John A. (Jack) Stolen

John A. (Jack) Stolen

John A. (Jack) Stolen, 78, of Lewistown, formerly of Wolf Point, passed away early Friday morning, Feb. 10, in Valle Vista Manor, following a long illness.

He was born July 17, 1933 in Wolf Point, Mont., the son of John O. and Martha (Nasby) Stolen. He attended Kimmel, Call and Pleasant Valley grade schools and then Wolf Point High School, graduating in 1952.

He worked for area farmers and in the oil field until October 1956 when he entered the United States Army. He served in Korea, receiving his discharge in July 1958.

He was united in marriage to Beulah Gaffield in Sidney, Mont., on Nov. 17, 1958. They lived in eastern Montana with their daughters, Torri and Jerra.

They later divorced and he continued in the Army Reserve until 1962. In 1960 he went to work for Dakota Salt in Williston, N.D. He came back to the Wolf Point area in 1964, and again worked for area farmers and drove truck. In 1968 he started farming the home place in McCone County for his mother. On Nov. 5, 1969, he married Ella Mae (Heser) Tank in Great Falls, Mont., and welcomed her daughter, Lee Ann Tank. They lived in Wolf Point for a short time and then moved to the Stolen farm in McCone County where they raised daughters Torri, Jerra, Lee Ann and Lorna.

In 1995 the farm was sold, and he again worked for area farmers until his health forced him to retire.

He lived in the Veterans Nursing Home in Miles City in 2007 and then moved to Faith Lutheran Home in Wolf Point until September 2008, when he came to Valle Vista Manor in Lewistown.

John enjoyed fishing, boating and the outdoors.

He is survived by daughters, Torri Tanzini of Johnson City, N.Y., Jerra (Wayne) Fjelstadd of Snohomish, Wash., and Lorna (Tom) Philp of Winifred, Mont. ; step-daughter Lee Ann Tank of Wolf Point, Mont. ; brother, Mark (Martha) Stolen of Havre, Mont. ; nine grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents; and one brother, Eddie.

Funeral services for John A. Stolen will be Saturday, Feb. 18, 2012, at 2 p. m., in the First Lutheran Church in Wolf Point. Visitation will be Saturday from 11 a. m. until the time of the service at the church. Interment will follow in Veterans Circle of Greenwood Cemetery in Wolf Point. A memorial service will be held Thursday, Feb. 16, 2012, at 1 p. m., in Valle Vista Manor in Lewistown. The Cloyd Funeral Home & Cremation Service of Lewistown is assisting the family.

Friends are asked to make memorials to the charity of their choice and they may be left at the Cloyd Funeral Home. Condolences for the family may be posted online at http://www.cloydfuneralhome.com.