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George Matz
After a long courageous battle with emphysema, at the age of 78, George Matz, died peacefully in his home with his family at his side. He went to be with Jesus Thursday eve-ning on April 13, 2000. George was born Nov. 12, 1921, in Regent, N.D., the son of John and Matilda (Seg-miller) Matz.
After graduating from high school in Dickinson, N.D., he joined the U.S. Army and served during WWII, receiving an honorable discharge with the rank of staff sergeant. On Jan. 1, 1944, George was united in marriage to Lorraine Booke in Dickinson. George then worked for the NP Transport until 1972 when he started Matz Landscaping, Inc. He retired from the landscaping business in 1988.
George was a member of St. Pius X Catholic Church, the Elks Club, Ducks Unlimited, past president of the Montana Association of Nurseryman, and past chairman of the State Board of Landscape Architects. His hobbies included hunting, fishing and bowling, and he especially enjoyed spending time with his family and friends.
Survivors include his wife of 56 years, Lorraine; daughters, Jody and husband, Michael Grant of Deer Park, Wis., Vickie and husband, Bob Kenyon of Billings, Lori Wood of Garrison, Mont.; son, John Matz and wife, Lisa, of Billings; nine grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. Other survivors include his brothers, John Matz and his wife, Pat of Forsyth, and Don Ehli and his wife, Betty of Dickinson; sister, Shirley Butch of Chicago.
Memorial services are scheduled for 11 a.m. Monday, April 17, at St. Pius X Catholic Church with interment of ashes in St. Pius Calvary cemetery.
Cremation has taken place. Memorials may be made to the St. Pius Building Fund, 717 18th St. W., Billings 59102 or to Big Sky Hospice, Box 35033, Billings, 59107. Dahl Funeral Chapel is in charge of arrangements.
Albert W. Lawson
POWELL, Wyo. – Albert W. Lawson, 74, died at the Powell Hospital on Thursday, April 13, 2000.
Memorial services will be held at 2 p.m. on Monday, April 17, at Ballard Funeral Home in Cody. Should friends desire, memorials may be made to the charity of donor’s choice. Miratsky-Easton Funeral Home, Powell, and Ballard Funeral Home, Cody, were in charge of the arrangements.
Doris E. Effler
YAKIMA, Wash. – Doris E. Effler, 76, of Zillah, passed away Wednesday, April 12, 2000, at Providence Yakima Medical Center.
Doris was born April 15, 1923, in Ridgefield Park, N.J., to Adam J. and Emma A. (Muller) Henrich. She graduated from RPHS. On April 15, 1946, Doris married
Walter J. Effler. They lived in Paramus for the first 32 years of their married
life. She was employed as a bookkeeper until 1980 when she moved near her family in Sylva, N.C., then to Billings, and finally to Zillah. In each town that she lived, she volunteered at the local hospitals.
Doris loved people, cooking, eating exotic foods and making people happy. She loved children; the happy recipients of that love were Dean (her son), Erin and Keith (her grandchildren) and Bryce (her great-grandson and best friend). She was the cement, through letters and phone calls, that kept her family and friends together. Doris was such a kind, generous and thoughtful mother-in-law that her daughter-in-law, Martha, was glad to share a home with her for the past 15 years. She loved serving others and making friends as a volunteer at Providence Hospital in Toppenish. She was faithful to Jesus, her savior, and to her church. She will be missed by all those who knew and loved her.
She is survived by one son and his wife, Dean and Martha Effler of Zillah; one sister, Mildred Timony of Pennsylvannia; two grandchildren, Erin and Keith Effler of Zillah; and one great-grandson, Bryce Kelly also of Zillah.
Funeral services will be held at the Paramus Congregational Church on Monday, April 17, at 10 a.m. Burial to follow at the George Washington Memorial Park in Paramus. The family suggests that in lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to the Providence Toppenish Hospital Needy Fund, P.O Box 672, Toppenish, WA 98948.
Vander Plaat Memorial Home, Paramus, in charge of arrangements.
Gladys G. Trweek
BAKER – Gladys G. Trweek, 93, died on Thursday, April 13, 2000, at Fallon Medical Complex.
A Vigil Service will be held at 7 p.m. on Sunday in the Stevenson’s Funeral Home in Baker. A Christian Mass will be at 11 a.m. Monday in the St. John’s Catholic Church. Interment will be in the Catholic Section of the Bonnievale cemetery.
Wallace L. Torno
Wallace L. Torno, 71, of Billings, passed away at his home Wednesday, April 12, of a heart attack. He was born April 18, 1928, to Fred and Mabel Torno in Daleview and was raised in Plentywood.
