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Leslie Amos Fourstar
FRAZER - Leslie Amos Fourstar, 82, passed away Dec. 13, 1998, at Deaconess Medical Center in Billings of natural causes.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 17, 1998, in the Frazer School Gymnasium with father Steve Zabrocki officiating. Pallbearers are: Anthony Fourstar, Phillip Fourstar Jr., Darrin Bad Hawk, Lenny Lambert, Delbert Brown and Vernon Fourstar Jr. Honorary pallbearers are his sons and friends. Bell Mortuary in Glasgow in charge of arrangements.
He was born Jan. 17, 1916, in Wiota, east of Glasgow, to Arthur and Florence (Blue Mane) Fourstar. Leslie lived his entire life near Wiota. He graduated from Frazer High School and Haskel Jr. College in Lawrence, Kan. Leslie married
Freda Redstone at Wolf Point in October of 1939.
Leslie was a member of the Tribal Council, elected in 1949, '51, '55, '57, '59, '61, and '67-69. He was a Charter member of the Fort Peck Tribal Industries Board of Directors. He was a vice president of NCAI, was Assiniboine Claims chairman for 30-plus years. During WWII he worked as a welder in the shipyards.
Survivors include four sons, Victor Fourstar Sr. of Frazer, Vernon Fourstar Sr. of Spokane, Wash., Terrence Fourstar of Frazer and Rick Fourstar of Frazer; four daughters, Delores McConnell of Frazer, Florence Fourstar of Wolf Point, Phyllis Johnston of Spokane and Lana Fourstar of Frazer; 27 grandchildren; 42 great-grandchildren; and two adopted sons, Maynard Hawk of Poplar and Roy Nolan of Billings.
Ervin Herman
Ervin Herman, 73 of Billings, passed away Tuesday, Dec. 15, 1998, at St. Vincent Hospital.
Ervin was born at Ashley, N.D., on May 7, 1925. As a child he moved with his parents to Wishek, N.D., where he received his elementary education. During WWII, he served in the Army from 1944 to 1946.
He was a member of the American Legion and the Elks.
Ervin married
Coleen Moe in Las Vegas, Nev., on Sept. 17, 1975. They have made their home in Billings until his death.
He was the son of John and Bertha (Nitchke) Herman, who preceded him in death.
Surviving are his wife, Coleen of Billings; two children, Leslie Herman of Boise, Idaho, and Sandy Herman of Billings; five grandchildren; and five siblings, Esther Gimbel of Billings, Pete Herman of Hardin, Marcella Kuhn of Billings, Shirley Keller of Duluth, Minn., and Robert Herman of Boise. He was preceded in death by his sister, Violet Batt.
Funeral services will be 1 p.m. Friday at Michelotti, Sawyers & Nordquist, Alderson Chapel with interment in Sunset Memorial Gardens.
Memorials may be made to the American Legion.
Arthur (Art) Luoma
RED LODGE - Arthur (Art) Luoma, 88, of Red Lodge, died early Wednesday morning, Dec. 16, 1998, in the same home on the Luoma farm where he was born on Nov. 26, 1910.
A son of Gust and Selma Maki Luoma, he was raised on the family farm on the West Bench, and attended the Fox School.
On May 8, 1937, he married
Irma Sippola in Billings. For over a year they lived at Luther where they operated the Niemi Sawmill. They then farmed on Red Lodge Creek and Willow Creek, and in 1947 they bought the Luoma family farm where they have since resided.
Art was a 4-H leader for 27 years, and had served on the Fox and Red Lodge School Boards, and on the county FHA committee. He was a member of the Knights of Kaleva Lodge and the Beartooth Elks Lodge.
Mr. Luoma loved the land he farmed and his cows. He was recognized for his proficiency in irrigation and hay production. For many years Art and his team of horses pulled the Red Lodge stagecoach in parades throughout the area. His grandchildren brought a great deal of joy to his life.
