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DAISY RICHARDS
PABLO -- Daisy Belle Songer Richards, 91, died at her home here on Aug. 18, 2004. She was born on Feb. 4, 1913, in Almira, WA, the daughter of Andrew J. and Clara (Bachman) Songer. She was an avid outdoorswoman and loved riding horses throughout the west. Packing in the backcountry was her favorite pastime. She loved riding her beloved campanion, "Hombre." She was also a master hunter and fisherwoman. She had hiked around Indian ruins in Arizona and New Mexico, and at the age of 71, spent five weeks panning for gold in the mountains of Montana. When she was not out riding with her husband, Ken, she enjoyed gardening. She grew fruits and vegetables for canning and turned her home into a rainbow of colors with flowers. She was preceded in death by daughter Jennette Clara Violette, stepchildren George Thomas Richards and Vickie Richards, and sister Helen Songer Spencer. She is survived by her husband, Kenneth Owen Richards (Pablo); stepdaughter Adelia Richards Downer (Las Vegas); grandchildren Kurt A. Folden (Pablo) and Clint Folden (Arlee); four great grandchildren; several step-great-grandchildren; her sisters, Esther Songer Titcomb and LaVonne "Bunny" Songer Pierce (both of Pablo). A wake was conducted at the Longhouse in St. Ignatius. Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated on Aug. 24 at the St. Ignatius Catholic Mission. Interment followed at the Mountain View Cemetery in Ronan.
DORCAS ZIMMERMAN
RONAN -- Dorcas Kelleher Zimmerman died here on Aug. 6, 2004, of natural causes. A third-generation Montanan, Dorcas often talked about an idyllic childhood in Stanford. Trips to the Little Belt Mountains and playing piano in a dance band were among her favorite memories. She also loved her church, family, cats, walking, solitude, music, reading, traveling and especially chocolate. She met Walter Zimmerman at the Univ. of Montana and married him after graduation in 1937. Upon Walt's retirement, the couple attended UM for a year while Dorcas completed her master's degree in music. She continued to teach piano in Billings until they moved to Hot Springs in 1994. After Walt's death in 2000, Dorcas lived a year in Seattle and then settled in at Lily of the Valley near Pablo. She is survived by her daughter, D'Anne, and her husband, Jack Stevens (Bothell, WA); her son, Lee Zimmerman and Jo Rainbolt; her sister, Barbara Holzer; and numerous nieces and nephews. A memorial Mass was celebrated on Aug. 9 in Hot Springs. Graveside services followed at the Plains Cemetery.
ALICE BERTHELOTE
POLSON -- Alice Margaret Berthelote of Polson died on Sept. 8, 2004, at St. Luke Extended Care Facility in Ronan. Sje was born on Nov. 1, 1913, in Butte to Henry and Alice (Moore) Miller. She graduated from Butte High School in 1932. She married Jack Currie on Sept. 17, 1933, and became a rancher's wife, spending a great portion of her life on the Flathead Reservation. She was an avid gardener and was active in the Mission Foothills Club, 4-H, Willing Workers, Mission Valley Saddle Club, cancer drives and March of Dimes. She was a member of the Eastern Star and a supporter of the MSU-Northern football and Polson High School sports programs. She worked at Dubay's Ranch Market, Papenfuss Hardware, Gambles and the Mission school lunch program, all in St. Ignatius. She was preceded in death by Jack in 1975 and her son, Jack "Bud" Currie in 1970. In 1978, she married Ted Berthelote and moved to Polson. The couple spent their summers in Polson and their winters in Sun Lakes, Ariz. Ted died in 1986. She is survived by three children and their spouses, Walt and Trudy Currie (Great Falls), Mary Alice and Bruce Thomas (Polson) and Margaret and Mike Corcoran (Polson); ten grandchildren and 22 great-grandchildren. Memorial services were held on Sept. 11 at the Foster-Durgeloh Funeral Home in St. Ignatius. Burial of the cremains took place at Pleasantview Cemetery.
