2003 Obits from Dillon Tribune, Dillon, MT Compiled and submitted by: Patricia Darling pdarling@bmt.net July 16, 2003 Murell M. Roberts, 92, died July 4, 2003 at Barrett Memorial Hospital, in Dillon, Montana after a lingering illness. She was born in Austin, Nevada to Charles and Alieda Brankey on June 3, 1911.Funeral services will be held Monday, July 14, 2003 at 11:00 a.m. in the Bethel Methodist Church in Sheridan with Reverend Ed Folkwein officiating. Interment will follow in the Sheridan Cemetery with Masonic Graveside Services. Ida Christina Schumacher, 100 years, 6 months of age, died at Parkview Acres July 3, where she had been a resident for the past nine years. Born January 13, 1903 to Adolph T. Muckenhern and Ida Christine Johnson immigrants from Scandinavia in Hudson, Wisconsin. She will be cremated and a family gathering will inter her ashes with her second husband of 48 years, Isam N. Love in Sunset Memorial Cemetery in Bozeman. Francis V. Kapphan, 79, of Sheridan, Montana died Monday, July 7 as the result of a vehicle accident near Conrad, Montana. He was born February 3, 1924 in Glasgow, Montana to Verne C. and Sadie Lois (Young) Kapphan. July 23, 2003 Kenette Smith, 70, died July 27, 2003 at Barrett Hospital. She was born in Dillon to Ken and Crystal Kenison. Kenette was very proud of being one of the last residents of Bannack. Services are scheduled for Wednesday, July 30 at 10:00 a.m. at Brundage Funeral Home, committal services will follow at Mountain View Cemetery. Aug. 6, 2003 Verna Lawrence Asbury was born June 24, 1919, in Butte, Montana, the daughter of John and Laura Mae Lawrence. At her request there will be no services. Vera Schulz, a memorial service will be held Saturday, August 9, for Vera Schulz, at 2 p.m, at the Bethel Methodist Church in Sheridan. Aug. 13, 2003 Dick Hirschy, 74 died August 9 at St. Patrick's Hospital in Missoula.He was born on November 27, 1928, to Fred and Flora Hirschy, whose family had homesteaded in the Big Hole Valley in 1894. A celebration of life for friends and family will be held at the Hirschy Home Ranch on Friday, August 15, at 2:00 p.m. Earl R. (Dick) Peterson, 63, died August 11 at the Barrett Hospital in Dillon. Funeral services will be held Friday, August 15, at 10 a.m. at the Brundage Funeral Home. Visitation will be from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday. He was born March 27, 1940 to Earl Raymond (Mick) and Dorothy (Duck) Peterson in Dillon. Julia Pearl Frese, 86, of Salina Utah, formerly of Dillon, passed away on August 6, 2003 after a short illness. She was born on December 30, 1916 in Helena. She was a daughter of Daniel Lynn Webster and Pearl Mae Phillips. Funeral services will be held August 16, 2003 at the Dillion 1st Ward LDS Chapel at 11:00 a.m. Family and friends may call Saturday morning 9:00 - 10:30 a.m. at the chapel. Services are under the direction of Brundage Funeral Home. Aug. 27, 2003 Ruth Gnose-The family and friends of Ruth (Tope) Gnose are gathering to celebrate Ruth's life (1909-2002) on Saturday, August 30 at 11:00 a.m. at the Wise River Community Building. Sept. 3, 2003 Marvin S. Barker Jr., 70, died Tuesday, August 26, 2003. He was born in Los Angeles on April 16, 1933 to Marvin Barker, Sr. and Louise Humiston-Barker. Private family services will be held at a later date. Evelyn A. Burrows, 72, of Whitehall, died Monday, August 25 at St. James Healthcare in Butte. She was born March 6, 1931 in Colorado Springs, Colorado to Lee and Edith (Jones) Thiebaud. A private service has been held in Whitehall and a service and interment will be held in Colorado at a later