at 11 a.m. Monday at Our Lady of Ransom Catholic Church in Hingham. A graveside service will be at 2 p.m. Monday at Highland Cemetery in Havre. Elizabeth was born on Sept. 29, 1910, at Bow Island, Alberta, to George and Katherine (Dorscher) Roth. She grew up in Canada and received her formal education there. In November of 1928, Elizabeth married Anton Schweitzer at Bow island. They made their home in...

Gladys Juanita Cornella, 94, formally of Havre, died Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2003, in Chandler, Ariz., at a care facility of natural causes. Her funeral service will be held at 2 p.m. Tuesday at Van Orsdel United Methodist Church with the Rev. VaunDalee Delong officiating. Burial will follow at the Highland Cemetery. A fellowship reception will be held at the church immediately following the graveside service. Gladys was born on Aug. 23, 1909, to William and Edith (Ryder) Lamphere in Dead Lake Township, Ottertail County, Minn. Her...

HINGHAM - Elizabeth "Lizzie" Schweitzer, 93, died Monday, Dec. 1, 2003, at a Chester rest home. A funeral Mass will be at 11 a.m. Monday at Our Lady of Ransom Catholic Church in Hingham. A graveside service will be at 2 p.m. Monday at Highland Cemetery in Havre. Elizabeth was born on Sept. 29, 1910, at Bow Island, Alberta, to George and Katherine (Dorscher) Roth. She grew up in Canada and received her formal education there. In November of 1928, Elizabeth married Anton Schweitzer at Bow island. They made their home in...

HINGHAM - Elizabeth "Lizzie" Schweitzer, 93, died Monday, Dec. 1, 2003, at a Chester rest home. A funeral Mass will be at 11 a.m. Monday at Our Lady of Ransom Catholic Church in Hingham. A graveside service will be at 2 p.m. Monday at Highland Cemetery in Havre. Elizabeth was born on Sept. 29, 1910, at Bow Island, Alberta, to George and Katherine (Dorscher) Roth. She grew up in Canada and received her formal education there. In November of 1928, Elizabeth married Anton Schweitzer at Bow island. They made their home in...

PORT ORCHARD, Wash. - James R. "Jim" Burchard, 76, of Port Orchard died Saturday, Nov. 29, 2003, at his residence in Port Orchard. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday at Rill Chapel's Life Tribute Center in Port Orchard. A funeral service will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1550 Hoover Ave., in Port Orchard. Interment will be at Sunset Lane Memorial Park in Port Orchard. He was born April 12, 1927, to Charles and Anna Mae (Dubois) Burchard at Havre. He attended Havre High...

PORT ORCHARD, Wash. - James R. "Jim" Burchard, 76, of Port Orchard died Saturday, Nov. 29, 2003, at his residence in Port Orchard. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday at Rill Chapel's Life Tribute Center in Port Orchard. A funeral service will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1550 Hoover Ave., in Port Orchard. Interment will be at Sunset Lane Memorial Park in Port Orchard. He was born April 12, 1927, to Charles and Anna Mae (Dubois) Burchard at Havre. He attended Havre High...

CHINOOK - Esther Dougherty, 81, of Chinook died Friday, Nov. 28, 2003, at a Chinook nursing home due to natural causes. A funeral service will be Friday at 2 p.m. in the American Lutheran Church with burial following in Kuper Memorial Cemetery. Esther was born on Dec. 1, 1921, on the family farm north of Chinook to Martin and Gina (Halingstad) Monson. She attended local schools and graduated from Chinook High School. She married Howard Dougherty on Dec. 1, 1939, in Chinook. Esther worked at the Dime Store and U & I Sugar...

Edna A. Thompson, 87, died Saturday, Nov. 29, 2003, at a Havre care center. A graveside service will be held at 10 a.m. Wednesday at Highland Cemetery and a memorial service is to begin at 10:30 a.m. at the Northern Montana Care Center Chapel with Ila McClenahan officiating. Edna was born on Jan. 7, 1916, south of Havre in the Bear Paw Mountains. She spent her early years on the family ranch in the Bear Paw Mountains on the Little Box Elder Creek. She moved to Havre with her parents in the late 1950s. At the time of her...

CHINOOK - Esther Dougherty, 81, of Chinook died Friday, Nov. 28, 2003, at a Chinook nursing home due to natural causes. A funeral service will be Friday at 2 p.m. in the American Lutheran Church with burial following in Kuper Memorial Cemetery. Esther was born on Dec. 1, 1921, on the family farm north of Chinook to Martin and Gina (Halingstad) Monson. She attended local schools and graduated from Chinook High School. She married Howard Dougherty on Dec. 1, 1939, in Chinook. Esther worked at the Dime Store and U & I Sugar...

