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Martha P. Elmore
Martha P. Elmore, 94, of Texhoma, Texas, passed away Friday evening, August. 12th, 2011, at the Coldwater Manor in Stratford, Texas.
The daughter of Stanley and Marie (Dinkert) Petros, she was born on May 17, 1917, in Dietz, Wyoming. As a child Martha lived on a ranch near Hardin, Montana. She attended grade school and graduated from Hardin High School.
After graduation, Martha clerked for three years at C.B. Schneider Confectionery Store and for Oscar & Dell Kelly Variety Store to earn month for college. She entered nurses training at Memorial Hospital in Sheridan, Wyoming and graduated as a registered nurse in 1940. She then affiliated with Denver General Hospital in Pediatrics and the University of Colorado Medical School in Psychiatry for postgraduate training.
In 1942, with $10 left from her college savings, she accepted an appointment with the Department of the Interior Indian Nursing Service at the Tongue River Indian Hospital in Lame Deer, Montana. She worked as a staff nurse and also lab technician caring for the Cheyenne Indians.
While at Lame Deer she met H.C. Jack Elmore. They were married
in 1943. She continued working at the hospital until the birth of her daughter, Cynthia Carol. The family moved to Livingston, Montana where Jack was employed at Mission Ranch and Armstrong Ranch, and Martha worked at Lott Hospital. They moved to Miles City due to Jack’s work as foreman of Hunt Oil Ranches. Martha worked for ten years at Holy Rosary Hospital as pediatric, isolation, and EEHT supervisor, training student nurses.
Following the closing of the training school she returned to the Civil Service as a nurse at the V.A. Hospital in Miles City. Following 24 years of civil service nursing Martha retired. Martha retained her RN license, belonged to NARFE, AARP, Friendship Villa Auxiliary, RSVP, and did volunteer work.
She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Jack Elmore on May 31, 1989, nine sisters, and two brothers.
She is survived by her daughter, Cynthia Smith and husband, Sidney of Texhoma, Texas; two grandsons, Miles Clay Smith and wife, Michelle of Los Alamos, New Mexico, and Jason Earl Smith and wife, Christy of Texhoma, Texas. Survivors also include a great-grandson, Bryer Smith; three great-granddaughters, Bryanna, Mikyla and Morgan Smith; numerous nieces and nephews; and extended family Peter and Monica Martinez and their two sons Roman and Pete of Texhoma.
Funeral services were conducted Wednesday afternoon, August 17th, at 2:00 p.m. at the Texhoma Church of Christ with Ron Eggleston officiating.
Interment was Saturday, August 20th at 3:00 p.m. in the Fairview cemetery in Hardin, Montana.
The Elmore family request memorials be given to the Texhoma Church of Christ. Memorials will be accepted at the church office or the Bunch-Roberts Funeral Home, P.O. Box 1112, Guymon, Oklahoma 73942.
Randy C. Schwartz
Randy C. Schwartz of Miles City, a decorated war veteran, died Thursday, Aug. 18, 2011, at the age of 43 as a result of injuries from a plane crash near Forsyth.
Mr. Schwartz was born on Aug. 16, 1968, in Quesnel, British Columbia, Canada to Bruce and Sylvia Morey Schwartz. While growing up on his family farm north of Terry, he always had an interest in technology and flight.
After graduating from high school in Terry in 1986, he entered a 22-year-long adventure with the United States Navy where he was a helicopter tactical sensor operator and rescue swimmer. He received a master training specialist certificate and graduated from the Top Gun Seahawk Weapons and Tactics School. During this time, he was reacquainted with an old classmate, Roxie. They fell in love and completed their family by marrying on April 26, 2002.
Mr. Schwartz finished his career with the Navy as the Command Senior Enlisted Leader at the Helicopter Maritime Strike Weapons School Pacific in San Diego, Calif. He then took a position with General Atomics of San Diego where he conducted quality assurance test flights and evaluations prior to delivery of these systems to the Department of Defense. He was loaned out as a civilian contractor to the U.S. Air Force where he instructed pilots and aircrews how to use 3-dimensional radar, data-link, GPS and high definition optical camera systems.
The family lived in San Diego until July 2008 when they moved back to Miles City. With all the years of school, training and instructing technology, Mr. Schwartz looked forward to providing a wide array of services to eastern Montana businesses and individuals. He was able to put his skills to work by starting Eye In The Sky Photography and Computer Services along with surfmilescity.com.