date. Sharon K. McNeil, 61, died August 5, 2003, at McKee Medical Center under Hospice care, from her courageous battle against cancer. She was 61. She was born June 18, 1942 in Dillon to Al Simon and Louise Ohmn Simon. Memorial services were held at the King of Glory Lutheran Church. Sept. 10, 2003 Grace Logan, 80, died Friday, September 5, at Barrett Memorial Hospital from her courageous battle against cancer. She was born in Jeffersonville, Indiana, on December 12, 1922. Funeral Services will be held at Brundage Funeral Home on Wednesday, at 10:00 a.m. Edward Stefanic, 83, of Dillon, Montana, died Wednesday, September 3, 2003 in Blackfoot, Idaho. He was born February 13, 1921 in Dillon to Joseph and Mary Marof Stefanic. A graveside service was held Saturday, September 6, 2003 at the Mountain View Cemetery in Dillon. Sept. 17, 2003 Fern Diane Ledbetter Braden , died Wednesday, August 27 at her home in Roy, Utah. She was born May 19, 1947 in Butte, Montana to Ivan and Ernestine Ledbetter. Funeral services were held at Myers Mortuary in Roy, Utah. Ben Sturm, longtime resident of Dillon, died Sept. 7, 2003. He was born in Chester, South Dakota, on Jan. 28, 1913. The family held a celebration of Ben's life on Sunday. Patrick Mohr, 55 of Wisdom, died unexpectedly in his home, Sunday, Sept. 14, 2003. He was born on June 1st, 1948 in Deer Lodge to Joan and James Mohr, Sr. Visitation is scheduled for Thursday, September 18 from 1-2 p.m. at the Wisdom Church with services following at 2 p.m. Sept. 24, 2003 Ty Hirschi died September 22, 2003 in Missoula, from injuries received in a horse accident. He was born September 14, 1977 in Rexburg, Idaho. During the summer months of high school, he lived in Jackson, Montana, working on the Dick Hirschy ranch. Memorial Services will be Monday, September 29 at the Salem, Idaho LDS Church at 11 :00 am. Sarah Malesich died at the Parkview Convalescence Center Monday Sept. 22, 2003. She was born on August 23, 1921 to Wiley S. and Bertha F. Jeffers Davis in Bozeman to a Madison Valley pioneer family. Services are Monday, September 29 at 11:00 a.m. at St. James Episcopal Church. Carl Miller, died Sept. 19, 2003. Though he was in ill health for some time, he never indicated or discussed this with anyone. Sylvia May Ricks, 91, of Idaho Falls, died September 19, 2003, at the Idaho Falls Care Center. She was born September 22, 1911 in Hibbard, Idaho to Charles Martin Larsen and Elsie May Knapp Larsen. Funeral Services were held Tuesday, September 23, 200. John Victor Robbins died Sunday, September 21, 2003 in Seattle, Washington. John was born Christmas day of 1939 in Malad, Idaho to H. Merlin and Ruth V. Anderson Robbins.Memorial Services will be held in the Dillon Chapel of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints on Friday, September 26 at 1:00 p.m. Brian Henry Venancio, 52, of Wilton, Connecticut, formerly of Middletown, Rhode Island, died Friday, September 19, 2003, in Dell, MT, in an automobile accident. He was born in Newport, RI on November 25, 1950 to the late Edward C. and Mary Bell (Perry) Venancio.Memorial services will be held Wednesday, September 24, 2003 at 6:30 p.m. at Darrel Thornton Memorial Park in Lima. Burial will be in St. Columba Cemetery in Middletown, RI. Oct. 1, 2003 John F. Dennis, 80, died September 27, 2003 in Billings, Montana. John was born in Miles City on October 1, 1922 to John A. and Mary "Lena" Tholts Dennis.Memorial services will be held Wednesday, October 1 at Michelotti-Sawyers Mortuary. M. Violet Dickson died September 26, 2003 at Parkview Acres Convalescence Center in Dillon Montana. Graveside