He drove truck for Consolidated Freight-ways in Billings for over 38 years, retiring in December of 1990. He served in the United States Army in Germany from 1952-1954. His hobbies included bowling with the seniors at Fireside Lanes on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. He loved to work in the yard, and most of all he loved to travel with his wife Barbara in their fifth wheel, spending winters in Arizona.
Survivors include his wife of 41 years, Barbara; his children, Katherine (Patrick) Rogers, Bryan (Liz), and Karen (Jerry) Zimmerman; grandchildren, Jason Torno, Christina Hill, Jeff Torno, Barbarajo Hill, Amanda Slagter, Stefani Torno, Bryan Torno Jr., Robbie Zimmerman, Sarah Zimmerman; his great-grandson, Gage; his siblings, Stanley (Virginia) of Mich., Wayne (Joan) of Billings, Marcie (David) Whitman, of Seattle, Dale (Martha) of Reno, Nev., Milo of Fremont, Calif., Ron (Nan) of Forest Hills, Calif., and many nieces and nephews.
Preceding him were his parents and his son, Dwight.
Cremation has taken place and no services are planned as per his wishes.
Mildred Hanson
WORLAND, Wyo. – Mildred Hanson, 96, died Thursday, April 13, 2000, at the Amie Holt Care Center in Buffalo.
Graveside services will be held at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, April 15, in the Worland cemetery. Memorials may be made to the Buffalo Life Line or charity of one’s choice. The Adams Funeral Home of Buffalo and the Bryant Funeral Home of Worland are in charge.
Frederick ‘Fred’ Ashton
Frederick “Fred” Ashton, 82, of Billings, passed away at St. Vincent Hospital of natural causes on Thursday, April 13, 2000.
He was born in Great Falls, on Aug. 25, 1917. He married
Barbara Bolkovatz in 1943 and four daughters were born to this union, Sandra Green, LaVerne Ivie (Rex), Betty Randles (and the late Casey), Peggy Dolce (Gary). He later married
Freda Whitcomb and was divorced. Other surviving relatives include a brother, Norman Ashton of Nevada, Vera Hartley of New Hampshire and Violet Olson of Oregon. Grandchildren include Trent (Catherine, son Forrest) Green, Brian (Lori, daughters Kayla and Morgan) Green; Jeremy (Mikki) Ivie; Jessica Ivie; Conrad, Kierstin and Hilary Randles; Cody and Deanna Dolce and numerous nieces and nephews.
Fred retired from the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company and Interstate Tire Treads in Billings. The last few years he greatly enjoyed traveling with his two sisters and visiting his daughters and their families.
Memorials may be made to the Billings Senior Citizen Center, 360 N. 23rd St., Billings, MT 59101, or a charity of choice.
Memorial Services will be held Saturday, April 15, at 2 p.m. at Cremation or Funeral Gallery, 8th Street W. and St. Johns, in Billings.
John Wombold
MALTA – John Wombold, 85, died Wednesday, April 12, 2000, at the Northern Montana Hospital of renal failure.
Funeral services will be at 3 p.m. Saturday, April 15, at the Adams Memorial Chapel. Interment will be in the Malta cemetery. Adams Funeral Home is in charge.
Garrett Lee Ivory
CROW AGENCY – Garrett Lee Ivory, age 7, of Crow Agency, died Wednesday, April 12, 2000, at St. Vincent Hospital and Health Center in Billings due to injuries received while riding a horse.
Garrett was born April 29, 1992, at Polson, the son of Gary Lee and Melanie J. (Thrower) Ivory. He lived at Polson until moving to Dayton, Wyo., in 1994 and moving to Crow Agency last summer.
Garrett had many friends and liked to play floor hockey and soccer. He loved horses and especially his pony, Riley, and his big horse, Little John. He liked playing cowboys with his brother, Silas, and liked to help his stepfather, Martin, drive the team named Pop and Prince.
Garret is survived by his father, Gary Lee Ivory of Polson; his mother and stepfather, Melanie and Martin Anseth of Crow Agency; a brother, Silas T. Ivory of Crow Agency; a stepbrother, Mathew J. Ivory of Duncan, Okla.; two stepsisters, Christina Wade of Wheatland, Wyo., and Jennifer Stevenson of Scull Valley, Utah; grandparents, Willard J. and Caroline Ivory, of Polson and Rex and Georgia Thrower of Columbus; a great-grandmother, Isabella Knight of Balsam, N.C.; stepgrandparents, Jerry and Dorothy Anseth, of Raynesford, Mont., and a step great-grandmother, Nan Triplett of Geyser.