Mr. Schwartz was a man of honesty and integrity who prided himself on being the best man that he could be. He was the kind of person who always did the right thing 100 percent of the time. He always ensured everyone around him was fully taken care of no matter the sacrifice he had to make.
His survivors include his wife: Roxie Schwartz of Miles City; his children: Chelsee Kalfell and her fiancé Drew Phalen, Hayden Kalfell (Amanda Askin) all of Miles City, Brent Schwartz of Owatonna, Minn., and Morgan Kalfell also of Miles City; his father Bruce and Cleo “Mum” Schwartz of Canada; his sister: Tracy Quast and nieces Sheradyn and Fallon Quast, all of Canada; his grandchildren: Brylee and Rylan of Miles City; along with numerous uncles, aunts, cousins and many friends.
He was preceded in death by his mother: Sylvia Morey; and grandparents: Fred and Barb (Hess)Schwartz.
The family will receive friends Wednesday, Aug. 24, 2011, from 4 to 6 p.m. at Stevenson and Sons Funeral Home in Miles City. Funeral services will be Thursday, Aug. 25, 2011, at 11 a.m. at the First Lutheran Church in Miles City. Interment will follow in the Eastern Montana State Veterans cemetery with full military honors.
Should friends desire, memorials may be made to the charity of one’s choice.
Chad Hunter Cyrus
Chad Hunter Cyrus was born Nov. 21, 1971, and died in a fatal airplane crash on Aug. 18, 2011.
Mr. Cyrus was the son of James Michael Cyrus, formerly of Arlee (now living in Panama) and Sunnie (Roxie) Shea, formerly of Ravalli (now living in Portland, Oregon).
He was the Founder/Principal of Big Sky Wildlife Consultants, an avid lifelong Falconer and a Licensed Commercial Pilot with more than 3, 300 hours of flight time. Mr. Cyrus grew up on a ranch in the Valley Creek Area near Arlee. As a child, he can be remembered riding his beloved pony and playing with his dogs. In his early teens, Mr. Cyrus discovered his lifelong passion of Falconry and capturing, handling and training birds of prey. In 1990, he graduated from Arlee High School, where he was a star athlete in football, basketball and track. After a brief time at the University of Montana in Missoula, he moved to Dillon and attended Western Montana College, graduating in December 1998 with a degree in Secondary Education and a minor in Wildlife Biology.
While in both high school and college, Mr. Cyrus pursued his passion of Falconry and mastered the art-form of exquisite, hand crafted falcon hoods, which he later developed into a successful business called Cyrus Hoods.
After college, he began his teaching career and moved to Alaska. He spent six years teaching, hunting and fishing in Kenai and Kotzebue. While living in Alaska, Chad learned to fly airplanes and become a highly-skilled licensed pilot.
In 2003, Mr. Cyrus returned to Montana to teach at the Pine Hills Correctional Facility in Miles City. Soon the birds of prey and his love of wildlife began to take precedence in his life. When he returned to Miles City, Mr. Cyrus was inspired to turn his passion into a career and founded Big Sky Wildlife Consultants where he continued his work and study of birds of prey.
He ventured to Greenland and Northern Alaska to capture and band wild falcons for the National Peregrine Fund. He also served as president of the Montana Falconer’s Association and was a recognized authority on birds of prey, sage-grouse and sharp-tail grouse as well as many other wildlife species.
His experience, skills and expertise garnered him many state and federal contracts. In his final moments, he was doing what he greatly loved. He was flying and surveying prairie dog towns north of Forsyth for the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Department with his business partner and close friend, Randy Schwartz.
Mr. Cyrus had many dear and valued friends who played a vital role in his life. He enjoyed numerous adventures hunting, fishing, flying and falconry with his beloved friends and family. He was an incredible man who lived an extraordinary life. He had a tremendous sense of adventure and lived his life to the fullest. His energy, knowledge and zest for life will be missed by everyone he touched in his short 40 years.
His survivors include his parents; his loving family; and his beloved English Setters, Puppa and Rita.
A memorial service will be Friday, Aug. 26, 2011, at his home in Miles City beginning at 4 p.m.