ADDISON S. FARRELL
MERCEDES, Texas -- Addison Stewart Farrell, a member of the Conf. Salish-Kootenai Tribes, died at his home here on Aug. 29, 2004. He was born on July 30, 1919, in Polson, to George Thomas and Delia Rouillier Farrell. He graduated from Montana State University - Bozeman. He served with the 3rd Infantry of the U.S. Army as a major during World War II in campaigns throughout Europe and in North Africa. He was awarded the Purple Heart and the Bronze Star. After the war, Addison joined Kaiser Aluminum in Spokane, working as a facility and efficiency expert in manufacturing. During the 1950s, he joined the Olin-Matheson Co. in Ohio. He eventually retired from Consolidated Aluminum in Missouri. He then started a consulting firm and had clients in North, Central and South America, as well as Europe and Asia. He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Doryce; son Randy (Mercedes); daughter Cheryl (Charleston, SC); a sister and brother in-law, Myrna and Jim Holley; sister-in-law Lorene Farrell (Polson); a grandson, Christopher (Pottstown, PA); and many nieces, nephews and other relatives in Polson and Spokane. Interment of the cremains will take place in Polson.
DALE FELTE
CHARLO -- Dale Roger Felte of Charlo died on Sept. 10, 2004, near Ronan. He was born on Sept. 21, 1958, in Greeley, CO, to Harold and Joleita (Weber) Felte. He grew up on the family farm in Colorado and graduated from high school in 1976. He attended Colorado State Univ. and the Univ. of Western Ontario, majoring in business. He was a classroom consultant at Windsor Middle School and taught vocational agriculture at Windsor High School. He also worked in cattle processing, construction, produced and marketed grass hay, managed a large cow/calf operation, sold real estate and was a day trader. On Aug. 27, 1988, he married Pamela Fogle Webb in New South Wales, Australia. They later divorced. Preceding him in death were his grandparents, Fred and Helen Felte, Frances Weber and Ben Weber; and brother Lane Douglas. Survivors include his parents; sister and brother-in-law Janice and Frank Sherwin (El Cajon, CA); three nieces and one nephew. A memorial service was held on Sept. 17 at Shrider's Mortuary in Ronan. A second memorial service was held on Sept. 23 in Fort Collins, CO.
KAREN HALE
ST. IGNATIUS -- Karen Nadine Howlett Hale died at her home on Sept. 2, 2004. She was born on Feb. 21, 1943, in Seattle, to Stephen Howlett and Nadine Felsman. She spent her earliest years with her grandparents, Bess and Joe Felsman. She attended Dixon Elementary School and graduated from Haskell Indian Institute in 1961. She married Raymond Lee Hale and settled in Dixon. She was employed with the Salish-Kootenai Tribes in various capacities for more than 25 years. In June 2004 she retired early due to health problems. She was an artist and was proud that she designed the CSKT flag. She loved camping, fishing, picking berries and mushrooms, playing keno, spending time with old friends and making new ones. Karen was preceded in death by her husband, father and grandparents; niece Wendy Roullier; and nephew Anthony Howlett. She is survived by her mother, Nadine Allison (St. Ignatius); her children and their spouses, Kelly and Richard Burland (Arlee), Tracy and Marlin (Big Arm), Cheyenne and John (St. Ignatius), and Cary (Missoula); siblings and their spouses, Stephanie and Joe Hawkins (Arlee), Jackie Dempsey (St. Ignatius), Kevin and Ronda Howlett (Arlee), Matthew Howlett (Pablo) and Jack Howlett (St. Ignatius); her grandchildren: Trae Burland, Gabriel Hale, Jalyn Burke, Martin Burke Jr., Artie Matt, Kaylee Hale, Joseph Kipp and Raymond Hale; great-grandchild Cailin Burke; nephews Joe Hawkins, Casey Hawkins, Lance Roullier, Ryan Smith and Dan Howlett; nieces Shelly Vandervelden and Sierra Howlett; and special friends Penny, Mary, Edna, Kathy, Marge, Babe, Ernie and Irene. A wake was held at the Longhouse in St. Ignatius. Mass was celebrated on Sept. 4 at the St. Ignatius Catholic Mission. Interment followed in the St. Ignatius Catholic Cemetery.
LEO 'SAM' HAMMER JR.
