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MANVAL R. “MANNY” KURTZ
Manval R. “Manny” Kurtz, 64, of Belfry, formerly of Pompeys Pillar, died Tuesday morning, Jan. 14, 2003 in his home.
Graveside military honors were conducted at 2 p.m. Friday, Jan. 17 in the veteran’s section of Rockvale Cemetery.
Smith-Olcott Funeral Chapel of Red Lodge was in charge of arrangements.
DAVID MACKAY
David MacKay grew up just west of Roscoe on the Pete and Virginia Mackay ranch, the Top Hat. The second oldest of six children, he was born December 31, 1942. Three weeks after his sixtieth birthday, Dave lost his battle with cancer Monday, January 20, 2003.
As a child, Dave attended the two-room Roscoe School, then followed the Branger/Mackay family tradition by transferring to Shattuck School in Faribault, Minnesota. In 1963, Dave joined the maiden voyage of the University of the Seven Seas, traveling to 22 ports around the world and learning about cultures, places, and people. After completing this year-long program, he enrolled at Rocky Mountain College and graduated with a BS in psychology.
More than anything, Dave MacKay was a student of life, people, and humor. As a young man, he worked at diverse jobs ranging from carpentry to film production. It was during work on a movie filmed at the Top Hat Ranch that Dave met Helen Gosnell of Pennsylvania, a technician on the Dallas-based film crew. Dave and Helen fell in love and were married July 26, 1980 on the Top Hat. They made their home in Red Lodge, where they have been well-known citizens and friends to many.
Dave was an avid skier and spent more than 25 winters as an instructor at Red Lodge Mountain. In recent years, his summers were busy with tasks at the Top Hat Ranch. He and his best friend Helen enjoyed playing golf, working cattle at the Top Hat, and lending a hand at local roundups and brandings.
Family members often observed that Dave shared both Branger and Mackay traits, especially the wit and playfulness of his father, Pete (Donald Jr.) Mackay. Those who knew him well both saw and felt the quiet strength that was always there just beneath the smile.
Dave is survived by his wife, Helen, and by his mother, Virginia Branger Mackay of Absarokee, and also by his brothers and sister: Donald III (Rusty) Mackay of Kirkland, WA (Rosemary); Dwight MacKay of Billings (Maggie), Douglas Mackay of Billings (Sarie), Ginilu Mackay Robinson (Henry) of Scotts Valley, CA, and Daniel Mackay of Tampa, FL (Eden), by several aunts and uncles, and by numerous nieces and nephews.
A memorial service is planned at 2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 8, 2003 at the Roscoe Community Center. Memorials may be made to Beartooth Hospice, P.O. Box 590, Red Lodge, MT 59068
PHILIP “PHIL” STAUDINGER
JOLIET – Philip ‘Phil’ Staudinger, 84, of Joliet, passed away Saturday, January 25, 2003. He was born April 30, 1918 at Richardton, N.D., a son of George and Rose Staudinger. He came to Edgar in the spring of 1935. Phil was married to Mary Buechler on July 23, 1940. They lived in Carbon County their entire married life.
Phil enjoyed spending time with his children and grandchildren, enjoyed animals, farming, ranching, having coffee with the gang, playing cards, visiting with his friends and being outside.
Phil is survived by his wife, Mary of Joliet; sons, Philip, Jr. (Judy) of Billings, Gary (Sandy) of Boise, ID; daughter Jo-Ann (Jim) Croft of Boyd; sister Louise Worden and brother William (Kathryn) Staudinger both of Laurel, brother George (Delilah) of Lebanon, OR; 5 grandchildren; 3 great grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.
Memorials are suggested to American Parkinson’s Disease Assoc., 116 John St., New York, NY 10038 or Stillwater Community Hospital, Box 959, Columbus, MT 59019.
Cremation has taken place. Memorial graveside services were held Tuesday, January 28, 2003 in the Rockvale Cemetery. Smith Funeral Chapel-Laurel was in charge of arrangements.
JESSIE R. THOMAS
RED LODGE – Jessie Ruby Burton Thomas, 94, of Red Lodge, passed away Thursday, January 23, 2003 at Cedar Wood Villa.
Jessie was born on September 22, 1908 in Raleigh, West Virginia, a daughter of Charles and Charity (Rawlins) Burton. She came to Red Lodge with her parents and sister Zena. Jessie attended schools in Red Lodge, Roundup, and graduated from high school in Billings.
In 1926 she married Darcy Thomas in Columbus, and they lived in Billings until 1943 when Darcy was drafted into World War II. After the war they settled in Red Lodge. They enjoyed their home at 117 South Platt, and Jessie did everything she could to make it a warm and loving home. Jessie was so pleased that the new owners of their house, Larry and Trish Yung, have lovingly restored it and are working to have it placed on the historic register. In fact, the house will be featured on the Home & Garden channel in September.
