EDWARD TESKEY obituary

WILLISTON, N.D. - Edward Roy Teskey, 78, a longtime Williston resident, died Thursday, Jan. 8, 2004, at a Williston, N.D., medical center.

A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at 1 p.m. Tuesday at St. Joseph's Catholic Church with the Rev. John Guthrie officiating. Cremation will follow and burial of

the urn will take place in Kalispell at a later date. A vigil prayer service for Edward will be 7 p.m. today at St. Joseph's Catholic Church with the Rev. Raymond Aydt leading the Rosary. The public is invited to attend.

Edward was born on March 10, 1925, in Harlem to Edward Anton and Mabel Catherine (Billmayer) Teskey. He was raised on the east shore of Flathead Lake and attended school in Bigfork. He spent his leisure time hunting and fishing, working in the family cherry orchard, working in the woods and firefighting. As he grew and went through school, he worked many jobs, including welding, meat processing and working for the Great Northern Railway cleaning out boxcars. He was inducted into the Navy while still in high school but was allowed to finish. He graduated from Gonzaga High School in Spokane, Wash., in 1943.

In June of 1943, he reported for training in Farragut, Idaho. Ed served aboard the Sea Plane Tender, USS San Carlos, as a signalman 3rd Class. He was decorated with medals and ribbons for his service in the Phillippines, and in numerous other locations. His ship also escorted the USS Missouri. After returning from his tour of duty, he was discharged in March of 1946. Shortly after returning to the states, he started working for the Great Northern Railway as a fireman on steam engines at Shelby.

In March of 1952 on St. Patrick's Day, he met Mabel Schneidmiller at the Elks Lodge in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. After many long distance calls, he went to the Calgary Stampede and spent a week fishing and hunting with Mabel, he then proposed and they married on Sept. 19, 1952. They established their home in Havre, where they started raising a family.

In 1957 he was promoted to engineer and worked up and down the Hi-Line. In 1964 he relocated to Williston, where he worked the locals, traveling to and working out of Glasgow for many years. In 1982 he went to work for Amtrak, where he remained until he retired in 1987.

Ed belonged to the VFW, the Moose Club, the American Legion and was a lifetime member of the Elks Lodge. He also continued to be active with the railroad retirees monthly meeting for breakfast.

Ed was an avid fisherman, hunter and camper. He loved working in his garden and raspberry patch and tending to his flower beds. Ed enjoyed every aspect of nature and loved his time in the woods. His greatest love was his family and spending time with his five grandchildren with whom he shared his special interests of gardening and nature. The family had a yearly camping get-together in the mountains of Montana.

Survivors include his wife, Mildred Mabel Teskey of Williston; sons, Anthony of Williston, Jeffrey of Bakersfield, Calif., Robert Teskey of Glasgow, James (Jacqueline) Teskey of Cloquet, Minn.; daughter, LaVonne Lucke of Whitefish; sister, Geraldine McLaughlin of Missoula; five grandchildren; a niece; and two great-nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his brother, Wade Teskey, and his son, Edward W. Teskey.

Friends may call at the Everson Funeral Home of Williston from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. today and from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Tuesday and an hour before the service.