services were held at Mountain View Cemetery on Tuesday, September 30, 2003 at 2:30 p.m. Richard Jon Weatherston died after an extended illness September 22 at Parkview Acres Care and Convalescent Center. He was born in Shelby, Montana March 13, 1945. Services were held September 28 at Mountain View Cemetery. Oct. 8, 2003 Ella "Mae" Cornforth Paige, 84, died unexpectedly of natural causes on Saturday, October 4 after a brief stay in the Barrett Hospital in Dillon. Services will be held at K and L Mortuary in Twin Bridges on Thursday, October 9 at 2 p.m. Howard L. Young, 75, died September 30, from an extended illness. He was born on September 2, 1928 in Lyman, Idaho to Ethan and Blanche Young. Graveside services with military honors by the VFW were held October 4, 2003 at the Lima Cemetery in Lima, Montana. Oct. 15, 2003 Edna C. Carroll, 81, of North Newton, Kansas died October 9, 2003. She was born to Carl Wilmer Heselius and Eula Glesna Heselius in Cheyenne, County Kansas on January 18, 1922. Services will be announced at a later date. Tom Herbeck, 57, former adjunct professor of English at the University of Montana-Western, died October 9 in his home at Bozeman, surrounded by his family. He was born January 7, 1946, in Springfield, Massachusetts, the first child of Herbert and Lillian (Waters) Herbeck. A memorial service is planned for November in Bozeman, possibly on Veteran's Day. Irene Morrison, 71, died October 13, 2003. She was born August 5, 1932 in Rollins, Wyoming, to Mildred and Laurence Needham. Services are scheduled for Friday, October 17, 2003 at the First Baptist Church in Three Forks at 11:00 a.m. with a visitation one hour prior to services. Roxanne "Rocky" Mehring, age 36, of Sheridan, Montana died Saturday, October 11 at Bozeman Deaconess Hospital. Rocky was born January 29, 1967 in Hayward, California to Allen and Robin Miller.Memorials are preferred to the Daniel and Rylee Mehring memorial fund in care of Ruby Valley National Bank, P.O. Box 587, Sheridan, Montana, 59749. Funeral services will be held Wednesday, October 15 at 11:00 a.m. at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Laurin. Josephine (Jo) Anne Papetti, 86, of Pocatello was released from her pain on Sunday evening, October 12, at Hillcrest Haven Convalescent Center. She was born October 13, 1916 in Butte Montana to John and Josephine Verbance. There will be no service but a gathering of friends and relatives at Downards Funeral Home in Pocatello, Idaho on Thursday 16 October from 5 to 7 p.m. Rafe Dean Petersen was born and died on October 9, 2003. His parents, Christian and Rena Petersen, are thankful to all who have been so loving and supportive. A memorial service will be held Saturday, October 18 at 2:00 p.m. at St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church. Elizabeth (Betty) Ann Turner died Sunday, October 12, at her home in Dillon. She was born in Lincoln, Nebraska, August 17, 1911 to Joseph and Rachel Webster. Services to celebrate the life of Betty Turner will be held on Friday, October 17, at the Presbyterian Church at 2:00 p.m. Oct. 22, 2003 No obits Oct. 29, 2003 Leon Ray "Ole" Olsen, 74, of Vaughn, Montana died of natural causes October 25, 2003. He was born in Bancroft, Idaho and raised in Vaughn. Services will be held Thursday, October 30, at Croxford Funeral Home with burial in Sun River Cemetery. Nov. 5, 2003 Julianne Brienza services will be held Friday, November 7 at 10:00 a.m. at St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church. Julianne died November 3. An obituary will follow in next week's edition of the Dillon Tribune. Del Burnett, 