DUANE WERK obituary

CHINOOK - Duane Daniel Werk, 68, former Chinook resident, died on Thursday, March 18, 2004, in Belgrade following a battle with cancer.

A funeral service will be held at 2 p.m. Tuesday in the Chinook High School gymnasium. Burial will follow in the Kuper Memorial Cemetery with military honors.

Duane

was born on July 12, 1935, to Charles and Calista (Barrett) Werk in Malta. He attended schools in Chinook and was raised in the Bears Paw Mountains. He was a devoted husband, father, grandfather and son, but most of all was a cowboy. In his early years, Duane served in the U.S. Army, stationed at Fort Leonard Wood, Mo., and was later a brand inspector in St. Paul, Minn.

In 1959, he married Peggy Wilson. They lived in the Shelby-Great Falls area, where Duane was an ironworker and president of Ironworkers Local 815. In 1970, Duane and Peggy purchased Teegardens Bar in Shelby and operated that until 1973. Later that year they purchased a farm east of Chinook. While continuing on the farm, they purchased Bear Paw Livestock in Havre and built the new facility in Chinook. The first livestock sale in Chinook was in 1979 and it continues with livestock sales today. The business was sold in 1984 and Duane took a position with ConAgra. He remained with ConAgra until his retirement in 2000. His poor health caused the Werks to move to Belgrade in 2003.

Duane's hobbies were as many as his friends. He mostly enjoyed rodeos, fishing, golf, a good game of cards and time spent with his family.

He was preceded in death by his father, Charles Werk; and a nephew, Lyle Montgomery.

Survivors include his mother, Calista Werk of Chinook; wife, Peggy Werk of Belgrade; daughters, Debbie (Keith) Duneman and Sandy (Eric) Burdette of Bozeman; sons, Allan Werk of Billings and Chuck (Karla) Werk of Kalispell; eight grandchildren; one great-grandchild; sister, Vanda (Ralph) Montgomery of Chinook; and several nieces and nephews.

Memorials may be made to the charity of choice.

Arrangements are by Edwards Funeral Home of Chinook.