RONAN -- Leo P. "Sam: Hammer Jr. died on Sept. 2, 2004, at St. Luke Hospital here. A member of the Conf. Salish-Kootenai Tribes, Sam was born on April 20, 1942, in St. Ignatius to Angelis Finley and Leo Hammer Sr. He was orphaned at a young age and raised in Ronan by Elizabeth Yatelamee Hammer. Sam enlisted at 17 with the U.S. Marine Corps and served two terms in the Vietnam/Indochina Theater. Upon his return he settled into raising his family with wife Joanne Weaselhead whom he had met in 1967. They made their home in Ronan; Fresno, CA; Missoula; and Evaro before returning to Ronan. Sam had been trained in heavy equipment operation while in Fresno and auto mechanics while in Missoula. He worked for the Missoula Housing Authority and later for the Tribes before becoming disabled from a motorcycle accident. His hobbies included working on cars, huckleberry picking, building things, hunting and fishing and spending time with his kids and grandkids. He was preceded in death by his son, David, who died as a toddler; his parents; brothers Lloyd Hammer, Roger Vanderburg and Bobby Hammer; sister Victoria Hammer; and a niece, Roberta Fairbanks. Survivors include his wife, Joanne (Ronan); his children, Michael, Brenda and Renae; his grandchildren, Shawn, David, Roberta and Erik Hammer; his siblings, Dennis Hammer, Tony Hammer, Pascal Hammer, John Hammer, Eneas Hammer, Katherine (Hubert) Fairbanks, Helen Hammer and Annie Hammer; and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins. A wake was held at the Longhouse in St. Ignatius. Funeral services with military honors were conducted on Sept. 6 in the Longhouse.
LAVONNE HELVEY
MISSOULA -- LaVonne Helvey died here on Sept. 23, 2004. She was born on Aug. 3, 1928, in York, ND, to Harold and Lilian Simon. She was raised on a farm and educated in St. Ignatius, graduating in 1946. On Nov. 15, 1946, she married Albert "Bubs" Sloan. They lived in Plains, Florence, and Missoula, where they belonged to First Lutheran Church. They enjoyed league bowling and spending summers at their cabin on Flathead Lake. Albert died in February of 1977. LaVonne worked for St. Patrick Hospital as a surgical technician until her retirement in 1996. She loved knitting, crocheting, and her flowers. She also loved to dance. She married Clete Helvey on Aug. 16, 1996. Unfortunately, illness caught up with LaVonne shortly after their marriage. After moving to Sequim, WA, for two years, they returned to Montana. They belonged to Grace Methodist Church. LaVonne is survived by her husband; sister, Betty, and her husband, Reuben (Missoula); a brother, Dale, and his wife, Dotty (Tekoa, WA); two sons and their wives, Larry and Fay, and Mike and Debbie (all of Missoula); nephew Phillip (Libby), who was like a third son to LaVonne; three nieces; four great-grandchildren; and many step grandchildren and step-great-grandchildren. Services were conducted on Sept. 27 in Missoula. Private interment took place at Missoula City Cemetery.
WALTER JACKSON
POLSON -- Walter Kenneth Jackson, 91, of Niarada, died on Sept. 3, 2004, at the Evergreen Health Center here. He grew up in Niarada and received his elementary education in the Antelope and Hog Heaven schools. He also attended high school in Lonepine and Kalispell. He married Effie Wishart on April 15, 1940, in Polson. They ranched for the next 50 years, raising Hereford cattle and flowers. They also reared seven children, who would eventually give them 20 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren. The couple's favorite pastimes were going to county fairs, playing cards, and attending dances in Niarada. Walter was a director with the Western Montana Stockgrowers Assoc. for more than 30 years and a member of the Presbyterian Church in Lonepine. He was preceded in death by his wife; two sons, Richard and Jimmy; a grandson, Edd; two brothers, Ed and Orville; and sister Gleneva Proefrock. He is survived by his children and their spouses, Dan and Cheryl Jackson (Ronan), Jolene and Ronnie Jacobson (Big Arm), Doug Jackson (Niarada), Jeanne and John Bras (Lonepine), and Nancy and Don Gaynor (Whitefish); along with the grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews. Funeral services were conducted at the Grogan Funeral Home in Polson on Sept. 7. Interment followed at the Lakeview Cemetery. Memorials may be made to the Lonepine Community Hall, c/o Jeanne Bras, 366 Far West Road, Lonepine, MT 59848.