Memorial services will be 2 p.m. Saturday, April 15, at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Hardin. Cremation has taken place. Smith Funeral Chapels in Billings is in charge of arrangements.
Benedict Jefferson
LODGE GRASS – Benedict Jefferson Sr., 77, a longtime Lodge Grass resident, passed away April 12, 2000, in the Billings Deaconess Medical Center.
He was born June 29, 1922, in Crow Agency, a son of Lester and Mary Carpenter Jefferson Sr. and was adopted by Simon and Anna Old Crow. He grew up and attended schools in Lodge Grass and the Pierre (S.D.) Indian School. Following his education, he entered the U.S. Army on Sept. 7, 1940, served in the South Pacific during World War II with the 16 1st Infantry 25th Division and received his honorable discharge in 1945. After his service to our country, he returned to the Crow Indian Reservation. In 1951, he attended Life Bible College in Los Angles.
Ben married
Nancy Bird in July of 1947 in Lodge Grass and the couple made their home in Lodge Grass. Mrs. Jefferson died in 1982.
He worked for the Bureau of Indian Affairs in Crow Agency, for the Forestry Department and later as a plumber for the Crow Tribal Housing Authority. He was instrumental in the establishment of the Crow Tribal Alcoholism Program and served as its first director. In 1979, he began work for the Bureau of Reclamation at Fort Smith as a maintenance worker, retiring in 1986. At a public ceremony in 1992, Sen. Conrad Burns awarded Ben the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign medal, Bronze Star, Combat badge, and the Presidential Unit Citation.
Ben’s faith and love for Jesus have been an inspiration to many, and he has traveled extensively, sharing God’s love with all. He was a member of the Lodge Grass Pentecostal Church and the Billings Jubilee Christian Center.
He was preceded in death by two infant daughters; five brothers, Charles, Warren, Raymond, Wesley and Lester Jr.; one sister, Zelda Stops; two granddaughters and one great-grandson.
Survivors include two sons, Arnold (Coretta) Jefferson of Kansas and Bernard (Sarah Vene) Jefferson of Lodge Grass; six daughters, Lydia (Dean) Hill of Fort Smith, Edwina Beaumont of Georgia, Verena (Larry) Costa, Rebecka (Brad) Stovall, Jennifer Jefferson and Delinda Jefferson of Billings; three sisters, Connie (Brace) Russell Sr. of Canada, Judith Jefferson and Melissa (Wesley) Falls Down Jr. of Lodge Grass; two brothers, Calvin (Melvine) Jefferson Sr. of Lodge Grass and Charles (Ruby) Jefferson Jr. of Crow Agency; one adopted daughter, Sandy (De’Shane) Harris of Colorado; one adopted son, Johnny (Virginia) Curtis of Arizona; one adopted sister, Joy (Paul) Matt of Crow Agency; three adopted brothers, Merle (Rose) Williams of Washington, Victor Morning and Newton (Amelia) Old Crow of Lodge Grass; his adopted children, Celeste Tobacco, Victoria Falls Down, Garfield Little Light, Minerva Tucker, Vianna Stewart, Nora Ann Bird, John Dust, Kathleen White Clay, Theresa Pretty Weasel, Gordon and Curtis Morning, Adrian and Gary Bird; 27 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren and a host of friends.
A special “Going Home Celebration” service will be held 7:30 p.m. Friday evening in the Lodge Grass Church. Funeral services will be held 11 a.m. Saturday in the Lodge Grass Catholic Church Gymnasium. Interment with military honors will follow in the Lodge Grass cemetery. Bullis Mortuary of Hardin has been entrusted with the arrangements.
Thomas E. Crable Jr.
Thomas E. Crable Jr., 56, of Billings, passed away Tuesday, April 11, 2000, at the hospital in Tracy, Calif., after an apparent heart attack while working on his semi.
Funeral will be 2 p.m. Tuesday at Cremation or Funeral Gallery, 8th & St. Johns. Interment with military honors will follow at Mountview cemetery.
He was born in Billings, the son of Thomas Edward and Betty Lou Cropper Crable. Tom attended school in Billings and married
Helen M. Mill on June 21, 1963, in Billings. He served with the Army in Vietnam and returned to Billings in 1967 and worked as a manager for the Sandy’s Drive-in on Grand Avenue. In recent years, he drove truck for Agriculture Express hauling produce from California and Arizona to Billings Super Value.
Tommy loved fishing, camping and his boat, especially being with his family and more proudly of his granddaughter, TaLynn.
Survivors include his wife, Helen; one daughter, Tanaya Crable and hercompanion, Kevin Carner, with granfdaughter, TaLynn Carner; one son, Jeffrey T. Crable and his companion, Jolene Scheuermann; two brothers, Gary R. (Lois) Crable and Randy G. (Roberta) Crable; numerous nieces and nephews.
