Obituaries

CASCADE - Russell Chinadle, 66, of Cascade and former Havre resident, died Tuesday, Dec. 13, 2005, at Peace Hospice of cancer. A gathering of friends will be held at the Dearborn Inn at 3 p.m. Saturday. A family burial of ashes will be held at a later date. Cremation has taken place. Russell was born March 18, 1939, and raised in Hingham. He joined the U.S. Army in 1958. He was a bar owner prior to becoming a U.S. Postal worker, where he delivered mail to the Rocky Boy Reservation for 28 years. He formed many lifelong... Full story

MISHAWAKA, Ind. - Flora Catherine Gatzemeier, Sister M. Clara Ann, 85, of Mishawaka, Ind., died Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2005, due to bile duct cancer. A Eucharistic funeral liturgy was held Dec. 3 at 11 a.m. at Our Lady of Angels Convent. She was buried in the convent cemetery. Flora was born to Edward and Anna Mae Gatzemeier of Rudyard on Dec. 16, 1919. The family did many things together, including working in the wheat fields and playing cards and other games. The family belonged to Our Lady of Ransom Church in Hingham. Flora... Full story

MISHAWAKA, Ind. - Flora Catherine Gatzemeier, Sister M. Clara Ann, 85, of Mishawaka, Ind., died Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2005, due to bile duct cancer. A Eucharistic funeral liturgy was held Dec. 3 at 11 a.m. at Our Lady of Angels Convent. She was buried in the convent cemetery. Flora was born to Edward and Anna Mae Gatzemeier of Rudyard on Dec. 16, 1919. The family did many things together, including working in the wheat fields and playing cards and other games. The family belonged to Our Lady of Ransom Church in Hingham. Flora... Full story

Jennifer Lindsay Welch, 26, of Havre died Friday, Dec. 9, 2005, of leukodystrophy at Northern Montana Care Center. A memorial service for Jennifer will be held at 2:30 p.m. today at Northern Montana Care Center. A rosary will be recited at 7 p.m. Friday at St. Bartholomew Catholic Church. A Mass of Christian burial will be Saturday in White Sulphur Springs at St. Bartholomew Catholic Church at 10 a.m. with a coffee hour to follow. A graveside committal will follow at Mayn Cemetery. Jennifer was born Dec. 17, 1978, to John W....

SPOKANE, Wash. - Earl Lewis Stillar, 86, of Spokane, Wash., died Sunday, Dec. 11, 2005, at Spokane. Visitation will be from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday at Riplinger Funeral Home. A service will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday at Riplinger Funeral Home, 4305 N. Division in Spokane. Interment will follow at Greenwood Memorial Terrace Cemetery in Spokane. Earl was born June 5, 1919, in Havre. He graduated from Havre High School in 1937. He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II as a signalman. He was later employed at the Great... Full story

HAYS - Virgil Furcy McConnell, 81, Tasi'na Tag'a in Assiniboine meaning “Big Blanket,” of Hays died of natural causes Thursday, Dec. 8, 2005, at his daughter's home in Hays. A wake and rosary were held Monday evening in the St. Paul's Mission Recreation center. A funeral mass was scheduled for 11 a.m. today in St. Paul's Mission Recreation Center with military honors burial in the Grade Cemetery. Virgil was born Nov. 28, 1924, at Fort Hall, Idaho, to Eunice Bartlett and Frank McConnell. He was adopted by Anson and M...

Marilyn (Strand) McLean, 79, of Havre died Friday, Dec. 9, 2005, at Northern Montana Care Center after suffering from lung cancer. Crema-tion has taken place. Her memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday at Holland & Bonine Funeral Chapel with the Rev. Rowlie Hutton officiating. A graveside service will follow at Highland Cemetery. A fellowship luncheon will be held at the Vets Club immediately after the service at the graveside. Marilyn was born March 3, 1926, in Lignite, N.D., to Oscar and Myrtle (Gustofson)... Full story

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. - Anthony Wendel Keller, 94, died in his sleep Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2005, in Albuquerque, N.M. A memorial service will be held at 3 p.m. Friday at Sunset View Mortuary at Colusa and Fairmount Avenue in El Cerrito, Calif., followed by a memorial Mass at 10 a.m. Saturday at St. Cornelius Church, 225 28th St. in Richmond, Calif. Anthony was born Dec. 23, 1910, in a village near Odessa, Russia, to John and Magdalena Keller. The family immigrated to America in 1911, settling first in Collyer, Kan., and then on a farm... Full story

Mary Ann Dion, 81, of Havre died Saturday, Dec. 3, 2005, at Northern Montana Hospital of natural causes. Cremation has taken place. A graveside memorial service will be held at a later time at the Gethsemane Cemetery in Federal Way, Wash. Mary was born March 16, 1924, in Dodge, N.D., to Joseph and Magdalena (Kletzel) Bleile. As a young child, she moved with her family to Helena for a short time. They returned to Dickenson, N.D., where Mary Ann was educated. She lived with her brother in Anaconda when she was a teenager. She...

