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Louie 'Lou' Ritchey
Louie "Lou" Ritchey, 89, of Corvallis, passed away Friday, Dec. 17, 2004, in Hamilton at the Marcus Daly Hospice and Palliative Care Center.
Lou was born on Nov. 28, 1915, in Walpole, Ill., the son of Alfonso and Senora Cantrell Ritchey. He was raised and educated in southern Illinois.
A veteran of World War II, he entered the service in July 1941. On May 27, 1944, he married
Nadia Benson in Reno, Nev. He served as a radio operator and gunner on B-24 bombers with the 15th Air Force in southern Italy. Following his discharge, he became a self-employed building contractor in southern California and then moved to the Bitterroot Valley in 1967. Lou continued until his health forced him to retire.
Lou was a member of the Montana State Old Time Fiddlers and is listed in the National Old Time Fiddlers Hall of Fame. Lou enjoyed teaching the art of old time fiddling to many, young and old. He was also an avid fisherman. Lou loved watersports and taught water skiing to many.
He was a lifetime member of the Disabled American Veterans and was also a member of the American Legion.
Lou is survived by his wife of 60 years, Nadia; daughters, Virginia Massey and husband, Campbell, and Mary Ann Darby and husband, Dr. Creg Darby; five grandsons, Jeff Massey and wife, Nikki, Neil Massey and wife, Verna, Alan Massey, Patrick Darby and John Darby; and Rod and Sandy Herrick who are dear friends of the family. He was preceded in death by his parents, five brothers and two sisters.
The family will greet friends during the visitation from 3 - 6 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 20, 2004, at the Daly-Leach Chapel. Funeral services will be held on Tuesday at 11 a.m. at the funeral home with Father Jack Darragh officiating. Burial will follow at Riverview cemetery with military honors. The family suggests that memorials be made to the Arthritis Foundation, Montana Branch, 1643 Lewis Ave, Ste #3, Billings, MT 59102-4152.
Dorothy Wetzsteon Sheldon
Dorothy Wetzsteon Sheldon died at Hillside Manor in Missoula Dec. 12, 2004, following a long illness.
She was born to Loyd and Frances Seelye on May 20, 1923, in Bently, N.D.
Dorothy Seelye and Harvey Wetzsteon were married
on June 15, 1940, in Hamilton. They lived in the Bitterroot Valley for many years. Harvey's work took them throughout western Montana and Idaho. In 1960, they moved to Helena. In 1967, they returned to the Bitterroot Valley where Harvey passed away on March 31, 1969.
Dorothy married
Raymond Sheldon on May 30, 1972, in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. They lived many years in Helena, and made numerous friends. They lived in Clinton for six years where Dorothy raised a garden, chickens, calves, a cow, and "Happy, " a border collie, who protected everyone. All her grandchildren have fond memories staying at grandma's little farm - thanks Grandma Dorothy!
Dorothy and Ray purchased a U.S. mail route and moved to Bozeman. They delivered mail between Belgrade and Butte for a couple of years. After selling their business, snow-birding appealed to them. For several years, they spent winters in Yuma, Ariz., and summers in the Seeley-Swan area. They enjoyed being park hosts at the Salmon Lake and Placid Lake campgrounds, and again made many friends. After deciding to settle down, they moved to Riverton, Wyo., to be near Ray's daughter, Micki Hanser, and her four children.
Mom's passions were playing with her grandchildren (particularly Josh and Jacob Howlett), cooking, gardening, and playing a good game of pinochle.
Due to failing health, Dorothy wanted to return to the Bitterroot Valley. Bless our dad, Ray, who took her home.
Preceding mom in death were her first husband of 29 years, Harvey Wetzsteon; three infant children; 10 brothers; and three grandchildren.
She is survived by her second husband of 32 years, Raymond Sheldon; four children, Ronald (Jan) Wetzsteon of Paulsbo, Wash., Lona (Wayne) Smith of Helena, William (Rene) Wetzsteon of Hazelton, N.D., Doreen (Joe) Howlett of Missoula; stepdaughter, Micki (Ron) Hanser of Riverton; sisters, Betty (Louis) Martin of Albuquerque, N.M. and Faye (Richard) May of George West, Texas; brothers, William Seelye and Dwayne (Mina) Seelye of Bandon, Ore.; 28 grandchildren; and 30 great-grandchildren.
Cremation has taken place. At Dorothy's request, there will be no memorial service. Interment has occurred at the Victor cemetery.
Memorials can be made to Hospice of Missoula, or a charity of the donor's choice.
Juanita Lurene Matz
Juanita Lurene Matz, 87, of Hamilton went to be with her Lord on Wednesday, Dec. 15, 2004, at the Valley View Estates.
