Search Archived Marriage Records
L.W. (DUKE) WELLINGTON
Dec. 29, 1922-Jan. 9, 2000
SISTERS, Ore. — L.W. (Duke) Wellington, formerly of Red Lodge, died Jan. 9 in Sisters after an extended illness.
Born in Caribou, Maine to L.W. and Winifred Wellington, he graduated from Caribou High School. He served in World War II with the 10th Mountain Division Ski Troops in Italy where he received a field commission and was decorated for bravery. He attended Colorado College in Colorado Springs, where he was a member of Phi Delta Theta fraternity. He was recalled to active service during the Korean conflict.
After the Korean conflict, he continued military service as a full time plans and training officer for the Colorado National Guard.
In later years, he became inventory controller for American Metals,Climax, Colo., participated in resort development in Colorado and established a yacht brokerage business in Florida.
He was active in church and community affairs, serving in various areas as mayor, city councilman, port commissioner and a sailing instructor with the U.S. Coast Guard. He was a member of Rotary International, the Inquiry Club, Red Lodge Alpine Brass Band and sang in the church choir. He enjoyed fishing, hunting, and sailing and was an accomplished skier. He was active with junior and senior racing programs and taught skiing in Colorado.
Survivors include his wife, Beverly of Bend, Ore.; six children. Kim Wellington of Colorado Springs, Colo., Lynn and her husband Tom Ostberg of Boston, Mass., Christine and her husband Jerry Barnes of Bend, Ore., Brad and his wife Jody Hurd of Helena, Mont., Jeffrey Hurd of the Virgin Islands, Michael and his wife Sheila Hurd of Missoula, Mont.; his brother and wife Richard and Bernie Wellington of Cedaredge, Colo.; a sister and brother-in-law Mary and Dan Dahl, Birmingham, Mich.; 12 grandchildren, Melissa Barnes Dholakia, Michael Barnes, Jeff Robertson, Kristin Bressman, Anna, Sarah, Erik, Caitlin, Julie, Joseph, Daniel and Elizabeth Hurd; two great grandchildren, and nine nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his son, Stephen.
A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m., Jan. 22 at St. Agnes Church, Red Lodge. Memorial contributions in his name may be made to 10th Mountain Division Foundation, Inc. Scholarship Fund.
JACK T. YELICH
RED LODGE — Jack T. Yelich, 61, a lifelong resident of Red Lodge, died Friday afternoon, Jan. 7, 2000 in his home following a long illness.
Born in Red Lodge on March 24, 1938, he was a son of Joseph and Anna Yelich. Jack graduated from Red Lodge High School in 1955. After high school, he worked for Al Sloulin driving the Standard Oil Co. bulk truck.
Jack married Barbara Jean Dell in Red Lodge. He was employed as a New York Life Insurance Co. agent, retiring after 20 years of service. He was later involved in the operation of YT Cattle Company.
Jack played bass with various musical groups in the area, and was an original member of the Red Lodge Veseli Tamburitza Band. He was president of the CFU, and a past member of the Beartooth Elks Lodge.
Survivors include his partner and companion, Cynthia Tearse of Red Lodge; six children and their spouses, Jaclyn Yelich and Greg Thielen of Denver, James Yelich and Beth Chittenden of Brentwood, Tenn., Jeffrey Yelich and Carolyn Raisley of Ft. Collins, Colo., Dr. Joel Yelich of Gainesville, Fla., Jennifer (Shane) Peabody of Ekalaka, and Jayne Yelich of Crested Butte, Colo.; three sisters, Sister Mary Geraldine Yelich of Kansas City, Kan., JoAnne Nauman of Billings and Lucille Guilbault of Lakeside, and five grandchildren, Carol, Ian, Misha, Emily and Anna.
He was preceded in death by his parents and his brother, Joseph Yelich.
Funeral Mass was celebrated at 11 a.m. Tuesday in St. Agnes Catholic Church. Rite of committal followed in Red Lodge Cemetery. Cremation has taken place, with the Olcott Funeral Chapel in charge of arrangements.
Memorials may be given to the Carbon County Historical Society, Box 881, Red Lodge, MT 59068, or to the charity of one’s choice.
