ELMER STUHLMILLER

HARLEM - Elmer E. Stuhlmiller, 78, died Friday, Jan. 31, 2003, at a Chinook nursing home due to natural causes.

A memorial graveside service will be held at 1 p.m. Wednesday at Fort Harrison Cemetery in Helena with military honors.

Elmer was born on March 27, 1924, in

Dodge, N.D., to Emanuel and Anna (Weisz) Stuhlmiller. He graduated from Dodge High School in 1942 and attended Dickinson Normal School during the summer of 1942.

Elmer taught at rural Collins School west of Dodge during the 1942-43 school year. He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II from 1944 to 1946. In 1947, he taught in the rural school at Marshall, N.D., and attended Dickinson State College from 1947-50. He received a bachelor of arts degree in business education. He taught at public schools in Circle from 1950 to 1952. He worked for the National Park Service and on a ranch and farm operation from 1952 until 1956. He also worked as a seasonal park ranger during the summer months from 1951 to 1960 at Theodore Roosevelt National Memorial Park and Glacier National Park. From 1956 to 1958, he taught at Hot Springs schools and moved to Harlem in 1958. He was business instructor, high school principal, superintendent of schools and business administrator of the Harlem Public Schools until his retirement in 1977.

Elmer married Betty R. Joubert on Aug. 29, 1948, at Dickinson, N.D.

He is survived by his wife, Betty Stuhlmiller of Harlem; son, Jere Stuhlmiller of Las Vegas, Nev.; daughters, Cheryl (Bert) Rigby of Conrad and Rene (John) Lyle of Brier, Wash.; three grandchildren; brothers, Norman Stuhlmiller of Bismarck, N.D., and Gary Stuhlmiller of Mesa, Ariz.

Arrangements are by Edwards Funeral Home of Chinook.