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Lionel John Sweetser
Lionel John Sweetser, 60, of Miles City died at his home on Tuesday, June 10, 2003, after a courageous battle with cancer.
Born May 18, 1943, in Denver, Colo., the son of Samuel and Eleanor Katherine Specht Sweetser. He grew up and went to school in the Denver area.
In 1961, he entered the Army and served in Korea. He was discharged in March 1965.
Mr. Sweetser returned to Colorado and worked as a welder at Silver Engineering. Later he had his own business repairing tractors in Hudson, Colo.
On Nov. 2, 1963, he and Shirley Ann Howard were married. They lived in Brighton until moving to Miles City in 1995.
He enjoyed working in the yard, collecting tools, welding, fixing engines and playing with his dig, Emmitt.
Survivors include his wife of 39 years, Shirley of Miles City; his children, Joseph Alan Sweetser, and his wife, Kristi, of Weldona, Colo., Samuel David, and his wife, Laurie, of Fort Sill, Okla., Deborah Ann Rau, and her husband, Martin, of Lochbuie, Colo., and Denise Susan Bosckis, and her husband, Byron, of Miles City; his brother, Lynne Sweetser, and his wife, Pat, of Georgia; two sisters, Shirley Modonia of Arvada, Colo., and Sheila Wright, and her husband, Dennis, of Las Vegas, Nev.; and three grandchildren, Maegan, Danielle and Brooks.
He was preceded in death by his parents, S. Earl and Eleanor Sweetser; and his grandson, Hunter John.
Funeral services will be Saturday, June 14, 2003, at 1 p.m. in the chapel of Stevenson and Sons Funeral Home in Miles City. Burial will follow in the Eastern Montana Veterans Cemetery in Miles City.
Memorials may be made to the Eastern Montana Cancer Foundation.
Please visit www.stevensonandsons.com to send condolences to the family.
Jim Shackelford
James "Jim" Edward Shackelford, 77, of Palmer, Alaska, former Miles City resident, died Monday, June 2, 2003, at Providence Extended Care Center. He courageously battled multiple complications from heart surgery since September 2002.Ê
Mr. Shackelford was born Sept. 8, 1925, in Hyannis, Neb., to Joseph and Ione Lewis Shackelford, the oldest of five children.ÊHe attended school through the eighth grade in Ismay and completed his GED in the military.
He and Anna May Pease were married on July 4, 1952, in Miles City.
Mr. Shackelford served in the United States Navy and Air Force for 22 years. He came to Elmendorf Air Force Base in the 1960s. After his retirement in 1970, he returned with his family to reside in Palmer.
He continued employment with Civil Service at Ft. Richardson, the City of Palmer, and Matanuska Telephone Association. Mr. Shackelford retired from MTA as warehouse supervisor in 1985.
Mr. Shackelford also learned to upholster furniture in the 1950s. He owned an upholstery business throughout his lifetime. His handiwork can be found across the United States and many homes in the Valley.
Mr. Shackelford joined the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary in 1984. He participated in many USCG Auxiliary activities throughout the state. He became Commodore and traveled nationwide, representing Alaska for the USCG. Mr. Shackelford also was a member of the Elks and Moose lodges.
His survivors include Anna, his wife of 51 years; his daughter and granddaughter, Cynthia and Christina Shackelford; his son and daughter-in-law, Duncan and Wendi Shackelford; and grandson Braden.
Other survivors include his brother and sister-in-law, Bud and Velma Shackelford of Idaho; his sister and brother-in-law, Louise and Gordon Knuths of Montana; and many nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents and two brothers.
Ê A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, June 14, 2003, at St. Michael's Parish in Palmer. Mr. Shackelford also will receive military honors at 2 p.m. on Monday, June 16, 2003, at Ft. Richardson National Cemetery. His favorite place was on his boat in the Prince William Sound and at his request, his ashes will be scattered in the Prince William Sound out of Valdez at a later date, with the U.S. Coast Guard.
