James Elmer Henry

James Elmer Henry, age 83 years, 10 months and 21 days, passed away Monday, July 26, 2010, in Dodson, Mont., of emphysema.

He was a Marine veteran, Iwo Jima survivor and retired butcher, cowboy and mill operator.

Funeral services will be Friday, July 30, 2010, at the Dodson Lutheran Church, at 11

a. m. Burial with military honors will be held at the Malta Cemetery. Memorials in Elmer's honor may be made to a charity of one's choice.

Services and arrangements have been entrusted to Holland & Bonine Funeral Home of Havre.

Elmer was born Sept. 5, 1926, to Miles David and Ruah Mae (Cronkhite) Henry on the family homestead south of Malta, the 12th of 14 children. He spent his early childhood on the homestead and attended Pleasant View Country School for the first two grades. They moved to Malta for the remainder of his schooling, where he participated in the boxing program in junior high. He worked for various farms, and at 15, he quit school and went to work for the J.B. Long ranch at Augusta as a cowboy and ranch-hand.

He enlisted in the U.S. Marines on April 24, 1944, at 17, and trained at Camp Pendleton, Calif., before being shipped overseas to the Pacific Theater with the 5th Marine Division.

He was involved for the entire 36 days required to secure Iwo Jima and was later sent to Japan for the occupation period, being stationed at Sesebo, Nagasaki and Komomoto.

He returned to Montana after his discharge, and became a butcher working for Safeway.

He married Eldora Hanson, and they moved to Sioux Pass, then Belt, Augusta and Malta before settling in Dodson, when he went to work for McLeod's Store. He also worked for his brother-in-law, Art Komis, and Philco Feeds in Malta for seven years before his emphysema required him to retire.

He was a 63-year member, then a paid-up life member of the American Legion, serving as post commander, District 2 commander and post adjutant.

He was a member of the Dodson Lutheran Church for 62 years, served on the town council as alderman and mayor, was a member of the historical society,

P. T.A., served on election boards and was deputy sheriff under Sheriff Bill Dove. He and Dora were "fix-it" people around Dodson for many years.

They did some custom work.

Along with their children, they built their house in Dodson.

He is survived by his loving wife and companion, Eldora; four sons, Steve (Judy) of Billings, William (Marilyn) of Havre, Arthur (Sandi) of Havre and Roger (Jackie) of Indiana; five daughters, Shirley Winn of Butte, Linda (Ray) Vulk of East Helena, Karen (Bud) Cribley of Virginia, Cheryl Henry of Great Falls and Teresa Leys of Belgrade; 13 grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren; brothers, M. G. "Shorty" (Darlene) of Augusta, Patrick (Audrey) of Washington and Miles Wallace (Doris) of Malta; sisters, Nellie Mae Komis of Malta and Thelma Louise Zelenka of Idaho; and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Miles David and Ruah Mae Henry; four brothers and four sisters; and one beloved granddaughter, Rebecca Jean Henry.