EUGENE, Ore. - James LeRoy Baltrusch, 74, of Eugene, Ore., died Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2005, from complications due to multiple sclerosis. A funeral was held Saturday afternoon at Musgrove Funeral Home. Burial was scheduled for 1 p.m. today at Willamette National Cemetery. James was born Jan. 22, 1931, at Havre to Otto Baltrusch Sr. and Mary (Echelard) Baltrusch. He grew up in Havre and served in the Navy during the Korean War from 1950-54. James married Jeanette Ellison in Conrad on Nov. 4, 1956. He owned and operated a constructi...

Lillian Mae (Clink) Owens, 89, of Rudyard died Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2005, at Sweet Memorial Nursing Home in Chinook. Memorial services will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday at Our Savior's Lutheran Church in Rudyard. A luncheon will follow. Lillian's ashes will be buried later this summer at the Highland Cemetery in Havre. Lillian was born Oct. 8, 1916, at Hingham to Elwin and Cassie (Geesy) Clink. Lillian grew up on the family farm in the Minneota community north of Rudyard. She received her early education at country schools, then g...

CHINOOK - John Thomas McMaster, 80, of Chinook died Tuesday Dec. 6, 2005, at Northern Montana Hospital after a long battle with cancer. A rosary and vigil service will be Friday at St. Gabriel's Catholic Church at 7 p.m. A funeral Mass will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday at St. Gabriel's Catholic Church in Chinook. Burial will follow at Kuper Memorial Cemetery with military honors. A luncheon will be held at the church immediately after the graveside service. John was born in St. John, N.D., on June 6, 1925, to George and Bertha...

CHESTER - Dorothy May (Marshall) Stores, 86, of Chester died at the Chester rest home Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2005. A funeral Mass will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Chester. Burial will follow at the Chester Cemetery. Dorothy was born May 2, 1919, at Great Falls to William and Sadie (Taplin) Marshall. Dorothy was raised on the family farm north of Chester and attended the Fairview and Laird country schools. In 1932, her family moved into Chester, where her father took a job with the city. Dorothy marr... Full story

SKIDMORE, Mo. - Mary Lou (Reid) Hamon, 77, formerly of Great Falls and Whitewater, died Friday, Nov. 18, 2005, from complications of diabetes at a hospital in Maryville, Mo. A funeral service for Mary Lou was conducted at the Christian Church in Skidmore, Mo., on Nov. 23. Burial was at Hillcrest Cemetery in Skidmore. A memorial service for friends and family will be held at 3 p.m. Sunday at the Fifth Avenue Christian Church, officiated by the Rev. Rowlie Hutton. Mary Lou was born May 13, 1928, in Chinook to James and Julia...

CHINOOK - Lucille Alice Finley, 95, of Billings died Thursday, Dec. 1, 2005, of natural causes at a Billings care center. A funeral service will be held Friday at 1 p.m. in the Chinook United Methodist Church with burial following in Kuper Memorial Cemetery. She was born to Elard and Lucinda (Anderson) Phares in Chinook. She lived and worked in Chinook most of her life, moving to Great Falls and then to Billings in later years. She was preceded in death by her son Mack Savage. Survivors include her son, Mark Savage of... Full story

Elena Marie (Guevara) Crilly, 49, of Helena and formerly of Havre, died Dec. 4, 2005, at St. Peter's Hospital. A service was scheduled for 11 a.m. today at Helena Funeral Chapel. A second memorial service will be held at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Fifth Avenue Christian Church. Elena was born in St. Albans, Vt., to Jose and Pat Guevara. She attended Carroll College and graduated from Northern Montana College with a nursing degree. She had worked as an RN, director of nursing in Northern Montana Hospital Emergency Room, Intensive Care...

GILDFORD - Willis Warren Cady, 87, of Gildford died peacefully Monday, Dec. 5, 2005 at Liberty County Hospital in Chester. Willis was born Aug. 30, 1918, at Havre to Harry and Rose (Vosen) Cady. Willis grew up on the family farm, which was located between Gildford an Kremlin. He received his formal education in both communities. Following his graduation from Gildford High School in 1936, he began his life as a full-time Montana farmer. Willis married Dorothy M. Blanchard on Oct. 16, 1941, at St. Mary's Catholic Church in...