Survivors include his wife, Irma H. Luoma of the family farm; three sons, Raymond Luoma of Red Lodge and Laurel, and twins and their wives, Ronald and Darlene Luoma of the family farm, and Richard H. and Laura Luoma of Joliet; son-in-law, Robert Kero and his wife, Anne of Roberts; one sister, Margaret Nielsen of Butte; six grandchildren, Gordon and Alan Kero, Roger Luoma and Julie Luoma, and Lana Luoma and Leif Luoma; and 10 great-grandchildren.
Mr. Luoma was preceded in death by his daughter, LaVerne Kero, and by three brothers.
Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday in Olcott Funeral Chapel. Interment will be in the Red Lodge cemetery. Memorials may be given to Beartooth Hospital Home Care, Box 590, Red Lodge MT 59068.
Velma Gros Ventre
LODGE GRASS - Velma Gros Ventre, 71, of Lodge Grass, left this world to be with her maker on Tuesday, Dec. 15, 1998, in the Billings Saint Vincent Hospital.
"Axxaashe As·alahkush" (Sun Always Rises) was born on Sept. 25, 1927, in Lodge Grass, a daughter of Frank Covers Up Sr. and Jennie Bad Horse. She was a descendant of Pretty Eagle. During her early years, she attended the St. Xavier Mission school.
Velma married
William Gros Ventre on Nov. 25, 1954, in Hardin. In 1958, the couple moved on a relocation program to Dallas, Texas, returning to the Lodge Grass area in 1962 where they made their home.
She was a member of the Our Lady of Loretto Catholic Church, Native American Church, Piegan Clan and child of the Big Lodge. She also was a member of the "Our Way of Life" dance troupe which traveled extensively throughout the United States. She enjoyed playing hand games, watching basketball games and arrow tournaments She especially enjoyed dancing at pow wows and was a strong believer in Crow Traditional ways of life. Her love for dancing increased when her son and grandsons, The Black Whistle Singers, began traveling to various pow wows. One of her most memorable trips was to the Schemitzun Championship Pow Wow in Hartford, Conn.
Velma was preceded in death by her parents; three brothers, Paul Bad Horse, Frank Jr. and Calvin Bell Rock; and one sister, Evelyn Covers Up.
Survivors include her husband, William; six sons, Bernard (Delilah) Covers Up of Maryland, Manuel (Linda) Covers Up, Ben (Nancy) Gros Ventre, John Gros Ventre and Colby Gros Ventre, all of Lodge Grass, and Jack (Terrianne) Covers Up of Fort Belknap; three daughters, Sarah Vene (Bernard) Jefferson Sr., Regina (Joe) Lucero and Thomasa Gros Ventre of Lodge Grass and Jennie Rita (Raymond) Big Day Jr. of Hardin; one stepson, Bill (Carmen) Gros Ventre of California; one stepdaughter, Ida Louise Gros Ventre of Oklahoma. She is also survived by her adopted children, including Mary Snell, Terrance (Patrice) Covers Up, Tim and Carrie McCleary, Mitchell Hawk, Frank Old Bull, Lawrence (Charlene) Old Bull Jr., Larry and Jackie Blacksmith, Tim and Cecelia Yellowtail; nine sisters, Marie (Trunson) Big Hair, Mildred Old Crow, Aileen Covers Up, Theresa (Steve) Yupuncich, Mae House, Shirley (Bill) Stewart, Julia Black Eagle, Margo Real Bird and Emma Bad Horse; seven brothers, Starr Not Afraid, Al, Pete and Tex Good Luck, Charles Brown, Pius and Charlie Real Bird; her grandparents, Cyril and Flora Not Afraid; 28 grandchildren; 16 great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Rosary will be recited 4 p.m. Friday in the Bullis Funeral Chapel. Funeral Mass will be celebrated 10 a.m. Saturday in the Lodge Grass Our Lady of Loretto Catholic Church. Rite of Committal will follow in the Lodge Grass cemetery. Bullis Mortuary of Hardin is entrusted with the arrangements.
Clyde Andrew Cromwell
LAUREL - Clyde Andrew Cromwell, 95, passed away Tuesday, Dec. 15, 1998, at Aspen Meadows.