THELMA M. WHITMORE
RED LODGE — Thelma May (Powell) Whitmore, 80, passed away Tuesday evening, Jan. 11, 2000 at Beartooth Nursing Home in Red Lodge, where she had been a resident for six years.
She was born on her grandfather C.A. Lemon’s ranch near Crawford, Colo. April 26, 1919 to Willard H. Powell and Hazel E. (Lemon) Powell. The second of six children, Thelma was born prematurely and spent her first months sleeping in a cotton-lined shoebox on the oven door, being fed with an eye-dropper. She went to school in Bowie, Crawford, Hotchkiss and Paonia, graduating with honors from Crawford High in 1936.
Thelma married A. Hugh Whitmore in Paonia Jan. 14, 1938. They lived in Paonia and Delta before moving to Redding, Calif., where Mr. Whitmore was to work on the Shasta Dam project until the end of World War II. They moved to New Mexico, Colorado, Montana, Wyoming and South Dakota in the following years, as was common when being employed by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation.
Retirement gave them the freedom to become involved with Daughters of the Nile, Eastern Star, B.P.O.E. and Shrine. They traveled extensively as representatives of Eastern Star and Shrine to functions throughout the country. A series of motorhomes made them very self-contained for the long ventures where they combined business, pleasure and visits to friends and relatives.
Thelma was involved in church, lodge and volunteer community service. She was active in swimming, hiking, fishing and camping. Helping young people learn needlework, cooking or simply a puzzle, she was an expert seamstress, not always needing a pattern to make garments. Looking in a shop window would inspire the loveliest creations that seemed effortless for her. There were few needlework items she couldn’t master.
Government housing was not always “pleasant,” and some was downright terrible. In New Mexico, she hauled used bricks in a child’s wagon for two miles and laid a patio between the too-close homes. It was there also she broke the regulations and used wallpaper to individualize her home. The old camp home in Terry was without insulation, inside walls or partitions. Out came a bolt of red flagging and muslin to make walls and room separations.
Thelma kept a very wide correspondence with family and friends until shortly before entering the nursing home. Friends and family were very important to her.
She was preceded in death by her parents, husband Hugh, one sister and four brothers. She is survived by her son, Gerald H. Whitmore and wife Breeda of Hampstead, N.H.; a daughter, Sue (James) Klessens of Luther; stepmother Mary Powell Imhoff of Cedaredge, Colo.; ten grandchildren, Teresa Nelson, Beth Boggio, Dawn Martin, James Klessens, Jody Klessens, Karin Mahoney, Stephanie Whitmore and Hugh, Erinn and Aiden Whitmore, and 16 great-grandchildren.
Funeral services were held Friday, Jan. 14 in Olcott Funeral Chapel in Red Lodge. Graveside services were held Jan. 17 in Restlawn Memory Gardens Cemetery in Huron, S.D.
Memorials may be given to First United Methodist Church of Huron, S.D.; Beartooth Hospital & Health Center Nursing Home, the Mental Health Center of Red Lodge or to a charity of choice.
BLANCHE E. CLARK
RED LODGE — Blanche E. Clark, 96, of Roberts, went home to be with family gone before on Thursday, Jan. 13, 2000 at Cedar Wood Villa. She was born April 10, 1903 to Edward A. and Estella St. John in Lander, Wyo., where she lived most of her life.
Blanche married Stanley M. Clark in 1934 in Denver, Colo. Mr. Clark died in 1972. Blanche was a mother, farmer’s wife and employee of the Wyoming State Training School in Lander for 19 years. Blanche took five years off, and then returned to work as a foster grandmother until illness forced her to retire at age 85.
Blanche moved to Roberts in 1991 to be close to her daughter, Joyce Jamieson. She will be remembered for her beautiful smile and snapping eyes, and the lovely afghans she created.
Survivors include two daughters, Joyce Jamieson (Andy) of Roberts, and Cheryl Hyatt (Gary) of Cabo, San Lucas, Mex.; one stepdaughter, Stannis Spencer (Ken); ten grandchildren and numerous great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren.
Cremation has taken place, with arrangements by Olcott Funeral Chapel of Red Lodge. Committal services and interment will be at a later date in the family plot in Mt. Hope Cemetery at Lander, Wyo. Memorials may be given to a charity of one’s choice.
