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Katherine Virginia Lassila
Katherine Virginia Lassila, age 81 of Great Falls, died at Shelby House in East Helena on Nov. 29, 2003, from complications of breast cancer.
She was born in Great Falls on Jan. 11, 1922, to Steve and Mary (Wodak) Dolack. Katherine attended schools in Armington and Belt. She and Ray R. Lassila were married
January 1939 in Great Falls and were blessed with one son and one daughter. Katherine was a homemaker who enjoyed reading, gardening and her family.
Her husband preceded her in death October 1999.
She is survived by her son Dennis R. Lassila of Bryan/College Station, Texas; daughter, C. J. (Carol) Lassila of Helena; brother, Frank Dolack of Hendersonville, Nev.; sisters, Sally Beverlin, Fresno, Calif., and Dorothy Lassila of Great Falls; granddaughters Kathryn Thurston and Alexandra Rainville; and great-grandchildren Xavier and Jessika Thurston.
Visitation will be from noon to 6 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 7 and from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday, Dec. 8 at Retz Funeral Home. A memorial service for Katherine and in honor of Ray R. Lassila will be held at 2 p.m. Monday, Dec. 8, at Retz Funeral Home.
In Great Falls, visitation will be from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 9 and from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 10 at Croxford and Sons Mortuary in Great Falls. A service for Katherine and in honor of Ray R. Lassila will be held at 2 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 10 at Croxford and Sons Mortuary.
Interment at Highland cemetery in Great Falls will be held at a later date.
Helen Dragnich
Helen Dragnich, beloved mother, grandmother and sister, passed away peacefully on Dec. 4, 2003, at Evergreen in Clancy at the age of 90.
She was born on Nov. 6, 1913, and spent her childhood days on a farm outside East Helena with her three brothers and two sisters.
On July 26, 1931, she married
Mike Dragnich of Juneau, Alaska. It was in Alaska that Helen experienced her first tastes of air and sea transportation. They later made their home in Seattle, Wash., when she had the amazing opportunity to work on B-17s for Boeing Aircraft Company during WWII.
In the summer of 1950, Helen and her husband settled their home in Helena where their daughter, Debra, was soon born. She loved being a stay at home mom and wife for many years, and was later employed as a clerk for the J. M. McDonald Co. and the Hennesseys Dept. Store. During several sessions of the Montana Legislature, she enjoyed working in the mail room as well.
After her retirement, she kept busy caring for her home and her yard full of beautiful flowers. Her greatest love, however, were her three grandchildren, Nicholas, Brian and Heather, of whom she quickly won the hearts of.
She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Mike, sister Dani, brothers Peter and Mike, and grandson Christopher.
Helen is survived by her daughter, Debra (Harvey) Lulow of Clancy; grandsons, Nicholas Lulow of Helena and Brian Lulow of Clancy; and granddaughter, Heather (Jon) Canney of Helena. Helen is also survived by her sister, Jo Driscoll of San Diego, Calif.; brother, Rodney Nick of Helena; and several nieces and nephews.
A private family graveside service will be held at Forestvale cemetery.
Helen will be truly missed by all who knew and loved her dearly. She brought endless moments of smiles, joy and laughter that we will always treasure in our hearts, where only the fondest memories of her will forever remain.
Rita Jane Wolstein
Rita Jane (Hamlin) Wolstein died Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2003, at her home in Helena following a brief illness. She was born June 9, 1930, to Julia and Isadore Hamlin in Gilman, which was a small town just east of present day Augusta.
At the young age of three months, Rita and her family moved to Helena. Rita attended grade school at St. Marys Catholic School and graduated from Helena High School.
She married
Wendy Winfield Belgarde in 1949 and had two children. She married
Richard Wolstein on Oct. 17, 1959, and had five children. After raising her seven children, Rita decided to go to work. She worked for Bobs Valley Service when it was just a small gas station. After Bobs, she then worked for Ray-D-Ant Cleaners and then Capital Laundry, where she remained until her early retirement due to health problems.
Rita wasnt one to just sit around; she enjoyed being around people and became a foster grandparent for the Head Start Program. She truly enjoyed the time she spent with the children. She was extremely proud of the award she received for being an outstanding volunteer for Head Start.
