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Goldie Krueger Duffy
Goldie Krueger Duffy, 81, of Victor died at her home on Sunday, Jan. 2, 2005.
She was born on Feb. 21, 1923, at Culbertson to Henry and Hulda (Waldow) Krueger.
She married
James "Bud" Swindle in 1941; he later died on Oct. 19, 1948. In 1952 until 1967 she was married
to Virgil Barenz. She joined Gene Wark in marriage in 1968 until his death on Oct. 30, 1970. James Duffy and Goldie were together since 1971. They later married
in 1979. He preceded her in death on July 28, 2001.
Goldie was raised on the farm her parents had homesteaded in Culbertson. She later ranched in Culbertson, and was a business owner in Stevensville. She enjoyed time on the Washington coast and then retired to Victor. Goldie loved to travel, work in her flower garden, reading, embroidery and time with her family.
She was preceded in death by her husbands; son-in-law, Bob Williams; stepson Jay Duffy; grandsons, Jarrett Swindle and Todd Carter, and brothers, Frank, Lawrence and Bill Krueger.
Survivors include Rene Williams ofStevensville; Chinook Swindle and Branden Barenz, both of Victor; Nadine "Dena" Barenz of Missoula; Darla Kary and Pat Duffy, Theresa Reardon and Dan Duffy all of Ocean Park, Wash.; Bill "Pickles" Wark of Stevensville, 24 grandchildren and 23 great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be at the Whitesitt Funeral Home in Stevensville Thursday, Jan. 6, 2005, from 4 - 8 p.m.
Funeral services will be conducted at the funeral home on Friday, Jan. 7, 2005, at 1 p.m. with Pastor John Capen officiating. Burial will follow at the St. Mary's cemetery in Stevensville.
A special thank you to hospice and to Sarah Barenz.
Memorials are asked to Marcus Daly Memorial Hospital hospice, 1200 Westwood, Hamilton, MT 59840.
Robert Eastman Vallance
Robert Eastman Vallance, 74, of Missoula, passed away Sunday, Dec. 26, 2004, at Community Medical Center of natural causes.
Bob was born Aug. 6, 1930, in Missoula to Maude and Robert Vallance.
Bob worked in the University of Montana kitchen as a food service worker. He was a 20-year retiree. He was a lifetime member of the First Christian Church, Opportunity Resources, was a staunch Grizzly fan, and enjoyed church camp.
Bob was very outgoing and friendly. He had many, many friends, loved to go fishing, camping and take part in other outdoor activities. He was known as a hard worker and was very family oriented.
Survivors include his nephews, George Clark and John Clark; numerous great-nieces and great-nephews and many other relatives.
He was preceded in death by his mother and father; two sisters, Florence and Dorothy; and his step-father, Perin.
A memorial service will be held on Wednesday, Jan. 5 at 11 a.m. at the First Christian Church, 2701 S. Russell with the Rev. Ed Washinger officiating. Inurnment will take place at a later date.
The family suggests memorials be made in Bob's name to the family for distribution to developmentally disabled charities.
The Montana Cremation and Memorial Society is assisting the family with the arrangements.
Harold D. Johnston
Harold D. Johnston, 83, of Missoula and former Bitterroot Valley resident, died Friday, Dec. 31, 2004, at Village Health Care Center in Missoula.
He was born in Butte on July 28, 1921.
Harold was preceded in death by his wife, Claire.
Survivors include his second wife, Herlinda Johnston of Missoula, five children, David, Diane, Ralph, Lorie and Alex; a brother Hugh; 16 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren.
Private services were held on Sunday, Jan. 2, 2005. The Whitesitt Funeral Home and Cremation of Stevensville was in charge of arrangements.
Louis Henry DuFresne
Louis Henry DuFresne, 85, of Stevensville died at the Bitterroot Valley Living Center in Stevensville on Tuesday, Jan. 4, 2005.
Arrangements are pending and will be announced by the Whitesitt Funeral Home and Cremation of Stevensville.
Gene Tack
Gene Tack, 79, of Missoula died at his home on Tuesday, Jan. 4, 2005.
Arrangements are pending and will be announced by the Whitesitt Funeral Home and Cremation of Stevensville.
Edward Raymond Patzer
"Eddie, " 76, passed away at home in his beloved recliner on Tuesday, Nov. 16, 2004, after a 35-year battle with heart disease.
He was born to Edward and Eva Patzer on Jan. 31, 1928, in Harvey, N.D., one of nine children.
At an early age the family moved to the Bitterroot Valley where he discovered his life long home.
In high school he excelled in football, basketball and track. He enjoyed guitar, singing and entertaining. He met Holly Vallance and dated her through high school. They married
on June 13, 1947.
