Obituaries

KALISPELL - Kathleen M. "Kathy" Krantz, 75, of Kalispell died Thursday, May 8, 2003, at Kalispell. She requested that there be no services after cremation. Kathy was born to Donald and Claire Tennant on July 27, 1927, in Duluth, Minn. She was raised in the Twin Cities and enjoyed her childhood summers visiting the family farm in Aiken, Minn. Her father was a blacksmith with the Great Northern Railway and transferred to Havre in 1946. Kathy was a skilled seamstress with Buttrey's in Havre and also lived and worked in Great...

INVERNESS - James McMillan "Jim" Fraser, 72, died on Saturday, May 10, 2003, at a Great Falls medical center of cancer. Vigil prayers will be Thursday at 7 p.m. at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Inverness. Funeral Mass will be 11 a.m. on Friday at the church, with burial following at the Inverness Cemetery. Jim was born on the family farm at Cascade to Donald and Theresa (Borys) Fraser on Aug. 14, 1930. At age 9, his family moved to a farm south of Inverness. He attended country schools through seventh grade, then...

Becky Lynn Buerkle, 32, died from cancer in Havre on Tuesday, May 13, 2003, while surrounded by those who loved her. A graveside service will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday at the Highland Cemetery. All of her family and friends are invited to attend. A fellowship will follow at the Vets Club. Becky was born in Great Falls on Aug. 8, 1970, to Helen (Adams) and Bernie Sterner. She attended schools in Cascade, Rudyard and Havre. Her daughter, Mandy Fialkosky, was born Nov. 12, 1985. She married Bill Buerkle in Havre on April 16,...

KALISPELL - Kathleen M. "Kathy" Krantz, 75, of Kalispell died Thursday, May 8, 2003, at Kalispell. She requested that there be no services after cremation. Kathy was born to Donald and Claire Tennant on July 27, 1927, in Duluth, Minn. She was raised in the Twin Cities and enjoyed her childhood summers visiting the family farm in Aiken, Minn. Her father was a blacksmith with the Great Northern Railway and transferred to Havre in 1946. Kathy was a skilled seamstress with Buttrey's in Havre and also lived and worked in Great...

INVERNESS - James McMillan "Jim" Fraser, 72, died on Saturday, May 10, 2003, at a Great Falls medical center of cancer. Vigil prayers will be Thursday at 7 p.m. at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Inverness. Funeral Mass will be 11 a.m. on Friday at the church, with burial following at the Inverness Cemetery. Jim was born on the family farm at Cascade to Donald and Theresa (Borys) Fraser on Aug. 14, 1930. At age 9, his family moved to a farm south of Inverness. He attended country schools through seventh grade, then...

BILLINGS - Kenneth Charles Scharfe, 82, of Billings, formerly of Havre, died peacefully on Friday, May 9, 2003, after a long battle with cancer. A funeral service will be held Tuesday at 1 p.m. at the Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd, 1108 West 24th St., in Billings with the Rev. Carol Marhol officiating. A committal service will be held at 2 p.m. Friday at the Highland Cemetery in Havre with the Rev. Brad Ulgeness officiating. Kenneth was born in Laredo on June 13, 1920, to Otto and Bessie Scharfe. They moved to...

FORT BELKNAP - Agnes E. "Ippy" Laurence, 47, died Thursday, May 8, 2003, at a Great Falls hospital due to respiratory failure. A funeral service was scheduled for 2 p.m. today at the Red Whip Recreation Center with burial following in Pony Hill Cemetery. A wake service was held Sunday evening in the Red Whip Center. Ippy was raised by her late grandparents, Millard and Rose Weasel. She understood the Assiniboine language fluently, since her grandmother did not speak English. Ippy attended schools at Fort Belknap and in Oklaho...

KALISPELL - Kathleen M. "Kathy" Krantz, 75, of Kalispell died Thursday, May 8, 2003, at Kalispell. She requested that there be no services after cremation. Kathy was born to Donald and Claire Tennant on July 27, 1927, in Duluth, Minn. She was raised in the Twin Cities and enjoyed her childhood summers visiting the family farm in Aiken, Minn. Her father was a blacksmith with the Great Northern Railway and transferred to Havre in 1946. Kathy was a skilled seamstress with Buttrey's in Havre and also lived and worked in Great...