Rita will be most remembered for her beautiful voice. She enjoyed sharing her musical gift with family and friends but she especially loved singing to her grandchildren. One of Ritas fondest memories was singing on the stage of the beautiful Marlow Theatre at age 17 in a competition. She wore a beautiful silver chiffon dress that was hand sewn for her by her mother, Julia.
Rita was Chippewa-Cree and a member of the Little Shell Tribe. She was very proud of her Indian heritage.
Rita was preceded in death by her parents, 10 siblings and her son, Reed Wolstein. She is survived by her husband, Richard Wolstein, children: Carla (Mike) Allen, Wayne Belgarde, Trent (Abby) Wolstein, Marla (Wayne ) Wilson and David (Michelle) Wolstein, all of Helena, and Roxanne Wolstein of Davenport, Iowa. She is also survived by her grandchildren: Michelle, Edward and A.J. Allen, David and Carrie Belgarde, Layna and Megan Chuter, Tal Wolstein, Denny Smith, Jake and Jessica Wilson, Alex and Brett Geist, Treg and Haven Wolstein; and her great grandchild, Parker Smith Allen. She also leaves behind many very special nieces and nephews, and many dear friends.
Funeral services will be held from Our Lady of the Valley Catholic Church, Friday, Dec. 5, at 10 a.m. Interment of cremains will follow at Resurrection cemetery. Family prefers memorials to Rocky Mountain Development Council, P.O. Box 1717, Helena, MT 59624. Hagler-Anderson Funeral Home has been entrusted with local arrangements.
Marlene May Powell
Marlene May Powell died peacefully Oct. 16, 2003, in Boulder, surrounded by her loved ones. Marlene was born to Tanya "Minnie" Carver and Herbert Carver on July 3, 1932, in Butte. Minnie Carver currently resides at Eagles Manor in Helena, and Herbert preceded her in death in 1985.
Marlene graduated in 1951 from Helena High. After graduating, she married
Robert Hebden Powell and they had three children. She lived in Washington, California and then Japan. In 1960, she returned to Helena where she worked at St. Peters Hospital in admitting and medical records department and the county courthouse where she worked as clerk for the motor vehicle department. In 1966, she married
Ted Hoffer. In 1972, she moved to Southern California and was employed at various hospitals in that area.
Marlene was well known for her "garage sailing" addiction. She loved finding "treasures" for herself, family and friends. She often shared her bounty of wealth with anyone who visited, no one left her house empty handed! During those times she made many friendships and touched many lives.
As her health declined from emphysema, in February 2003, Marlene moved back to "her home" in Montana to be closer to family and friends.
She is survived by her sister and brother-in-law, Jeanette and George DeWolf of Helena; her sister, Barbara Cameron of Albuquerque, N.M.; her son and daughter-in-law, Ray and Alexis Powell of Helena; her daughter and son-in-law, Tina and Pat Screnar of Claremont, Calif.; her daughter, Lyra Powell of Phoenix; her granddaughter, Kristin, and grandson, Ryan Screnar of Claremont. She is also survived by her life long companion and caregiver, Ted Hoffer; his children, Greg Hoffer, Teri Currier, Rita Ortiz, Jeff Hoffer, Anna Williams; several cousins, and nieces and nephews that she loved dearly.
A memorial service is planned at 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 18, at Retz Funeral Chapel. In lieu of flowers the family asks that donations be made to the Intrepid Healthcare Services, 1300 Aspen St., Suite 2 of Helena, MT 59601.
Margaret Dowdall Manion
Margaret (Dowdall) Manion, beloved wife, mother, grandmother and friend, passed away in Helena on Dec. 5, 2003, surrounded by her family.
Margaret, a sweet Irish lass, was born Dec. 31, 1919, in Anaconda to Michael J. Dowdall, County Derry, Ireland and Katherine Flanagan, County Down, Ireland. One of seven children, she was steeped in the Irish culture of family, song, laughter and storytelling. Though poor in material goods, the Dowdalls were rich in the things that matter most.
Margaret was preceded in death by her parents; sisters, Mary and Lil, and brothers, Mike, James and John. Joe, the lone surviving sibling, still lives in Anaconda with his wife, Helen.
Margaret married
James J. Manion in Anaconda on Aug. 31, 1946. The couple lived in Portland, Ore., where Jim attended the University of Portland and Margaret worked at Portland General Electric. They moved to South Bend, Ind., where Jim attended and taught at Notre Dame. The couple later moved to Helena. They had three children, James, Susan and Michael. On Oct. 13, 1993, her husband Jim preceded her in death.