He has been preceded in death by his parents and grandparents.
Memorials may be made to the charity of choice or to the Heart Fund.
Arrangements were made by Cremation or Funeral Gallery.
Russell G. Wells
LEWISTOWN – Russell G. Wells, 87, died Thursday April 13, 2000, at the Central Montana Medical Center of natural causes.
Memorial services will be held at 1:30 p.m. Monday in the Cloyd Chapel. At his request, cremation has taken place. Memorials may be made to the Central Montana Hospice and left at the Cloyd Funeral Home.
Frank Caranci
Frank Caranci, age 84, of 316 South 33rd St., died Tuesday afternoon, April 11, 2000, at Deaconess Hospital.
He was born Jan. 4, 1914, in Boulder, Colo., the son of Domenick and Angelica Caranci. After college, he moved to Grand Forks, N.D., where he lived for five years while he worked and learned baking and cooking from the Eddy Bakery Co.
Frank enlisted in the army in October of 1941 and served through December of 1945. He served his time mostly in the Pacific Theater of which he spent a period of 36 months in the combat zones.
After the service, Frank went to baking school in Chicago. In 1972, Frank married
Adeline Renz in Chicago. They then worked their way west to Billings. He and a partner started a bakery in Billings in the fifties called The Rolling Pin.
Survivors include a brother, Bob of Boulder, Colo.; two stepsons, Lorin Bader of Peru, Ind., and Larry Bader of Billings; three stepdaughters, Iris Grant of Bozeman, Crystal Strampe of Englewood, Colo., and Lorraine Handley of Billings. Also surviving are numerous grandchildren. Frank was preceded in death by his wife, Adeline; a brother, Roland Caranci of Illinois; and his parents.
Funeral services will be held 11 a.m. Monday, April 17, at Smith West Chapel, 304 34th Street West. Entombment will follow at the Terrace Gardens Mausoleum. Viewing will take place at Smith Downtown Chapel Friday and Saturday, 8 a.m. - 9 p.m. and Sun-day noon - 8 p.m. and prior to services on Monday at Smith West Chapel. Memorials may be made to the American Heart Assoc-iation, Montana Affiliate, 2812 First Ave. N., Billings, MT 59101 or to the Shrine Hospital for Crippled Children, P.O. Box 20673, Billings, MT 59104.
Wilbur ‘Pat’ Lockman
SIDNEY – Funeral services for Wilbur “Pat” Lockman, 48, of Sidney, formerly of Poplar, will be 10 a.m. Saturday, April 15, 2000, at the Pella Lutheran Church of Sidney, with Pastor Morgenstern officiating. Interment will be in the Poplar cemetery at 2:30 p.m., under the direction of Fulkerson Funeral Home of Sidney.
Wilbur Patrick “Pat” Lockman, 48, will continue his law enforcement investigations at a new level. Pat passed away April 10, 2000, from complications of Celiac Disease at Billings Deaconess Hospital.
Pat was born to parents, Inez and Willie P. Lockman, in Poplar, on March 17, 1952. From a very early age, traveling with his dad, music, chasing criminals and girls were his greatest joys. Pat attended Poplar Elementary School and at the age of 13 moved to Boulder, where he received additional schooling. He then moved to Helena for a couple of years.
Later, he returned to Poplar and worked at A&S Tribal Industries, receiving all of the possible employee recognition awards. In September 1978, he moved to Sidney and joined the Richland Opportunities, Inc. Program, completing all of the objectives to attain independent living status. He worked at Hu Williamson Accounting Service, Job Service and various other local businesses.
Pat accumulated many friends and acquaintances throughout his lifetime. He lived a very full, productive and happy life. Patroling with John and performing his other honorary police work were an important part of Pat’s daily life. He has left us with wonderful memories to cherish and will be missed by many.
Pat is survived by his mother, Inez, of Billings; his oldest sister and guardian, Connie (Philip) Kulbeck of Billings; his younger brother, Clemance (Jamie) Lockman of Missoula; numerous nieces and nephews; Aunt Monica; Uncle Curley; several cousins, his ROI family and his buddy and adopted Dad, Sheriff John Grainger and his family of Poplar.
Pat has joined his father (1995); sister, Donna (1996) and grandparents. Memorials may be directed to the Roosevelt Drug Task Force, P.O. Box 280, Wolf Point, MT 59201 and the ROT Foundation, Inc., HC89 Box 5172, Sidney, MT 59270 and The Montana Celiac Association, 1019 South Bozeman Avenue #3, Bozeman, MT 59715.