INVERNESS - James McMillan "Jim" Fraser, 72, died on Saturday, May 10, 2003, at a Great Falls medical center of cancer. Vigil prayers will be Thursday at 7 p.m. at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Inverness. Funeral Mass will be 11 a.m. on Friday at the church, with burial following at the Inverness Cemetery. Jim was born on the family farm at Cascade to Donald and Theresa (Borys) Fraser on Aug. 14, 1930. At age 9, his family moved to a farm south of Inverness. He attended country schools through seventh grade, then...

JOPLIN - Carl Eugene "Gene" Bjornstad, 78, of Joplin died peacefully in his sleep at home on May 10, 2003. Memorial services will be at 2 p.m. on Wednesday at the Chester Alliance Church, followed by a reception. Burial of ashes will be at 4:30 p.m. at the Joplin Cemetery. Gene was born in Havre as the only child of Carl and Ida Mae (Young) Bjornstad on Jan. 17, 1925. Gene grew up on the family homestead 25 miles north of Joplin. He received his early education at the Tingdahl School near the farm. He completed his schooling...

RUDYARD/PHOENIX, Ariz. - Roger Russell Solum, 41, of Phoenix, Ariz., died Thursday, May 8, 2003, at a Phoenix hospital from complications from hepatitis and kidney failure. A funeral service was held today in Phoenix. A local service will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday at the Calvary Evangelical Church in Rudyard with burial to follow at the Rudyard Cemetery. Russ was born on April 4, 1962, to Orville and Mary Ellen (Patrick) Solum at Chester. He grew up on the family farm and received his education in Rudyard. He graduated from...

William N. "Smitty" Smith, 83, died Wednesday, May 7, 2003, at a Great Falls hospital from cancer. A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday at St. Mark's Episcopal Church with the Rev. David Carter officiating. Following the memorial service is a full mili- tary honor and Masonic funeral at Highland Cemetery. A luncheon will be held at the VFW Club. Shriners are asked to wear fez at the service Smitty was born April 21, 1920, to Les and Mae Smith in Rumsey, Ky. He came to Montana at the age of 16 after joining the...

BILLINGS - Kenneth Charles Scharfe, 82, of Billings, formerly of Havre, died peacefully on Friday, May 9, 2003, after a long battle with cancer. A funeral service will be held Tuesday at 1 p.m. at the Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd, 1108 West 24th St., in Billings with the Rev. Carol Marhol officiating. A committal service will be held at 2 p.m. Friday at the Highland Cemetery in Havre with the Rev. Brad Ulgeness officiating. Kenneth was born in Laredo on June 13, 1920, to Otto and Bessie Scharfe. They moved to...

FORT BELKNAP - Agnes E. "Ippy" Laurence, 47, died Thursday, May 8, 2003, at a Great Falls hospital due to respiratory failure. A funeral service was scheduled for 2 p.m. today at the Red Whip Recreation Center with burial following in Pony Hill Cemetery. A wake service was held Sunday evening in the Red Whip Center. Ippy was raised by her late grandparents, Millard and Rose Weasel. She understood the Assiniboine language fluently, since her grandmother did not speak English. Ippy attended schools at Fort Belknap and in Oklaho...

JOPLIN - Carl Eugene "Gene" Bjornstad, 78, of Joplin died peacefully in his sleep at home on May 10, 2003. Memorial services will be at 2 p.m. on Wednesday at the Chester Alliance Church, followed by a reception. Burial of ashes will be at 4:30 p.m. at the Joplin Cemetery. Gene was born in Havre as the only child of Carl and Ida Mae (Young) Bjornstad on Jan. 17, 1925. Gene grew up on the family homestead 25 miles north of Joplin. He received his early education at the Tingdahl School near the farm. He completed his schooling...

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Kari Ann Thurman, 41, died Saturday, May 3, 2003, in Sacramento, Calif., due to a massive stroke. Cremation has taken place and a memorial service will be 1 p.m. Wednesday at the Holland and Bonine Funeral Chapel in Havre, with the Rev. Zoe Coutts officiating. A private family interment will be held at a later date. Kari was born March 8, 1962, in Madera, Calif. She moved to Cut Bank at an early age and attended schools there. She then moved to Havre with her family and attended Lanae's College of Beauty...

HELENA - Meredith Ann Molkjer, 54, a record management specialist, died May 6, 2003, at a Great Falls hospital of natural causes. Cremation has taken place. The celebration of her life service will be on July 24 before her ashes are laid to rest on her father's farm south of Chinook. Meredith was born in Havre to Eloise (Farrell) and Nels Molkjer on Nov. 18, 1948. She graduated from Harlem High School in 1966 and from Northern Montana College with an associates of agriculture and a bachelors degree in business technology in...