Margaret was petite, but had a very strong personality and vitality. She loved children and devoted many hours to her grandchildren and students in several Helena schools. She was compassionate and caring, reflecting her Irish roots and abiding Catholic faith. Her personality entertained and comforted many people. She was a true Christian, spreading love wherever she went. She lit up a room and made people smile.
Margaret is survived by her children, Jim and his wife, Lisa, of Boise, Idaho, and their children, Ryan and Katie Manion and Alex, Ryan and Nik Edens; Susan Nyland of Clancy and her children, Ben (T.J.) Nyland, Sarah (Chris) Davis and Luke Nyland; Michael and his wife, Kathy, of Butte and their children, Lauren, Brenna and Hannah; brother, Joe (Helen) Dowdall of Anaconda; in-laws Joan Dowdall, Butte; Marie Dowdall, Polson; Robert "Sarge" and Virginia Manion, Circle; Dorothy Joyce, Butte; and many beloved nieces and nephews.
Memorials are requested to be made to Butte Central Foundation, 9 South Idaho, Butte, MT 59701.
Visitation will begin at noon today, Sunday, Dec. 7, at Retz Funeral Home. A vigil service will be held at 7 p.m. today, Dec. 7, at the funeral home. Mass of Christian burial will be at 10 a.m. on Monday, Dec. 8, 2003, at the Cathedral of St. Helena. Interment will follow at Resurrection cemetery.
Daniel James Trimble
Daniel James Trimble passed away peacefully Dec. 25, 2003. He was born on Oct. 20, 1955, in Seattle.
He attended and graduated in 1973 from Colville High. He worked as a boilermaker and did various construction jobs.
Dan was a very happy and charismatic man. He cared a lot for his family and lived each day as if it were his last. He will be remembered for his beautiful blue eyes and his outrageous sense of humor. He will be greatly missed by all who knew him.
In death, he was preceded by his brother, Michael.
Dan is survived by his children, Nichole, Kelly and Rodney Trimble all of Helena; grandson, Dayton of Helena; granddaughter, Deborah Leigh of Missoula; parents, Garland and Evelyn Trimble of Washington; brother, Gary; sister, Judy (William) Boyes of Washington; ex-wife, Helen Lang of Helena; and longtime companion, Kelly Skinner of Helena.
A memorial service will be held at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 30, at Retz Funeral Home.
Debra Ann Knutson
Debra "Debbie" Ann Knutson, age 41, of Cascade, passed away Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2003, at Benifis East in Great Falls from complications of diabetes.
Debbie was born May 1, 1962, in Helena, to Fred and Geraldine Synness. She was raised in Helena and attended local schools, graduating in 1980 from Helena High School. Following her graduation Debbie attended the University of Montana Western.
She married
Bruce Knutson June 5, 1982. Debbie worked in customer service at Albertsons in Great Falls, which she enjoyed for many years. She enjoyed hiking, fishing and any activities that involved her family.
Debbie is survived by her husband, Bruce; sons Ben and Krist and daughter, Chelsey, all of Cascade; mother, Geraldine Oatman of Helena; her father, Fred Synness of Helena; sisters Denise (Dean) Webster of Farson, Wyo., Kathey Synness of East Helena, Candace (Jeff) Seliskar of Helena; brothers Tim (Val) and Tom Synness, both of Helena, and Keith Synness of Cascade; several nieces and nephews. A brother Kelly Synness preceded her in death in 1989.
On Sunday, Oct. 26, a gathering of family and friends to celebrate Debbies life will be held at 6 p.m. at the Eagles Lodge, 700 N. Fee. Her funeral is Monday, Oct. 27, at 2 p.m. at Connors Funeral Home in Great Falls, with a reception following the service at the Sons of Norway in Great Falls. Memorial contributions in lieu of flowers are suggested to the American Diabetes Association, Montana Office, 3203 3rd Ave. N. #203, Billings, MT 59101-1945.
John Jay Erdie
Longtime educator John Jay Erdie passed away on Dec. 7, 2003, after losing his battle with cancer.
Erdie was born in Ennis, on Jan. 2, 1941, to Julius and Clorinda Armitage Erdie.