Jessie and Darcy’s recreation was boating, camping and fishing. They frequently visited Cooney Dam, Yellowstone Park, and enjoyed picnics on Rock Creek or even in their back yard. Jessie was a caring, generous person who was always willing to help her family and friends.
Jessie was preceded in death by her husband, Darcy in March of 2000; her parents; sisters, Zena Burton Moore and Ethel Burton Ogbin; and brother, Richard Albert Burton.
Jessie’s death brings an end to this Burton-Rawlins line.
Survivors include her sister-in-law, Genevieve Burton; nephew Larry Burton and niece Bonnie Burton Sutton, all of Missoula; nieces Jean Burton Jones of Bozeman, and Gloria Burton Kealy of Spokane Wash. Also nieces Ethel Ogbin Hardwick of Sun City, Ariz., Delores Anderson of Helena; Darcy’s niece Deanna Thomas of Billings; nephews Orville, Richard, Gary, Lloyd Jr., and Leroy Ogbin; great-nieces and nephews Theresa Jones Wirth, Deborah Jones Story, Jay Jones, Michael Jones, Robert Sutton, Jack Sutton, Jr., and Pamela Sutton Stubbs; great-great-nieces and nephews Brent Caudill, Tara Jean Caudill, Brittany Wirth, Sean Wirth, Steven Jones, Tasha Jones, BonniJean Kealy, Robert Stubbs, Randi Stubbs and 15 other great-nieces and nephews.
Funeral services will be held at 1:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 30 at Smith-Olcott Funeral Chapel. Visitation will begin Wednesday afternoon. Interment will be in the Red Lodge Cemetery, with a reception to follow at Cedar Wood Villa. Memorials may be given to Cedar Wood Villa, Box 430, Red Lodge MT 59068.
DORIS JEAN ‘DIXIE’ STAHLEY
Doris Jean “Dixie” Stahley, 82, peacefully passed away in hospice care, on Jan. 22, 2003, in Billings, after a three-year struggle with ovarian cancer.
Dixie was born in Lavina on May 2, 1920, the daughter of Norman and Lydia (Slayton) Hogan. With training she received at Eastern Montana Normal School, she began a teaching career south of Billings at Pleasant View School. She earned $70 each month and taught and lived without the benefit of electric power. She later taught at the Shiloh School west of Billings.
In 1942, Dixie married Walter James “Bud” Stahley. Dixie taught in Bridger for two years. They moved to Thermopolis, Wyo., and later to Silesia, where she helped Bud with farming. Dixie returned to teaching after moving back to Bridger. She taught elementary school children for 29 years. Bridger was where Dixie and Bud raised their four children.
After retirement, Dixie continued to enjoy membership in the Bridger United Methodist Church and in the Cornelius Hedges Chapter 43 Order of Eastern Star. She was a proud member of the Pioneers of Eastern Montana and the Montana Retired Teachers Association.
Survivors include three sons, all of Billings, Wayne and his wife Nikki, grandchildren Becka and Mike; Ken and his wife Linda, grandchildren Katie and Kyle; Tom and his wife Susan, grandchildren Preston, Nathan and Logan. She is also survived by her sisters, Harriet Dusenberry of Bozeman, Norma Baumann of Billings, Ruth Stucky of Billings and Ernestine Belts of Monroe, Wash.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Bud; her son, Dan; and her brother, Elmer Hogan. Cremation has taken place. A memorial service is planned for 10 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 1, at the United Methodist Church in Bridger. In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to the Bridger United Methodist Church, to Big Sky Hospice in Billings, or to a charity of one’s choice.
MARY R. SPELMAN
Mary R. Spelman died Tuesday, February 4, 2003, at the Beartooth Hospital & Health Center in Red Lodge, MT. She was preceded in death by her husband, Jim, and her son, Jimmy, her parents and one sister, Patty Clark.
Mary, born July 2, 1921 in Great Falls, MT to Edmund and Ruth Ryan, was the middle of their three daughters. The family moved to Billings when Mary was a young girl. She attended Billings schools and the University of Montana.
On July 19, 1941, Jim and Mary Spelman were married at St. Patrick’s Co-Cathedral in Billings. At the end of WWII, the couple returned to Montana, living the majority of the next 25 years in Billings. When Jim retired they moved to Red Lodge to enjoy a wonderful 20 years of “retirement.”