Memorial donations may be sent to the family in honor of Mr. Cyrus and may be sent to: Chad Cyrus Family, P.O. Box 1553, Miles City, MT 59301. The family is planning a project as a memorial tribute to Mr. Cyrus’ passions.
Helen Larson
Helen Larson, 80, of Miles City, died on Saturday, September 15, 2012 at the Friendship Villa Care Center in Miles City.
Mrs. Larson was born January 15, 1932 in Antelope, N.D. She was the 11th of 15 children born to Gottlieb and Eva (Sayler) Schneider. She attended country school for several years and then completed her education in Hebron, where she graduated from high school in 1950. She attended college in Dickinson and taught in several local country schools to finance her college education. She graduated from Dickinson College with a degree in Elementary Education in 1959.
Shortly after graduation, she accepted a teaching position in Circle, Mont., where she met Herbert Larson. They were married
on August 25, 1960. She continued teaching elementary school in Pryor and Bridger, Mont., while Mr. Larson finished his college degree in Billings. During her years teaching in Pryor on the Crow Reservation, Mrs. Larson was adopted as an honorable member of the Crow Tribe. In 1964, the couple returned to the Brockway/Circle area, where she was an integral part in developing and maintaining their family farm and in the local community.
Over the next 30 years the couple raised two children, Don Larson of Brockway and Kay Fleischer of Washington. They retired from the farm to Miles City in 1996. In between their travels, Mrs. Larson was an active volunteer at the VA hospital, and a member of the local chapter of the American Legion. She also volunteered at the local grade school, where she helped with reading and phonics. She loved to read, always had a garden, and did beautiful embroidery work.
Mrs. Larson is survived by three brothers and three sisters; her husband, Herbert; and her two children, Don and Kay.
A memorial service will be held at Stevenson & Sons Funeral Home in Miles City at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2012. Private interment will take place at a later date in the Brockway cemetery.
Should friends desire, memorials may be made to the local VA hospital in Miles City or to the Alzheimer’s Association at www.alz.org.
James Richard "Dick" Gibson
James Richard “Dick” Gibson, age 93, of Jordan died on Sunday, September 16, 2012 at the Garfield County Nursing Home in Jordan.
Mr. Gibson was born on November 21, 1918 in Benzien, Mont., the son of Fred and Myrna (Garfield) Gibson. He grew up and attended school in Benzien and was a member of the first graduation class of the new Garfield County High School in 1937. Following his schooling he ranched until 1941, when he was drafted into the United States Army, serving from June 12, 1941 until December 5, 1945, when he was honorably discharged. Following his discharge, he returned to the family ranch, where he ranched and did dirt work.
He married
Hazel Winter on December 20, 1947 in Billings. They made their life in the Jordan and Winnett areas, moving to the Winter Ranch on the lower Musselshell River in 1958, where they lived until age and health made them move to Jordan in the winter time.
Mr. Gibson is survived by his significant other, Victorine Sensaba; four sons: John (Linda) of Jordan, Mont.; Jim (Rene) of Jordan; Joe (Sandy) of Sand Springs, Mont.; and David of Billings, Mont.; six grandchildren: Joanna, Judd, Brandi, Berry, Jamie and Ty; four great-grandchildren: Jenna, Julia, Jodi and Jace; a sister-in-law, Phoney Rich of Lewistown, Mont.; a brother-in-law, Jack (Kay) Hill of Macomb, Ill.; and numerous nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his wife, Hazel, of 46 years; his parents, Fred and Myrna; a brother Bob; two sons: Danny and Henry; three brothers-in-law and two sisters-in-law.
Mr. Gibson enjoyed working on anything with iron and grease. He spent more time welding and repairing the neighbor’s machinery than he did doing his own work. He also enjoyed going to auctions and working in his garden.
Funeral services will be held on Saturday, September 22, 2012 at 11 a.m. at the VFW Hall in Jordan, with military honors. Stevenson & Sons Funeral Home of Jordan is in charge of the arrangements.
Should friends desire, memorials may be made to the Garfield County Health Center or to the VFW Hall.
Steven John Bement
Steven John Bement, 60, of Miles City died on Sept. 16, 2012 in the Miles City Holy Rosary Hospital.
Visitation will be held Thursday, Sept. 20 from 2 to 5 p.m. at the Bullis-Graves Memorial Chapel.
Private graveside services with military honors will be held in the Custer County cemetery.