Born Nov. 21, 1903, in Ardmore, Okla., Clyde attended the University of Colorado at Boulder in Chemistry. He started his career in oil refining in El Dorado, Ark. While there he met and married
Helen Clark in 1929. From El Dorado they moved to Muskeegon, Mich., where their first child Clyde Junior was born in 1933. Clyde accepted a position with a refinery in Corpus Christie, Texas, and then to Gladewater, Texas. The Cromwells arrived in Laurel in 1937 where Clyde became the manager of the Independent Refining Company (Cenex). During his tenure as manager of the Laurel Refinery from 1935 to 1968 he supervised many major additions and modernization of the refinery.
Clyde was very active in Laurel and his state. He served as Chairman of the Laurel School Board, Director of the Chamber or Commerce and Laurel Rotary Club. He was a member of the Masonic Lodge at the 32nd degree, Scottish Rite and Al Bedoo Shrine having served as its Chaplain. He was a life member and Legionnaire of Demolay. Clyde was active in education in many different levels. He was a member of the board of trustees of Rocky Mountain College, served on the President's Advisory Council at Montana State University and was its longest serving member for over 30 years. He taught business courses at Montana State University-Technology.
Clyde further served as a member of the Board of the South Central Mental Health Center in its formative years and served as its Chairman. Also served as the state Chairman of the Mental Health Center Board. He continued his volunteer service as a member of the Senior Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE) of the Small Business Administration helping many small businesses. He served as the Billings Chapter President and retired from this program at the age of 90.
Clyde's church, the Laurel United Methodist Church, was an important part of his life. He served it many times as a member of' the Administrative Board and as a lay delegate to the Yellowstone Conference and as Conference Lay delegate to the national conference.
He enjoyed fishing with his many friends whom he missed after their death and the many fishing trips to Yellowstone National Park with those friends. In addition he loved the cabin on the Stillwater River at Beehive which he shared with Helen for over 30 years.
Clyde is survived by his children, Clyde A. Cromwell Jr. of Bedford, Texas, John C. Cromwell and his wife, Norma, Missoula, and Christine A. Kuntz and her husband, Tom of Dallas, Texas; grandchildren, Prudence Johnson and husband, Glen of Seattle, Wash., Julie Lewallen and husband, Steve of Bakersfield, Calif., Nora Mazzolini and husband, Craig of Great Falls, Ryan Hunt of Billings, Jeffrey Cromwell of Bozeman and Gregory Cromwell of Bamberg, Germany; great-grandchildren, Cathron and Jessamyn Johnson, Anthony and Daniel Mazzolini. He was preceded in death by his wife, Helen, brothers, Claude of El Dorado, Ark., and Clarence of Bethany, Okla.
Memorials in lieu of flowers may be sent to the Laurel Methodist Church and Rocky Mountain College. Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Friday, Dec. 18, 1998, at Laurel United Methodist Church with interment in Laurel cemetery. Smith Funeral Chapel-Laurel is in charge of arrangements.
Leila Summers Wilson
WENATCHEE, Wash. - Leila Summers Wilson was born on Aug. 12, 1925, in Williston, N.D., and died naturally in her sleep, Dec. 22, 1998, in Wenatchee.
She was married
to John Wilson, who preceded her in death, along with her son, Lee Wilson. Leila's remaining five children, Terry Wilson, Connie LeBrun, Darwin Wilson and Darryl Wilson all reside in Billings, and her daughter, Debbie Leija resides in Colorado Springs, Colo.
Leila enjoyed showing pictures and talking endlessly about her children, her 13 grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren to her many friends at the Christofer House in Wenatchee where she was a resident, and when visiting Billings she talked continuously of her many wonderful friends in Wenatchee.
We ask that you remember our mother Leila for her giving heart, goofy smile, and crazy little laugh. Memorials may be made directly to the Christofer House, 100 S. Cleveland, Wenatchee, Wash. 98801.