Mary volunteered at St. Vincent’s Hospital most of the years she lived in Billings and that work continued until 5 years ago. She was active in the Red Lodge Chapter of P.E.O. And as a member of St. Agnes Parish, she was a Eucharistic minister and member of the Altar Society. Mary was a charter member of the Carbon County Arts Guild and loved her weekly sessions with the “painted ladies” of Red Lodge. Mary’s watercolors were accepted into many juried art shows where she won several awards. She loved bridge and was a member of two local bridge clubs.
Mary is survived by her daughter, Lynne and son-in-law, Dan Dutton of Belfry, her son, Michael and daughter-in-law Vickie of Seattle, WA, her sister, Polly Hagen of Glasgow, her grandchildren, Lisa, Jim, Trevor and Megan, and her great-grandchildren Kaitlyn, Connor, Thomas, Lauren, Sophie and Anna, several nieces and nephew, and numerous, very special, friends.
The Memorial Mass will be at 11:00 a.m. at St. Agnes Church of Red Lodge on Saturday, February 8, 2003. Memorials may be directed to the Mary Spelman Youth Art Endowment, Carbon County Art Guild and Depot Gallery, PO Box 585, Red Lodge, MT 59068. Dahl Funeral Chapel in Red Lodge is in charge of arrangements.
KATHERINE F. MARCHELLO
Katherine “Kiki” F. Marchello, 93, passed away Friday, Jan. 31, 2003 at Beartooth Hospital and Health Care Center in Red Lodge, Montana where she had resided since 1998.
Kiki was born Oct. 2, 1909 and lived her entire life in Red Lodge. On June 24, 1944 she married Mario Marchello. They owned and operated the Marchello Hardware Store. She was a member of St. Agnes Catholic Church and Italian Victory Girls.
Kiki was preceded in death by her husband, Mario, in 1974, her grandson, Steve Marchello, in 1999, and two sisters and two brothers. She is survived by her son and daughter-in-law, Mario and Franci Marchello of Centennial, Colo.
A Vigil Service was held Feb. 4, 2003 at the Dahl Funeral Chapel. Funeral services were held Feb. 5, 2003 at St. Agnes Catholic Church, with burial in the Red Lodge Cemetery.
Dahl Funeral Chapel of Red Lodge was in charge of arrangements.
Memorials may be made to the Stephen T. Marchello Scholarship Foundation, a nonprofit organization that provides scholarships and grants to survivors of childhood cancer. Memorials may be sent to Mario and Franci Marchello, 1170 E. Long Place, Centennial, CO, 80122, or to Wells Fargo Bank West, Southglenn Branch, Attn: Liz Martinez, 2250 E. Arapahoe Rd., Centennial, CO 80122.
LILLIAN MCCREADY AMUNDSEN
Lillian McCready Amundsen, 82, of Joliet, passed away Thursday evening, Jan. 30, 2003, at Evergreen Laurel from natural causes.
She was born on the family farm near Joliet, on December 29, 1920, the second of four daughters to George (Barney ) and Blanche McCready. She attended school in Joliet, excelling in basketball. After graduation, during the war years, she worked for the AAA (Agricultural Adjustment Administration) Office in Joliet.
On November 24, 1945, Lillian was united in marriage to Art Amundsen. They spent their married life in Joliet. Their marriage was blessed with two children – Arthur Martin and Cindra Rei. Lillian had two grandchildren; Jill and Jeff, who were very special to her. Countless hours were spent making mud pies, riding bikes and playing cards. We often joked that if those grandkids set the curtains on fire, Lillian would grab the camera!
Lillian was a life long and very active member of the Joliet Christian Church. She loved to bowl and was involved in league play in Joliet, Bridger and Laurel. She spent many years as Clerk of the Joliet School Board and as City Clerk in Joliet.
On March 3, 1998, she moved to Evergreen Laurel, due to complications of Alzheimer’s. The family would like to thank the staff at Evergreen for her excellent care.
Lillian is survived by her son, Arthur and his wife, Pat; granddaughter, Jill, grandson, Jeff, two sisters: Roberta Stene of Joliet, and Doris (Bill) Koski of Billings, and numerous nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Art, her daughter Cindra Rei, a sister Edna Mae Young and her parents.
We love you Mom, Grandma. We know you are at peace.
Services were held Tuesday, February 4 at Joliet Christian Church. Interment will be in the Joliet Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to the Joliet Senior Citizens Building Fund, the Joliet Ambulance Service or the charity of your choice.
WILHO J. SEIKKULA
RED LODGE – Memorial services for Wilho J. “Willix” Seikkula, 85, of Red Lodge, will be held at 10:00 a.m. Saturday, February 15 in Smith-Olcott Funeral Chapel. Interment with military honors will follow in the Red Lodge Cemetery. Cremation has taken place.
Mr. Seikkula passed away Monday, February 3, 2003 in Deaconess Billings Clinic.