Eugene Louis Bodner, 71, died Thursday, Nov. 27, 2003, at a Fort Benton medical center of natural causes. Open public viewing was Sunday afternoon and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m . today. His funeral service will be 10 a.m. Tuesday at the Holland and Bonine Funeral Home with Dean Rohner officiating. Burial will follow at the Highland Cemetery in Havre. Eugene was born on March 26, 1932, in Havre to Louis and Lottie (Parks) Bodner. He was raised and educated in Havre and graduated from Havre High School in 1949. Eugene went to work f...

CHINOOK - Mary Jane Bartlette, 62, died Saturday, Nov. 29, 2003, at a Chinook nursing home due to heart related complications. A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday in the Assembly of God Church with burial following in Kuper Memorial Cemetery. Mary Jane was born on Feb. 11, 1941, in Bellefontaine, Ohio, to Revered Lyle and Glenna (Miller) Marine. Mary completed high school in Bellefontaine and worked various jobs in the area upon graduation. In May 1973, she moved to Chinook with friends to start a new life. She...

MISSOULA - Nancy A. "Grammy" Stulc, 54, died early Tuesday, Nov. 25, 2003, at her home in Missoula due to cancer. A Mass of the Resurrection will be celebrated on Friday, Dec. 12, at 1 p.m. at Peter and Paul Catholic Church, 200 44th St. South, Great Falls. Nancy was born to Bert and Dorothy Reiner in Choteau on Sept. 23, 1949. She graduated from Choteau High School in 1968 and Northern Montana College in 1973. She earned a double Bachelor of Science degree in history and English with a teaching certificate. She met Rod...

FORT BELKNAP - Luetta Irene (Van Hollan) Rock, 60, died Thursday, Nov. 27, 2003, at a Havre hospital due to a lengthy illness and heart complications. A wake service was held Friday evening in Red Whip Center at Fort Belknap Agency. A funeral service was scheduled for 11 a.m. Saturday in Red Whip Center at Fort Belknap Agency. Burial was to follow at Pony Hill Cemetery. Luetta was born to Laura Irene (Sanquins) Rudie and the late Everett Van Hollan on July 30, 1943, in Havre. Luetta was a trained practical nurse and was...

CHINOOK - Elizabeth "Queenie" Peterson, 91, died Friday, Nov. 28, 2003, at a Havre care center of natural causes. A funeral service was scheduled for 11 a.m. today at the Edwards Funeral Home Chapel. Burial was to follow in the Kuper Memorial Cemetery. Queenie was born to Erato Hedges and Oscar Dougherty on July 6, 1912, in Lohman. She was raised in Chinook and attended schools there and also in Havre. Queenie married Reynold Peterson on March 4, 1933, in Chinook. Besides raising her children, she cooked, cleaned houses,...

Ragna (Rags) McLean, 90, died on Monday, Nov. 24, 2003, at a care facility in Twin Falls, Idaho. She was born on Aug. 19, 1913, in Hankinson, N.D., to Peter and Thora Mahlum, emigrants from Norway. Rags was the ninth of 15 children. The Mahlums moved to the Flathead Valley, near Kalispell, in 1917 and Rags and her siblings were raised on the family farm. Rags graduated from Flathead High School in 1933 and attended Washington State University for one year, where she took business classes while working at a sanitarium. Rags...

Robert Paul Keith, 31, died Friday, Nov. 28, 2003, at a Havre care facility after a courageous battle with cancer. A funeral service will be held at 2:30 p.m Tuesday at the Assembly of God Church in Havre with the Rev. Russ Michaels officiating. The committal rite will be at the Highland Cemetery following the service. A fellowship will be held at the church immediately following the interment. Robert was born on Aug. 8, 1972, to David and Louise (Orr) Keith in Council Bluffs, Iowa. After moving to Montana in childhood, he...

Eugene Louis Bodner, 71, died Thursday, Nov. 27, 2003, at a Fort Benton medical center of natural causes. Open public viewing was Sunday afternoon and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m . today. His funeral service will be 10 a.m. Tuesday at the Holland and Bonine Funeral Home with Dean Rohner officiating. Burial will follow at the Highland Cemetery in Havre. Eugene was born on March 26, 1932, in Havre to Louis and Lottie (Parks) Bodner. He was raised and educated in Havre and graduated from Havre High School in 1949. Eugene went to work f...