Juanita, was born on August 11, 1917 in Newell, S.D., the daughter of Harvey and Frances Webb Beckham.
Following high school, Juanita graduated from beauty college in Whitewood, S.D. She owned and operated her own beauty salon in Sturgis, S.D. After 35 years, she retired and sold her salon. She moved to Hamiton in 1988 to be near her daughter, Sandy Singleton, and family.
Juanita enjoyed the senior dances, spending time with friends and family, maintaining her flower garden and being a hostess. She will be remembered for her loyalty, strong spirit and her encouraging words all given in love.
Juanita had attended the Hamilton First Christian Church, was a member of the Hamilton Assembly of God Church, a member of the VFW Auxilary, the Rebecca Lodge, Hamilton Senior Center and the Eastern Star #31 of Hamilton.
Survivors include her daughter, Syble, and husband, Bob Sigman, of Hamilton; sisters, Eltha Matz of Sturgis, S.D., and Pat Given of Milville, N.J.; brother, Doug Beckham, of Spearfish, S.D.; five grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her daughter, Sandra, and brothers, Donald, Bruce and Willard.
Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 22, 2004, at the Daly-Leach Chapel in Hamilton with Pastor Al Grissom officiating. Interment will follow at Riverview cemetery in Hamilton.
The family suggests memorials to the Hamilton Assembly of God Church, 601 W. Main St., Hamilton, MT 59840, or to the Blind and Low Vision Services, 1610 So 3rd W. Suite #110, Missoula, MT 59801.
Anna 'Elva Yoder
Anna "Elva" Yoder, 90, of Medicine Hat, Alberta, Canada, passed away on Wednesday, Dec. 15, 2004, in Canada.
Elva was a friend to many and will be remembered as Gramma Yoder.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Chester.
She is survived by an extended family throughout the United States.
Graveside services will be held at the Riverview cemetery in Hamilton on Monday, Dec. 20, 2004, at 1 p.m. with Pastor Raymond Larson officiating.
The Whitesitt Funeral Home in Stevensville is in charge of local arrangements.
Evagene Sanders Shonkwiler
Evagene Sanders Shonkwiler, 89, of Hamilton passed away in the morning, Thursday, Dec. 16, 2004, at her residence. Service arrangements are pending.
Ronald Brothers of Dowling Funeral Home and Crematory, 415 S. Second St. in Hamilton, is caring for the family.
Dorothy Jean (Lechtenberg) Kaul
Dorothy Jean (Lechtenberg) Kaul, 79, of Missoula, passed away in the afternoon, Friday, Dec. 17, 2004, at the residence of her daughter, Sherri Madzelonka. Service arrangements are pending.
Arrangements are under the care and direction of Ronald Brothers with the Dowling Funeral Home and Crematory, 415 S. Second St. in Hamilton.
Donald Lee Beach
Donald Lee Beach, 72, of Darby passed in the morning, Dec. 15, 2004, at the Marcus Daly Hospice and Palliative Care Center in Hamilton. Final arrangements are pending.
Ronald Brothers of Dowling Funeral Home and Crematory, 415 S. Second St. in Hamilton, is caring for the family.
DAVID BORST
David John Borst, 57, of Carson City, Nev., died Wednesday, May 21, 2003, at Carson City from complications of cancer.
Cremation has taken place. A burial will take place next to his parents in Havre.
Dave was born Aug. 20, 1945, at Malta to Lillian and James Borst.
He was preceded in death by his parents, James and Lillian Borst, and brother, James.
Survivors include his wife, Marlas; sons, Tom and Bob; daughter, Sheila; brothers, Irvin and Jerry of Havre, Richard of Yuma, Ariz., and Robert of Kalispell; sister, Patty Stansberry of Columbia Falls; and three grandchildren.
William M. 'Doc' Smith
William M. "Doc" Smith, 72, of Darby passed away Friday, Dec. 17, 2004, at Marcus Daly Memorial Hospital. Arrangements are pending and will be announced by the Daly-Leach Chapel.
Evagene Shonkwiler
Some say letter-writing is a lost art. But letter-writing was a profound pleasure for Evagene Shonkwiler, who spent her life giving to others, serving her family, and staying in touch through lively correspondence with a vast network of friends stemming back to childhood days. She died Thursday, Dec. 16, 2004, at her Hamilton home of complications related to Parkinson's disease. She was 89.
Evagene and her husband, Lincoln Neil Shonkwiler, who died in 2002, moved to Hamilton in 1967 when they purchased the Ravalli County Bank. Evagene worked in cash management and public relations at the bank for 18 years and was a member of its board of directors until retiring in 2002. She was also active as an elder and a deacon of the First Presbyterian Church.