Bullis Graves has been entrusted with the arrangements.
Leo L. Farrar
Leo L. Farrar, 74, of Broadus died Wednesday, Sept. 12, 2012, at the Powder River Manor in Broadus with his family by his side after losing a battle with cancer that began in 1973.
Leo Lyle Farrar was born Sept. 12, 1938, at Lewistown to Albert Leo and Viola Faye (Howard) Farrar. He was educated in the Moore schools and graduated from Moore High School in 1956.
In 1963, he and Marie Grant were married
. They lived in Circle, Moore, Seeley Lake, Chester and Broadus. Mr. and Mrs. Farrar also lived in San Jose, Calif., where he worked at various part time jobs until he went to work for Santa Clara County where he was employed until they made the move back to Montana.
They also lived in Greybull and Meeteetse, Wyo. Mr. Farrar worked at many jobs. He was never afraid to try something new. He worked as a custom harvester, as a driller, helped seismograph rigs, as a logger, a mechanic and as a truck driver. He truly was a “jack of all trades.”
He loved to tinker on old projects and could fix anything. If he could not fix it you knew it was really broken. When not working on one of his projects, he also was an avid fisherman and hunter. He always loved spending time with his grandchildren, camping and teaching them to fish. He also loved to dance with his wife, Marie.
His survivors include his wife: Marie of Broadus; two daughters: Theresa Farrar of Great Falls and Donna (Tim) Gottsch of Bozeman; six grandchildren: Matthew (Erica) Farrar, Talana (George) Melton, Emily Carlson, Kristina (Jacob) Dolan, Misti and Levi Gottsch; and nine great-grandchildren.
Survivors also include his brothers: Wayne of Malta, Ralph of Stevensville, Dale of Twin Creeks and Vern of Moore; and one aunt, Vesta Wichman of Lewistown.
He was preceded in death by his parents, grandparents, an infant brother and an infant sister.
Funeral services will be Monday, Sept. 17, 2012, at 11 a.m. at Stevenson and Sons Funeral Home in Broadus.
Should friends desire, memorials may be made to the Powder River Manor or to the Lutheran Center in Billings.
Darwin David Strobel
Darwin David Strobel, 68, of Fallon died in Billings on Wednesday, Sept. 12, 2012, following a courageous nine-year struggle with lymphoma and most recently mylodysplastic syndrome, a rare form of leukemia.
Mr. Strobel was born in Terry on Oct. 28, 1943, the son of Ludwig and Emma Opp Strobel. He grew up on the family place south of Fallon, attending Fallon Grade School and graduating from Terry High School with the Class of 1962. He attended Northern Montana College, Havre, taking classes helpful in the farm/ranch operation.
He and Darlene L. Praast of Greenough were married
Aug. 8, 1970, at First Presbyterian Church in Missoula. They farmed and ranched on the home place south of Fallon, raising winter wheat, small grains and red Angus cattle.
Mr. Strobel had a knack for repairing machinery and figuring out how to make things work. He was the proud father of daughter Chantelle Noreen and son Raleigh Deane. Special in his life were grandchildren Alyssa and Zackary Thomas and Macy and Peyton Strobel.
A Terry Terrier fan, Mr. Strobel enjoyed driving sports bus trips over 47 years. Mr. and Mrs. Strobel drove the Cabin Creek route bus for Terry Schools for 24 years. They shared editing The Terry Tribune nine years where he took photographs and was sports editor, retiring from that job in September 2007.
He served on several boards at Community Church, presently as a Deacon. Mr. Strobel served as a director on Tongue River Electric Co-op 37 years and numerous years on the ASCS county committee.
Mr. and Mrs. Strobel enjoyed traveling, including trips to Korea, Germany, Panama, Mexico and England, plus many places in the United States, including extended stays in Arizona the past three winters. They had been on cruises to Alaska, the Bahamas and the Mexican Riviera. Best were trips to visit family in Hobson and Denver/Kansas City. Other good times were at an LA Dodgers game, Broncos games and Rockies playoff games.
His loving survivors include his wife, Darlene of Fallon; daughter, Chantelle and Dan Thomas of Hobson; son, Raleigh and Anna Strobel of Kansas City, Mo.; four grandchildren; four sisters, Verna and Ron Cole of Highlands Ranch, Colo., Virginia Stickel of Terry, Vivian and Derald Reno of Sidney and Vera and Lyle Sackman of Fallon; one brother, Kenny and Karen Strobel of Miles City; nine nieces; and three nephews.