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Kari Ann Thurman, 41, died Saturday, May 3, 2003, in Sacramento, Calif., due to a massive stroke. Cremation has taken place and a memorial service will be 1 p.m. Wednesday at the Holland and Bonine Funeral Chapel in Havre, with the Rev. Zoe Coutts officiating. A private family interment will be held at a later date. Kari was born March 8, 1962, in Madera, Calif. She moved to Cut Bank at an early age and attended schools there. She then moved to Havre with her family and attended Lanae's College of Beauty...

Verla Eileen Pursley, 87, died May 6, 2003, at a Havre hospital of natural causes. Viewing will be from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday at the Holland and Bonine Funeral Chapel. The funeral Mass will be 10 a.m. Friday at St. Margaret Mary's Catholic Church in Big Sandy, with the Rev. Pete Guthneck officiating. Burial will follow at the Big Sandy Cemetery. A luncheon will be held at St. Margaret Mary's Catholic Church immediately following the services at the graveside. Verla was born Jan. 25, 1916, in Tampico, Ill., to William and...

John Lars Britton, 84, died Tuesday, April 29, 2003, in North Bend, Ore., after a long illness. A memorial service will be held in Montana at a date to be determined. John was born in Phillip, S.D., to George and Helma Britton on Oct. 18, 1918. John received his bachelors degree in 1955 from the University of Montana. He taught in Alberton until 1958. He received his masters degree from the University of Montana in 1960. John was the superintendent of schools in Corvallis from 1960-1966. He worked for the Forest Service -...

MOORE - N. Catherine Bricker, 88, longtime Moore area resident, died Friday, May 2, 2003, at a nursing center. Funeral services will be at the Creel Funeral Chapel on Wednesday at 2 p.m. in Moore. Burial will be at the Moore Cemetery. Catherine was born in Missoula to George and Ida (Richardson) Walford on Oct. 25, 1914. She received her schooling in Missoula. Catherine was married to David Eugene Bricker in Missoula on March 25, 1939. They celebrated 61 years of marriage before his death in April 2000. They farmed in the...

CHINOOK - Lyle M. Montgomery, 42, died unexpectedly on April 8, 2003, in Reno, Nev. A memorial service will be Saturday at 2 p.m. in the Presbyterian Church in Chinook. Lyle was born in Havre to Ralph and Vanda (Werk) Montgomery on Dec. 15, 1960. He was raised in Chinook and graduated from Chinook High School in 1980. Lyle graduated from Northern Montana College with a degree in engineering technology, and was a 1995 graduate of a pharmacy school in Laramie, Wyo. Lyle was a pharmacy manager for Safeway at Hawthorne, Nev.,...

MISSOULA - Cyril F. "Cy" Honzel, 83, of Missoula died Sunday, April 27, 2003, at St. Patrick Hospital of natural causes. Visitation will be held on today from 5 to 7:30 p.m. at Garden City Funeral Home with Vigil services following at 7:30 p.m. Mass will be celebrated Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. at St. Anthony's Parish with a reception following at the Elks Club. Private interment will take place at St. Mary's Cemetery. Cy was born Jan. 22, 1920, in Prairie du Chien, Wis., the only child of Frank R. and Gabrielle (Merrell) Honzel...

Erna Rosena Evins, 77, died April 27, 2003, in a Chicago-area hospital. Visitation will be held Sunday beginning at 1 p.m. at Schmaedeke Funeral Home in Lake Forest, Ill. A memorial service will follow at 3:30 p.m. A memorial service will be held in Havre at a later date. Erna was born on a farm south of Laredo to Fred and Roselia Philippi. She moved into town in 1936 and graduated from Havre High School. She was a bookkeeper at the Havre Daily News before moving away from the Havre area. She was a resident of the Chicago...

Erna Rosena Evins, 77, died April 27, 2003, in a Chicago-area hospital. Visitation will be held Sunday beginning at 1 p.m. at Schmaedeke Funeral Home in Lake Forest, Ill. A memorial service will follow at 3:30 p.m. A memorial service will be held in Havre at a later date. Erna was born on a farm south of Laredo to Fred and Roselia Philippi. She moved into town in 1936 and graduated from Havre High School. She was a bookkeeper at the Havre Daily News before moving away from the Havre area. She was a resident of the Chicago...