The family will present memorial donations to the World War II National Memorial in Washington, D.C.
Arrangements are with the Witzleben Family Funeral Home and Crematory in Anchorage, Alaska.Ê
Bonnie Boe Venable
Bonnie Boe Venable, 81, of Billings, former Miles City resident, died Monday, June 9, 2003, of respiratory failure.
Born Dec. 3, 1922, in Newell, S.D., she was the daughter of Les and Ethel Farber Boe. She grew up in the South Dakota area, graduating as class valedictorian at the age of 16 years from Whitewood High School. She immediately started her life-long career in the stockyard industry at the Belle Fourche Stockyards in South Dakota.
In 1945, she moved to Miles City with her parents and sister.
On Dec. 26, 1947, she and the love of her life, N. Don Venable, were married. They spent the rest of their lives working as a team.
In 1953, they moved to Glendive where they owned and operated the Glendive Sale Yard. Mr. and Mrs. Venable returned to Miles City in 1962 and in 1970, the call came from Public Auction Yards in Billings where they spent the rest of their working years. Mrs. Venable even worked on Monday, June 2.
During her many years of service to the agricultural community, she was recognized for the dedication and knowledge that she so quickly offered. She was pleased to be featured as one of the Cattle Business Pioneers in a recent article in the "Western Livestock Reporter." She was known throughout the area as one of the quickest pencils around. She could figure an "average" faster than a computer.
Her survivors include her children, Betty Lou and Johnny Ley of Worden, Tom Venable and Charity of Miles City, Suzi and Roger Steffanich of Billings, Kay and Bob McDermott of Federal Way, Wash., Rita Venable and Ron of Lakeside and Terri and Al French of Billings; 15 grandchildren; and 14 great-grandchildren.
Survivors also include her sister, LaVerne Pauley of Miles City; and five nephews, one niece and their extended families. Mrs. Venable also considered her livestock friends an important part of her family as well.
She was preceded in death by her husband; her daughter, Linda Lee; her brothers and sister-in-law, Bob Pauley and John and Selma Blankenship; and her nephews, Bobby and Bill Pauley.
Services will be held at 1 p.m. Friday, June 13, 2003, in Stevenson and Sons Funeral Home in Miles City. Burial will follow in the Custer County Cemetery. The family will gather with friends at the Park Place following the services.
In lieu of flowers, the Ronald McDonald House was Mrs. Venable's favorite charity and donations in her name would please her.
David E. Wing
David E. Wing, 49, of Miles City died Sunday, June 8, 2003, in the Holy Rosary Extended Care Facility in Miles City.
Born June 25, 1953, in Glendive, he was a son of George and Okal Hogg Wing Sr. He grew up and received his education in the Glendive area.
Mr. Wing worked as a sanitation engineer for Kurtz Sanitation in Glendive for 16 years.
On Nov. 17, 1992, he and Sharon Patrick were married in Glendive. The couple made their home in Miles City.
Mr. Wing has cared for his ill wife for the past several years.
His survivors include his wife of Miles City; two sons, Johnny and Derrick; his sister, Kathy Schmidt, and her husband, Rodney, of Glendive; two brothers, George Jr., and his wife, Anita, and Floyd Schmidt Sr., and his wife, Linda, of Glendive; two half-brothers, Leroy, and his wife, Pat, and Ervin Smith, and his wife, Sherri, of Glendive; a half-sister, Lorraine Baese, and her husband, Allen, of Bigfork; and numerous nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents; one brother, Dana; and one sister, Louise.
Prayer services will be at 7 p.m. Tuesday, June 10, 2003, in the Bullis-Grave Memorial Chapel. Funeral services will be Wednesday, June 11, 2003, at 1 p.m. in the memorial chapel. Private disposition will follow at a later date.
Should friends desire, memorial contributions may be made to the Custer County Hospice or the American Cancer Society.
