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...

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...

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...

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...

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,...

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,...

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...