He graduated from Hamilton High School and immediately started work at the world famous Rocky Mountain Laboratory where his education continued. During this employment he had the opportunity to work with polio vaccine, Colorado tick fever, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, encephalitis in horses and humans, Q fever and early Ebola viruses.
In 1967 Ed joined the Lost Trail Ski Patrol. He received his national appointment in 1974 and served as Pro Patrol Director, Treasurer, and various other duties during his 34-year tenure. In 1999 he was given the distinguished service award from the national director of the ski patrol.
In addition to the patrol he worked summers to help build the structures and lifts at Lost Trail Ski Area.
Summers he most enjoyed extended backpack trips into the wilderness with family and friends. Adventures included two 50-mile hikes into the Selway Bitterroot Wilderness with Jim Whitlock, scout master, his close friend and packing companion. Other passions included summers on Look-out, Christmas tree harvest, plus family camping near the West Fork of the Bitterroot. Many stories were told of Gene and Bob Vallance, Zach Bugli (and untold others) of their many outdoor adventures.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Edward and Eva Patzer; son, Kevin Jay; sister, Leona and brothers Lloyd, George and Edwin.
He is survived by his long time "best friend" Holly; children, Allan and wife, Midge Patzer, Candy and husband, John Blahnik, Darin and wife, Clarissa Patzer; grandchildren, Brandyn Patzer, Trevor and Hilary Patzer, Staci and Lindsey Blahnik and Ashton Patzer and sisters Freida, Martha, Edna and Lorena.
A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Friday, Nov. 19, at the Daly-Leach Chapel in Hamilton with Pastor David Gerig officiating. Private family urn placement will take place at a later date.
The family suggests memorials to the Lost Trail Ski Patrol, c/o Haven Holsapple, Box 595, Hamilton, MT 59840.
Leonard J. 'Len' Ratkowski
Leonard J. "Len" Ratkowski, 83, of Hamilton passed away in the morning, Wednesday, Nov. 17, 2004, at the Marcus Daly hospice center in Hamilton.
Len was born to Leo and Fermina Ratkowski in Chicago. He graduated from the Lane Technical High School and Roosevelt University in Chicago.
He served his country honorably during World War II in the U.S. Army Air Corps.
Ruth and Len were married
Nov. 11, 1945.
He started his career with the Chicago Fire Department in 1946 as engineer on one of the fire boats.
Ruth and Len moved to Hamilton in 1987 to fulfill the dream of living near the mountains.
He was preceded in death by his sister, Florence (Tom) Rath, both of which passed in February of this year.
He is survived by his loving wife of 59 years, Ruth Ratkowski, nieces and nephews.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11 am Saturday, Nov. 20, 2004, at the St. Francis Catholic Church in Hamilton with the committal service to follow at the Riverview cemetery. The Rev. Father John Darragh will be the celebrant. A reception will be held at the Parish center after the interment.
Ronald Brothers of Dowling Funeral Home and Crematory, 415 S. Second St. in Hamilton, is assisting the family with funeral arrangements.
Mary R. 'Mickie' Smith
Mary R. "Mickie" Smith, 91, former Ravalli and Lake County resident, died in Thermopolis, Wyo., on Sunday, Nov. 14, 2004.
Mickie was born in Belgrade May 31, 1913, to George D. and Lillie B. (Gastineau) Ballard.
She married
Walter D. Smith on June 23, 1934, in Bozeman. The couple lived in eastern Montana until 1947 at which time they moved to the Bitterroot in the Skalkaho area. In 1961 they moved to Ronan and Charlo. Mickie worked as a licensed practical nurse for seven years in Ravalli and Lake counties and was a bookkeeper for the Ronan Co-op and a bookkeeper/clerk for Charlo School District five years.
She spent five years on the baseball board of directors as a baseball commissioner in Ronan. She was instrumental in starting a Ronan baseball team for players over the age of 16, who could no longer play on a Babe Ruth team. She also designed, set up a baseball field and had the grandstands moved to their present location. Walter and Mickie retired in 1975 and became "snow-birds" traveling to Arizona in the winter and spent summers in Victor.
Mickie's first love were her kids, her own and any others who needed a warm spot or a love in their life. Other loves were baseball, traveling, crocheting and medicine.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Walter in 1998; eldest son, Walter Niles; parents; a sister, Billie Wagner; three brothers, Forrest, Dudley and Jack Ballard; a granddaughter, Sandy Smith; a great-granddaughter, Cassandra Smith and sons-in-law, Dennis DuMont Sr. and Vester Wilson Sr.
Mickie is survived by six sons; Chuck Bequette, of Lopez Island, Wash., Bruce (Josie) Smith of Glendive, Earl Smith of Butte, Ralph (Mardel) Smith of Ronan, Cliff (Beth) Smith of Grand Junction, Colo., and Wayne Smith of Norwalk, Calif.; six daughters, Pat DuMont, Sandy (Phil) Scheffel, and Sue Wilson all of Thermopolis, Wyo., Nancy Shepard of Charlo, Annette (Dean) Sellars of Prague, Okla., and Barbara (Chuck) Cromer of Kalispell; 44 grandchildren, 88 great-grandchildren and 26 great-great-grandchildren.