Erdie first taught in Hobson after receiving his degree at Western Montana College in 1963. He received his master's at the University of Toledo, returning to Montana as guidance counselor at Wolf Point. Erdie became Junior-Senior High School Principal in Roundup in 1971, becoming Superintendent of the Roundup Schools in 1987 and after gaining his doctorate at Montana State University. He had held that position until 2003 when he retired to accept the position of Montana Deputy Superintendent of Schools for Linda McCulloch and the Office of Public Instruction.
Dr. Jay is survived by his loving wife Karen of 39 years, two daughters Jennifer (K.C.) Hickock and grandchildren, Kristie (John) Williams, brother Tom (Irene) Erdie, sister Julie (George) Krause.
Cremation has taken place and services have been held in Roundup.
Robert 'Neil' Hunter
Robert "Neil" Hunter, age 71, a resident of Three Forks, passed away peacefully, Saturday, Oct. 11, in Spokane, Wash.
Neil was born in Great Falls April 25, 1932, to Bob and Alice Hunter. The family lived in Great Falls, where Neil graduated from Great Falls High School. Neil then went on to attend and graduate from the University of Montana, where he was a member of the Sigma Chi fraternity and played football for the Montana Grizzlies.
Neil moved to Houston, Texas, and graduated from physical therapy school. Neil was named shortly thereafter, the director of the physical therapy department at the hospital in Great Falls. Later in life he worked and owned Broadwater Physical Therapy in Townsend, where his healing hands and soft heart, helped so many along with his right hand, Jackie Kynett.
He married
Paula MacMillan in Kalispell. He was a resident of Kalispell for many years. He was a loving and dedicated father of five surviving children and three grandchildren, Bob Hunter of Denver, Matt Hunter of Healdsburg, Calif., Vince Hunter of Billings, Jana Hunter of Kempner, Texas, and Paula Jo Sweeney of Spokane; and his grandchildren, Lacey Hunter, Tommy Sweeney and Matthew Hunter.
He was preceded in death by his parents and sister, Jane Nelson.
All memorials are asked to be sent to the Hospital Auxiliary, P.O. Box 362, Townsend, MT 59644.
A gathering for family and friends will be held on Saturday, Oct. 25 at the 4-H Building in Townsend, from noon to 3 p.m.
He will be greatly missed by all whose lives he touched.
June Emily Hurwitz
June Emily Hurwitz, age 91, passed away Oct. 15, 2003, at Mountainview Memorial Hospital in White Sulphur Springs from cancer.
She was born June 5, 1912, in Vancouver, British Columbia, to Frank A. Bower and Fannie Chaffee Bower, and was the eldest of three children. She grew up in Tarkio, Mont., graduated from high school in Superior in 1930, and attended Kinman Business College in Spokane.
She did secretarial work in Missoula, and was hired by Montana State University as secretary to the dean of the Forestry School. There she met Burt Hurwitz, a forestry student, and they were married
in Spokane on Sept. 28, 1935. June continued that job until Burt graduated in 1938.
Burt was hired by the U.S. Forest Service, and after several assignments, he was transferred to White Sulphur Springs as the district ranger in the fall of 1944. In 1950, Burt and June purchased the Shannons ranch, renamed it the Lazy BH Ranch, and moved there with their four children.
June lived the rest of her life there, being a ranch wife and mother, bookkeeper, gardener, elementary teacher, homemaker, cook and field hand. She was an avid reader all her life and especially loved poetry.
June was preceded in death by her husband of 66 years, Burt; her parents, Frank and Fannie Bower; her sister, Vivian Hansen; and a great-granddaughter, Tiffany Matson.
She is survived by her four children, Dan, Michael and wife Leah, Ben and wife Mavis, Rosana and husband Dewey Skelton; nine grandchildren, Connie Catlin, Becky Leger, David Winterburn, Amy Winterburn, Cassie Pauly, Sara Stevenson, Michael Hurwitz Jr., Burt Norman Hurwitz and Shannon Hurwitz; 13 great-grandchildren and one great-great granddaughter. She is also survived by one brother, Neil Bower of Longview, Wash., and numerous nieces and nephews.
The family requests that in lieu of flowers, memorials be directed to Mountainview Memorial Hospital in White Sulphur Springs. Cremation has taken place. The family plans a memorial service at the ranch in November when her son Michael Hurwitz returns from California.