Edward Lee Chinske, 71, of Havre died Monday, Dec. 5, 2005, at Northern Montana Hospital after a lengthy battle with cancer. His memorial service will be 11 a.m. Friday at St. Jude's Catholic Church with Tim Maroney officiating. A fellowship luncheon will be held at St. Jude Parish Center immediatley after the memorial service. Cremation has taken place and a graveside service with full military honors will be held at a later time. Edward was born June 6, 1934 in Miles City to Edward and Margaret (Johnson) Chinske. His...

AUBURN, Wash. - Havre native Estelle Beatrice (Kickbusch) Ward, 82, of Auburn, Wash., died Friday, Nov. 11, 2005, of natural causes at Auburn, Wash. Funeral services were conducted Nov. 18 at Hobart Community Church with burial in Maple Valley. Estelle was the second of identical twins born to August and Mildred Kickbusch on April 12, 1923, at Havre. She graduated from Havre High School in 1941, with her twin, Eleanor, and sister, Wilma, and worked as a waitress at Danny's Cafe in Havre. During World War II, Estelle was... Full story

CHINOOK - John Thomas McMaster, 80, of Chinook died Tuesday Dec. 6, 2005, at Northern Montana Hospital after a long battle with cancer. A rosary and vigil service will be Friday at St. Gabriel's Catholic Church at 7 p.m. A funeral Mass will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday at St. Gabriel's Catholic Church in Chinook. Burial will follow at Kuper Memorial Cemetery with military honors. A luncheon will be held at the church immediately after the graveside service. John was born in St. John, N.D., on June 6, 1925, to George and Bertha...

HAMLTON - Thelma Mae (Jenison) Johnstone, 76, of Hamilton and formerly of Havre, died Friday, Dec. 2, 2005, at her home in Hamilton. Viewing will be held at the Daly-Leach Chapel today from 5 to 7 p.m. A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday at First Presbyterian Church in Hamilton with the Rev. Janet Malone officiating. Thelma was born Jan. 28, 1929, in Des Moines, Iowa. Thelma graduated in 1946 from the Boyden High School. On Aug. 2, 1946, Thelma married Arthur H. Johnstone at the Little Brown Church in the...

FORT BELKNAP - Wilbur J. “Hooch” Bigby II, 16, a sophomore at Harlem High School, died at his residence Sunday, Dec. 4, 2005. A wake and rosary will be held at 7 p.m. today in the Red Whip Center. A funeral service will be held at 10 a.m. Wednesday in the Harlem High School Gymnasium with burial following at Pony Hill Cemetery. Wilbur's Indian name in the Assiniboine language is Waci Wakan and in Gros Ventre is Bitdan Bahdayee, which mean “Holy Dancer.” The name was given to him by Spiritual Leader Joe Iron Man Sr....

EUGENE, Ore. - Patricia (Pat) Konopatzke, 78, of Eugene, Ore., and formerly of Havre, died Tuesday, Nov. 15, 2005, at OHSU in Portland, Ore., surrounded by her children and grandchildren after a brave fight against ovarian cancer. A memorial service was held Nov. 20 at Bethesda Lutheran in Eugene with inurnment of ashes at the Veteran's Cemetery in Portland on Nov. 21. Pat was born in South Shields, England, on Oct. 13, 1927. Her dad died when she was 4 years old. When World War II broke out, Pat's mom moved her to London,...

GREAT FALLS - Robert W. Syth, 82, of Great Falls died Thursday, Dec. 1, 2005, at Northern Montana Hospital of congestive heart failure. A funeral service will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday in the Croxford Rose Room in Great Falls, with burial in Highland Cemetery. Robert was born June 24, 1923, to Guy and Edith Syth in Warner, N.D. He was raised in Malta and graduated from Malta High School. He attended welding school in Butte and worked in the shipyard in Bremerton, Wash. He joined the Army in 1944 and returned to Montana upon...

MISSOULA - Carla Clements, 47, died Thursday, Nov. 24, 2005, after a long battle with breast cancer. Viewing was scheduled for this morning at the Clark Fork City Church, to be followed by her funeral service at 10 am. Burial was planned at Sunset Memorial Cemetery, followed by a reception back at church. Carla was born Jan. 18, 1958, to Carl Green and Dixie Vickhammer. She attended school in Malta, then moved to Harlem, where she graduated in 1976. Carla attended Trinity Bible College in Jamestown, N.D., and Central Bible...