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Christine Littlebird Roe
Christine Littlebird Roe, 56, of Minneapolis, Minn., formerly of Ashland, died Friday, July 26, 2002, after a lengthy illness with diabetes.
She was born in Ashland on July 5, 1946, the daughter of John Gray Sr., and Julia Gray. She was raised in Ashland and attended elementary school. She attended St. Labre High School and graduated from Cook County High School in Grand Marais, Minn.
Following her schooling, she worked for Northwestern Bell Phone Company, the Fairview Hospital and the VA Hospital in Minneapolis as a receptionist until she became sick.
On May 25, 1974, she and Donald Roe were married in Egan, Minn.
Mrs. Roe loved bowling, playing cards, traveling and spending time with her family.
Her survivors include three brothers, Daniel Old Bull, and his wife, Shirley, of Lame Deer, Nathaniel Little Bird, and his wife, Chris, of Billings and Leroy Gray of Hardin; four sisters, Vina Dircks, and her husband, Charles, of Stanley, Wis., Ladonna Eagle, and her husband, Stanley, and Roselyn Gray and Gerald Rowland, all of Ashland, and Dr. Cheryl Feigal Melton of McAlester, Okla.; and numerous nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband and a brother, Larry Gray.
A wake service will be held Thursday, Aug. 1, 2002, at 7 p.m. in the St. Labre Mission in Ashland. Funeral Mass will be at 11 a.m. Friday, Aug. 2, 2002, in the St. Labre Mission at Ashland. Interment will follow in the St. Labre Cemetery.
Stevenson and Sons Funeral Home of Forsyth is in charge of arrangements.
Luther Glenn "Babe" Heaps
Luther Glenn "Babe" Heaps, 72, of Volborg died Sunday, July 28, 2002, in the Holy Rosary Extended Care Facility in Miles City.
Mr. Heaps was born in Miles City on May 26, 1930, the son of Willard and Albena Dvorak Heaps. He attended schools in Volborg at the Carey-Malone School.
Following his schooling, he continued working on the family ranch where he had remained his entire life.
Mr. Heaps loved being around his cows. They were his pets. He also loved all his other animals. He enjoyed his friends and he was a hard worker.
His survivors include a brother, Gene Heaps, and his wife, Rae, of Baker; three nephews, Kenneth Heaps, Thomas Heaps, and his wife, Caroline, and Donald Heaps; two nieces, Dianna Hoff, and her husband, Howard, and Rebecca Brown, and her husband, David; and several great-nieces and great-nephews.
Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 1, 2002, in the chapel of Stevenson and Sons Funeral Home in Miles City. Interment will follow in the Custer County Cemetery.
Should friends desire, memorials may be made to the charity of one's choice.
Paula Elizabeth Smith Compton
Paula Elizabeth Smith Compton, 86, of Miles City died Sunday, July 28, 2002, in the Holy Rosary Extended Care Facility in Miles City.
Mrs. Compton was born Oct. 18, 1915, in Ten Sleep, Wyo., the daughter of Russell Brainerd and Rhoda Speas Smith. She contracted polio at the age of two years, which left her handicapped. In spite of this, she was a woman of many accomplishments. She never let her handicap stand in the way of success. Mrs. Compton graduated from the University of Nebraska at Lincoln. She taught in Nebraska, Wyoming and Montana. As a teacher she was dedicated to her profession and her students.
On Dec. 25, 1941, she and Clarence K. Compton were married at the family farm in Nebraska. He died on Sept. 28, 1973.
Mrs. Compton retired from teaching in 1977. Following her retirement, she filled her time doing for others. Handwork was her passion. Counted cross-stitch, crocheting, quilting and knitting were projects for all her family and they received the fruits of her labor. She also made Christmas baskets with homemade jelly, jam, Christmas breads, salsa and gave them away.
As a home economics teacher, she knew how to cook and her skills went beyond average.
Her special interests included all types of sports and her knowledge of each one was extensive. She loved baseball and Atlanta was her team. Football also was important and she was a lifelong fan of the Cornhuskers of Nebraska. She also enjoyed professional football and was proud of her grandsons, Kent, Kelly and Bruce, for playing high school football. Her zest for sports also included golf and she spent days watching sports while crocheting or stitching.
Mrs. Compton's battle with breast cancer and colon cancer proved she was a survivor and she made many special friends at the Holy Rosary Extended Care Facility.
Her survivors include two sons, Russell Compton, and his wife, Gloria, of Broadus and Kenneth Ord of Billings; two daughters, Virginia Roberts, and her husband, Kenneth, of Miles City and Barbara Compton of Missoula; eight grandchildren; and 15 great grandchildren.
Survivors also include four brothers, Jack D. Smith of Broken Bow, Neb., Frank Smith of Manderson, Wyo., Forster Smith of Callaway, Neb., and Richard Smith of Camarillo, Calif.; and a sister, Barbara Lee Oxenford of Reno, Nev.
Funeral services will be Wednesday, July 31, 2002, at 2 p.m. in the chapel of Stevenson and Sons Funeral Home in Miles City. Interment will follow in the Custer County Cemetery.
Should friends desire, memorials may be made to Holy Rosary Extended Care Facility, 2600 Wilson St., Miles City, MT 59301.
Lucy Bates
Lucy Bates passed away Feb. 10, 2002, with family and friends near at the Broadwater Health Center in Townsend.
She was born in Fort Dodge, Iowa, and shortly thereafter, adopted by William and Mina Zibell of Walaso, Minn. Her family moved to Miles City when she was three years old after her father gained employment with the Old Milwaukee Railroad. She graduated from Custer County High School in 1937. She worked as a welder at the Seattle Tacoma shipyards during the war and as a cab driver, cook, and waitress in and around the Miles City area.
Mrs. Bates was restless, adventurous and a free spirit; after numerous marriages she finally settled down with Clair Bates, a patrol operator and bachelor of 65 years. They resided in her family home in Miles City. She enjoyed making dolls for the banks to give away at Christmas, as well as, ceramics, rummage sales and thrift stores enabling her to be generous to family, friends and anyone that might be in need. She loved to make people laugh and was quite a practical joker. When she was waitressing there were customers who would wait just to sit in her section so as to enjoy her mischievous personality. She was loved by many people she didn't even know. While her grandsons were in the service she would send goody bags for the 460 men aboard the ship. Everyone would be excited and would rush to find the grandsons when a big box came from "Grandma Lucy."
In her later years, Mrs. Bates became an important person in her granddaughter-in-laws' daycare and then in the Townsend Head Start. Many times while shopping or walking down the street she would her "Hi Grandma Lucy." She was easy to love and returned it openly. After "Mr. Bates," as she called him, died, she got sick. She went to Friendship Villa in Miles City to get back on her feet and liked it so well, she decided to stay. Lucy moved to Townsend after her last relative in Miles City moved there. Her family missed her so much and couldn't stand the idea of her being alone in Miles City.
She is survived by three children, Michael Chervenak of Kent, Wash., Nadine Chervenak Kruetzer and her husband Bruce of Bridger and Chuck Garlington of U.S.A., five grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
It was her wish to be cremated and buried at the Custer County Cemetery.
Her services will be held at Stevenson & Sons Funeral Home in Miles City on July 26, 2002 at 2 p.m. Interment will follow at the family plot in Custer County Cemetery.
Should friends desire, memorials may be made to the charity of one's choice and cards may be sent to 45 Toston Dom Road, Toston, MT 59643 or Stevenson & Sons Funeral Home in Miles City.