83, of Hemet, California, died at his residence on August 30, 2003. He was born July 24, 1920 in Yakima, Washington and lived in Hemet for 20 years. Funeral services were held in Hemet, and burial will take place at Mountain View Cemetery in Dillon. Alice Mae Duffner, 79 of Dillon passed away in Tobacco Root Mountain Care Center in Sheridan after an extended illness. She was the first child child born in the Dillon hospital, on January 2, 1924. Visitation is scheduled for Thursday evening from 5:00-7:00 p.m. at Brundage Funeral Home with funeral services on Friday, November 7 at 1:00 p.m. at the Mortuary. George R. Weatherston, 57, of Gallatin Gateway died November 1, 2003. He was born August 11, 1946 in Butte, Montana, the son of Robert John and Olive Corenne (Swallow) Weatherston. He was raised and educated in Dillon. A memorial service will be held 2:30 p.m. Friday, November 7 at Dahl Funeral Chapel, followed by military rites at Sunset Hills Cemetery. Internment will be in Dillon.Nov. 12, 2003 Julianne Sheehan Brienza, 60, was born on October 14, 1943 in Salt Lake City, Utah, and died November 3, 2003 near Gold Creek, Montana. A Funeral mass was celebrated Friday at St. Rose Catholic Church. George Lots died suddenly November 3. George was born February 22, 1922, the son of Roscoe and Mathilda Lots, in Great Falls, Montana. A private family memorial service was conducted. Donald Elmer Sorenson, 67, died at his residence November 8, 2003. He was born November 27, 1935 to Elmer and Melba Sorenson in Dillon. Services are scheduled for 1:00 p.m. Wednesday, November 12 at Brundage Funeral Home. Louie Kasper died November 10, 2003. He was born October 12, 1925. Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. on Monday, November 17, 2003 at First Lutheran Church, 4000 Concord Blvd., Concord, CA. Nov. 19, 2003 York, Betty Jean, age 68, died at Bellingham, WA on Nov. 13, 2003. She was born Jan. 10, 1935 in Dillon to Roy and Gladys (Reis) Cowins. Pewe, Hilda was born July 14, 1912 to John and Margaret Pewe at McHenry, ND. She came to Dioon in 1941. Funeral service will be Saturday at Brundage Funeral Home. Mautz, Agnes , longtime resident of Beaverhead County, died Nov. 13, 2003 in West Linn, Oregon. Agnes was born to John and Margaretta Stefonic on Nov. 19, 1915. Services were held in West Linn, and a funeral Mass was held in Dillon. Burial was in Mountain View Cemetery. Nov. 26, 2003 Samuel Krail (Tub) Garrett, 90, died Nov. 18. He was born on September 5, 1913 in Clarksburg, West Virginia. Raymond F. Curtis, 78, died November 19, in Salt Lake City, Utah. He was born July 12, 1925 to Lyman R. Curtis and Ines Western Curtis in Deseret, Utah. Funeral services were held Friday, November 21, at the Bloomington Hills 2nd Ward, St. George. Burial followed at the Salem City Cemetery, Salem, Utah. Polly A. Garey, died November 19. She was born September 1, 1926 in Arkansas. A private family memorial was conducted. Dec. 3 2003 Robert C. "Ben" Beckett, 87, pdiedSaturday, November 29, 2003, at the Tobacco Root Mountain Care Center in Sheridan. He was born Jan. 23, 1916, on the Cole Ranch at Arvada Colorado, the son of Robert H. and Augusta M. Cheatley Beckett. Services will be 1 p.m. Saturday, December 6, 2003 at K&L Mortuary. Opal L. Smith, 85, passed away November 23, 2003 at Barrett Hospital and Healthcare in Dillon. She was born in Macon, Missouri on April 6, 1918 to Benjamin and Ella Ford. Services were held at 11 a.m., Monday, December 1, 2003 with interment at Mountain View Cemetery. Margy Stout, 77, died Wednesday, November 26, 2003, at Parkview Acres Care and Rehabilitation