GLADYS ZUMBRUN
RED LODGE — Gladys Zumbrun, 70, of Billings, formerly of Red Lodge, passed away Thursday evening, Jan. 20, 2000 in Billings Deaconess Medical Center. She was born May 16, 1929 near Lodge Grass, a daughter of George and Clara Graham.
On March 21, 1945 she married Lloyd Zumbrun, Sr. in Billings. They ranched on the West Bench until retirement, moving to Billings in 1995.
Glady’s priorities in life were devotion to her family and assisting her husband on the ranch. For many years she was an active member of the B.P.O.E. Does, secretary of the Rocky Fork Decreed Users, Inc., and an election judge in Red Lodge.
Survivors include her husband, Lloyd Zumbrun, Sr. of Billings; six children and their spouses, Lloyd Zumbrun Jr. (Sherrie) of Red Lodge, twins Evelyn Jean Typolt (Ty) of Bozeman and Earl Dean Zumbrun (Cindy) of Red Lodge, Gary Zumrun (Heidi) of Roberts, and twins Tammy South (Denny) and Timothy Zumbrun (Johna), all of Absarokee; two brothers, Dean Graham of Billings and Harry Williams of Livingston; two sisters, Jessie Keith of Ekalaka and Mattie Whitaker of Dean; 11 grandchildren, Tanya, Zane, Ryan, Josie, Lyle, Kristin, Shane, Stetson, Seth, Colter and Tyler, and one-great-granddaughter, Fallon.
Gladys was preceded in death by her parents, two brothers, Robert and George Graham, and one sister, Evelyn Werhonig.
Funeral services were held Monday, Jan. 24 in the Olcott Funeral Chapel. Burial was in the family plot in the Joliet Cemetery.
Memorials may be given to the Northern Rockies Kidney Center, 2800 10th Ave. North, Billings, MT 59107.
LEO C. BRATSKY
BRIDGER — Leo C. Bratsky, 74, a lifelong resident of the Bridger area, Passed away Friday morning, January 28, 2000 at Western Manor in Billings following a lengthy illness.
Leo was born on August 30, 1925 in Bridger, a son of Leo and Frances Bratsky. He attended Sand Creek and Fromberg Schools.
On November 1, 1944 he married Louise J. Brown in Austin, Texas. A U.S. Army veteran of World War 11, Leo served with the 10th Mountain Division in Italy where he was awarded the Silver Star, Bronze Star and Purple Heart. After his discharge, Leo and Louise farmed north of Bridger where they raised their four children. In 1988 they settled in Bridger.
Leo was active in the Veterans of Foreign Wars, 10th Mountain Division Veterans, American Legion, and was a life member of the Disabled American Veterans. He was a longtime director of the Montana Beetgrowers Assn., served on the Bridger City Council, school board, fair board, and was a 4?H leader. Leo was a member of Sacred Heart Catholic Parish of Bridger.
Survivors include his wife, Louise J. Bratsky of Bridger; his four children and their spouses, Jim (Suzanne) Bratsky of Bozeman, Pat (Don) Strachan of Calgary, Alberta, Canada, Ralph (Donna) Bratsky of Bridger, and Linda (Lyle) Lacock of Hinsdale; eight grandchildren, Kevin and David Bratsky, Don and Darryl Strachan, Jay and Dana Bratsky, and LeAnn and Levi Lacock; one brother, Hank (Betty) Bratsky of Bridger; and three sisters, Mary Joy of Seattle, WA, Frances (Leo) Kelsey of Bridger, and Lillian (Frank) Salo of Belfry.
"Dad and Grandpa, you were an inspiration to us all, and you will always be held dear in our hearts. You were so easy to love."
A vigil service will be held at 7:00 p.m. Monday, Jan. 31 in Sacred Heart Catholic Church In Bridger. Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 11:00 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. I in the Church. Rite of Committal will be in the Bridger Cemetery, with Olcott Funeral Chapel of Red Lodge in charge of arrangements.
Memorials may be given to the V.F.W. Jim Bridger Post #1543, Bridger, MT 59014, or to the charity of one's choice.