He was preceded in death by granddaughter, Samantha Strobel; sister and brother-in-law, Violet and Reiny Straub; brother-in-law, Reuben Stickel; and, nephew, David Straub.
A Prayer Service will be Friday, Sept. 14, 2012, at 7 p.m. in Stevenson and Sons Funeral Home in Terry. Funeral Services will be Saturday, Sept. 15, 2012, at 4 p.m. in the Terry Community Presbyterian Church. Burial will follow in the Prairie County cemetery in Terry.
Mary Ann Brown
Mary Ann Brown, 75, of Miles City died Saturday, Sept. 8, 2012, at her home with her family by her side.
She was born on March 15, 1937, in Parshall, N.D., the daughter of Frank and Emma Gress Voigt. She attended schools in Minot, N.D., and Bismarck, N.D. After high school she worked as a nurse’s aide in Bismarck.
She and Murvin Brown were married
in 1958. They had six children. After they married
, they spent two years on the Brown ranch in Sanger, N.D. In 1966 Mr. Brown took a job to help build the junior college in Miles City where they had resided since.
Some of Mrs. Brown’s enjoyments were her love of horses, sewing, crafts, recipes, gambling, raising her children, and most of all, she loved to cook for her family.
Her survivors include her husband: Murvin; her four sons: Merlin J. (Deborah) Brown, Maldon J. (Sheila) Brown, Murray Brown (Tana), and Mitchell A. (Terry) Brown; and her brothers and sisters: Mark Voigt, Richard Voigt, Allan Voigt, Frank Voigt, Tom Voigt, Dale Voigt, Dan Voigt, George Voigt and Vivian Voigt; nine grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents; two sons: Michael A. Brown and Monte D. Brown; brothers: Leonard and Charles Voigt; and two sisters: Marlene Zander and Elaine Voigt.
Visitation will be Friday, Sept. 14, 2012, from 1 p.m. with a rosary to follow at 6 p.m. in Stevenson and Sons Funeral Home in Miles City. Funeral services will be Saturday, Sept. 15, 2012, at 11 a.m. in the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Miles City.
Should friends desire, memorials may be made to the Holy Rosary Hospice program of Miles City.
Ryan Lee LaFayette
Ryan Lee LaFayette, 30, of Sturgis, S.D., died Saturday, Sept. 8, 2012, in the Sturgis Regional Hospital.
He was born July 28, 1982, in Billings to Randy and Cynthia Sturdevant LaFayette. He graduated from Belle Fourche High School in 2001 and attended a year of college at Black Hills State University in Sturgis, S.D.
Mr. LaFayette worked for eight years at Premier Bankcard in Spearfish and in 2008 he moved to Gillette, Wyo., and worked for First Interstate Bank. He returned to Spearfish in 2009, and most recently had been living in Sturgis, while working in Rapid City, S.D., at NEW. He also had been taking on-line college courses at Globe University.
Mr. LaFayette not only enjoyed cooking, but had a knack for it. He also enjoyed decorating for the holidays. He was a movie enthusiast and a video gamer. He enjoyed selling Party Lite and working with ceramics and most recently started the art of Origami.
He is survived by his mother and father, Cyndi and Randy LaFayette of Belle Fourche; a brother, Jason (Veronica) LaFayette of Belle Fourche; a sister, Megan (Michael) Mills of Perry, Okla.; his maternal grandmother, Ynes Sturdevant of Miles City; his life partner, Wayne Grace of Sturgis; his nieces, Rose LaFayette, Rayechael Ford, Jocelynn Ford, Bailey Mills, Ana Webber and Jayanah Webber; his nephews, Tate LaFayette and Brandon Mills; and numerous aunts, uncles and cousins.
He was preceded in death by his paternal grandparents, Robert and Margot LaFayette; his maternal grandfather, Gilbert Sturdevant; and an uncle, Michael LaFayette.
Visitation will be Thursday, Sept. 13, 2012, from 1 to 8 p.m. at Stevenson and Sons Funeral Home in Miles City. Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. Friday, Sept. 14, 2012, in Stevenson and Sons Funeral Home in Miles City. Burial will follow at the Custer County cemetery.