Church activity was a central aspect of Evagene's life; her first full-time job in Minneapolis was as secretary of the enormous Hennepin Avenue Methodist Church, keeping track of its many members in the metropolitan area. "She was on the switchboard, " said Evelyn Heath, a Minneapolis friend since high school days. "She knew everything about what was going on and was a part of it all."
The church's Sunday night youth program, The University of Life, attracted 600-700 young adults weekly. Out of that youth group, Evagene formed lasting friendships with other young women embarking on school, careers and marriage. "We didn't have a date every minute of the day, " said Mrs. Heath, "so we did all kinds of things together on Saturday afternoons." These friends would eventually form the "Round Robin, " a letter-writing group of astonishing longevity that helped them all to keep in touch as they passed through college, courtship and marriage, the births of their children, the maturing of their families, and the inevitable challenges and frailties of old age.
When World War II broke out, Evagene attempted to join the Red Cross but the petite girl was rejected because she didn't meet the minimum weight requirement. She then pursued a master's degree in social work at the University of Minnesota and worked in child placement services, for which there was high demand during the war years. A friend from the graduate school program, Geraldine "Gerry" Nilsestuen, was another lifelong friend who never lost touch. "She wore my wedding dress, " said Mrs. Nilsestuen. "We were always on the same wave length. And luckily for us, our husbands also got along. We went on many trips together early in our married
lives."
Evagene was born on Nov. 7, 1915, in Columbus, Ohio. She was the daughter of Ruth Detwiler Sanders and Charles Sanders. Ruth was well-known for her porcelain painting. Charles was a high school teacher and coach. The family moved around a lot when Evagene was growing up, to Oak Park, Ill., then to Milwaukee, Wis., and finally to Minneapolis, Minn., where Evagene attended West High School and the University of Minnesota. She met Lincoln Shonkwiler at the university and married
him on Oct. 6, 1945.
The couple lived in Estherville, Iowa, for the first 10 years of their married
life. They moved to Skokie, Ill., when Lincoln and a group of Chicago businessmen started the Skokie Trust and Savings Bank in 1957.
Evagene was a member of the PEO sisterhood for more than 50 years, most recently Chapter AF in Hamilton. At one time she served as president of the Hamilton branch of the American Association of University Women and of the Presbyterian Women. She was a lifetime member of the Marcus Daly Memorial Hospital Auxiliary. She enjoyed playing tennis and doing water aerobics, and she derived great pleasure as a charter member of the Presbyterian Church's Memorial Bell Choir.
"She loved playing in that choir, " said Mildred Brownlee, another charter member. "I still have a picture of the original group." When Evagene's mother died, she bought some bells for the choir's upper octave in her memory.
Evagene always expressed mixed feelings about her name, which was originally two words, Eva Gene. Because she was petite, she was often called "Tiny, " a nickname she tolerated. But when a grade school teacher took to calling her "Little Eva, " she persuaded her parents to change it to Evagene.
The family would like to extend its heartfelt thanks to an extraordinary group of care-givers who made it possible for Evagene to spend her last days at home in peace and comfort. Karen Ernst, Sharon Holmes, Lisa Shafer, Diana Malone, Anna Palin, Janice Sooy, Michelle Bundy and May Weldon - she could not have done it without you.
Evagene was preceded in death by her brother, Rodney D. Sanders.
She is survived by daughter, Nancy Malitz, and her husband, Lawrence B. Johnson, of Detroit, Mich.; daughter, Barbara Lee, and her husband, Tom Lee, of Kalispell, and son, Chuck, and his wife, Niki Shonkwiler, of Hamilton. There are five grandchildren, Holli Paugh, and her husband, Harley, of Durham, N.C., Adam Shonkwiler of New York City, Tim Shonkwiler of Hamilton, and Cori and Lori Lee of Kalispell, and several nieces and nephews.
A visitation is planned for friends and family at Dowling Funeral Home, 415 South 2nd St., on Tuesday, Dec. 21, from 6-8 p.m.
A memorial service, Rev. Janet M. Malone officiating, and reception are scheduled on Thursday, Dec. 23, at 2 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church, 1220 West Main St. The private family inurnment will take place at Riverview cemetery in Hamilton.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials to a charity of your selection, or to the Bitterroot Public Library, 306 State Street, Hamilton, MT 59840 and Bitterroot Youth Home, 316 N. 3rd Street, Hamilton, MT 59840.
The arrangements are under the care and direction of Ronald Brothers with Dowling Funeral Home and Crematory in Hamilton.