Also surviving is a brother, Tom (Sandy) Ballard of Clancy, two sisters, Juanita Armstrong of Cardwell and Gussie Smith of Polson, and two sisters-in-law, Lois Ballard of Cardwell and Gladys Ballard of Whitehall.
Funeral services are scheduled for Monday, Nov. 22, 2004, at 2 p.m. at the Whitesitt Funeral Home in Stevensville with burial to follow at the Victor cemetery.
DORIS EEN
RUDYARD - Doris E. Ludwig Een, 71, of Rudyard died Friday, Aug. 29, 2003, at a Chester nursing home due to cancer.
A vigil prayer service was held Monday evening at Our Lady of Ransom Church in Hingham. A funeral Mass was scheduled for 11 a.m. today at the church with burial to follow at Rudyard cemetery. A luncheon was planned at the Rudyard Catholic Youth Center.
Doris was born on Sept. 23, 1931, at Goldstone north of Rudyard to Anna Schwartz and Ernest Shipman. She received her early education at the Goldstone Country School, then transferred to Rudyard, where she graduated from high school in 1948. She continued her education at Northern Montana College and received a two-year teaching certificate. She taught school for a year at Inverness.
Doris married
Roger Ludwig on June 28, 1952, at Our Lady of Ransom Catholic Church in Rudyard. They lived in Pasco, Wash., for a short time before moving back to work on the Ludwig family farm near Rudyard. Doris worked diligently as a farm wife and mother of six. She continued to live on the farm after his death in 1986.
She began dating Rudyard widower Clarence "Bud" Een and they married
on Nov. 9, 1996, at Rudyard. They made their home in town and enjoyed their retirement years together.
Doris was baptized and confirmed in her youth and remained active in her church throughout the years. She was a member of the Holy Family Altar Society and served as a catechist. She also belonged to the VFW Auxiliary, PRO and Birthday Club. In recent years, she served on the Hi-Line Health Foundation Board and was active in the Hi-Line Antique Car Club.
Doris was preceded in death by her first husband, her parents, and two sisters, Ruthie Smith and Bernece Wolery.
Survivors include her husband, Bud of Rudyard; sons, Dale (Lorene) Ludwig and Edward Ludwig, all of Anchorage, Alaska, and Brian (Karen) Ludwig of Great Falls; daughters, Lori (Rick) Davenport of Kalispell, Lynn (Dan) Hybner of Rudyard and Tracy (Greg) Scheibel of Bozeman; 12 grandchildren; one great-granddaughter; brother, Ercell Shipman of Beaver Dam, Wis.; sisters, Louise Richter of Omak, Wash., Marion Gilson of Guernsey, Wyo., Donna Nealy of Chester and Ann Tracht of Kalispell; and many nephews and nieces.
Memorials may be made to Benefis Gift of Life in Great Falls or the Hi-Line Health Foundation in Chester.
Arrangements by Rockman Funeral Chapel of Chester.
Charles L. Standley
Charles L. Standley, 75, of Corvallis passed away Thursday, November 18, 2004 at Marcus Daly Memorial Hospital due to heart failure. He was born April 5, 1929 in Chance, Mont. the son of William and Minniebelle Standley.
Chuck was raised and educated in Red Lodge. He married
Vicky Lakin on August 3, 1983 in Fairbanks, Alaska. He loved fishing, camping, hunting, old westerns, black and white movies and most of all his grandchildren.
Chuck was preceded in death by his parents, 3 brothers, Bill Standley, J.C. O'Conner and Hugh Standley; and 1 sister, Rosie Olsen. He is survived by his wife Vicki of Corvallis; 2 daughters, Shari Smith of Cincinnati and Teri Robinsen of Medford, Ore.; 1 son, Bill Standley of Yakima, Wash.; 2 sisters, Micky Mann of Kalispell and Zelene O'Conner of Hamilton; 4 brothers, Bob Standley of Yakima, Jim O'Conner of Seattle, Harold Lemon of Cle Elum, Wash., and Jimmy Lemon of Sequim, Wash., 4 step-children and several grandchildren, nieces and nephews.
Services will be held on Monday, November 22, 2004 at 11 a.m. at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Corvallis. Honorary pallbearers will be Bill Standley, Joe Mann, Tim Mann, Tom Barnes, Pat Lakin and Clint Myers.
The family suggests that memorials be made to the Marcus Daly Home Care Providers, 1200 Westwood Dr, . Hamilton, MT 59840 or the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Corvallis, MT 59828. Arrangements are under the care and direction of the Daly-Leach Chapel.