Cremation has taken place and private memorial services are planned. Michelotti, Sawyers & Nordquist Heights Chapel has charge of local arrangements.
Emily Grace Beland
BOZEMAN - Grace Beland passed away Sunday, Dec. 20, 1998, at Bozeman Deaconess Hospital due to illness.
She was born on Aug. 10, 1908, in Calgary, Canada, to Peter Gray McLeod and Agnes (Brown) McLeod. Her father, a Scot master stone mason, and her mother, a British lady-in-waiting, immigrated to Canada. After graduating high school, she received training and certification as a comptometer operator.
On April 5, 1930, she married
Walter Raymond Beland. They moved to the United States and eventually settled in Cut Bank where she became a naturalized citizen in 1941. She was active in many community activities including service as worthy matron of Eastern Star and membership in the Daughters of the Nile. A talented seamstress and homemaker, she focused her life on her family.
She moved to the Spring Meadows facility in Bozeman in 1997 to be near her sons, R. Dale Beland of Bozeman and Rod G. Beland of Livingston, and her six grandsons.
She was preceded in death by her husband in 1990, and her sister, Eileen, in 1957.
A private family memorial will be held in Cut Bank where her ashes will be interred with her beloved husband. Memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society, 321 E. Main, Bozeman, MT.
N. G. 'Curley' Harvey
N.G. "Curley" Harvey passed away Dec. 19, 1998, following a short illness. He was born Feb. 22, 1929, in Chamberlain, S.D., a son of Romain and Mayme Kott Harvey.
After leaving the family home, he worked in the oil fields. It was at Glendive where he met Rozellyn (Sally) Moore and they were married
Aug. 1, 1956. They moved to Billings in April of 1963 where they owned and operated their own service station and in 1970 they formed the Curley Auto & Truck Repair. Due to ill health, Curley retired in September of 1997.
Curley became involved in the Masonic organization and was a member of Rimrock Lodge No. 149, the York Rite Bodies, Al Bedoo Shrine and Lavina Temple 101. He was very active and considered himself as a has-been.
Survivors include his wife, Sally; a son, Edward (Cheryl) of Reno, Nev.; a daughter, Bernadine (James) Butt of Murdo, S.D.; a daughter, Anita (Clint) Smith of Pueblo, Colo.; a sister, Betty L. Fletcher of Langford, S.D.; 14 grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews and other family. Curley was preceded in death by his parents and a brother.
Funeral services will be 2 p.m. Monday, Dec. 28, 1998, at the Billings Masonic Center, 1101 Broadwater Ave. In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to the Masonic Endowment Fund, (The Knights of Templar Eye Foundation, The Atherosclerosis Foundation, The Adomiran Council No. 8), all c/o P.O. Box 21036, Billings, MT 59104. Arrangements were made by Cremation or Funeral Gallery.
Edith Belle Bowman
Edith Belle Bowman, age 92, of Billings and formerly of Big Timber, died Sunday, Nov. 8, 1998, at the Hico Group Home where she had been residing for the last two years.
Edith was born on Aug. 20, 1906, in Big Timber, the daughter of Frank and Ella Webber. She graduated from Sweetgrass County High School in 1924 and Dillon Normal School, now the University of Montana at Dillon, in 1928. She taught school for four years.
In 1932 she married
William C. Bowman in Harlowton and they moved to Lingshire. They spent most of their married
life in Sweetgrass County and the Gallatin Valley.
Edith enjoyed traveling, reading, antiques, sewing, visiting and especially her grandchildren.
Edith moved to Billings in 1993 to be close to family. Edith is survived by her son, Jerry (Betty) of Billings and Arlene Pine (Jess) of Jacksonville, Ore.; six grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.
Edith was preceded in death by her husband, Bill; her parents, Frank and Ella Webber; her brother, Ray S. Webber; and a grandson.
Cremation has taken place and interment will be in the spring in Big Timber.
Memorials are suggested to the Big Sky Hospice, P.O. Box 35033, Billings, Mont. 59107.
Smith Downtown Chapel in charge of arrangements.