Center in Dillon. She was born Margaret Fay Pinkerton on July 16, 1926 in Butte, Montana, to Harold and Ella (Lynch) Pinkerton. Cremation has taken place. A private memorial service will be held at a later date. Dec. 10, 2003 Edith Hugulet, 97, died Dec. 6 at Butte Convalescent Center. She was born in 1906 to John ands Annie (Bond) Warren. A family graveside service will be held. Dec. 17, 2003 William Frank Bryan, 88, of Glen, a rancher & World War II veteran, died of natural causes December 10, at the family home. As per his request, there will be no services. A Private Family memorial will be held this summer. Dec. 24, 2003 Carla Eleanor Hansen Harris, 89, was born in Dillon, Montana, eldest daughter of Hans and Marie Hansen, July 8, 1914 and passed away December 17, 2003 at a local healthcare center. Memorial services were Saturday, December 20, 2003 at the Faith Lutheran Church with private inurnment at a later date. Emilia "Millie" Hayden died Tuesday, December 16, 2003. Millie was born on January 20, 1935 in Dillon, Montana to Nick and Josephine (Arrigoni) Salvo. A funeral service was held on December 19, 2003at Brundage Funeral Home. James M. Lindsay "Hawkeye", 57, of Dillon, Montana died Sunday, November 9, 2003 at Barrett Hospital. He was born November 17, 1946 to James and Maxine Lindsay in Sanger, California. James grew up in California. Cremation has taken place and no services are scheduled at this time. Helen J. Nettik, 77, died December 7, 2003 at Providence Alaska Medical Center of a stroke. A memorial service was held at Kehl's Forest Lawn Chapel. She was born October 30, 1926 in Lewistown, Montana to Mike and Anna Nettik. She was raised in Dillon, Montana. David E. Niemi (known to friends as Davy Crockett) died at home on December 15, 2003. He was born February 10, 1935, to George and Alvina Niemi in Red Lodge, Montana. At David's request, there will be no services. Dec. 31, 2003 John C. Beckett, 91, a longtime Sheridan, Montana resident, died December 11, 2003 at the Bitterroot Living Center in Stevensville, Montana. John was born March 13, 1912 on the Cole Ranch at Arvada, Colorado to Robert H. and Augusta Cheatley Beckett. A memorial service and interment will take place at a later date in Sheridan. Robert Gerringa, 69, of Dillon passed away unexpectedly of an aneurysm Friday, December 19 2003. He was born February 17, 1934 in Billings to Pete and Marguerite Gerringa. Funeral Services were held Monday, December 22, 2003 at 11:00 a.m. at the First Evangelical Lutheran Church. Richard David McEldery, 82, died December 23, 2003. Dick was born on December 3, 1921 to Mabel Nellie Mayette and Clifton Henry McEldery in Miles City, Montana. Services were held at Saint Rose Catholic Church on December 26. Calvin "Cully" Morse, 79, of Dillon, Montana died December 28, 2003 at Parkview Acres Care and Rehabilitation Center. He was born to Oliver and Jessie Morse in Laurin, Montana. Services were December 31, 2003, at the Sheridan Cemetery. Darlene Nelson, 70, died peacefully in her sleep on December 21, 2003 after an extended illness. Darlene was born October 29, 1933 to Raymond and Ruth Cote in Alder, Montana. Graveside services were held at Mountain View Cemetery December 30, 2003. Richard Lee Tash, 67, was born in Dillon, Montana, on October 2,1936 to Julia Eleanor (Selway) Tash and Wilbur Sherman Tash of the Tash Ranch. He died at his home in Deerfield Beach, Florida, on Tuesday, December 16, 2003. A celebration of his life is planned for Monday, January 5, 2004, at Forest Lawn North in Pompano Beach, Florida (954-784-4000). Dick's ashes will be scattered at sea. -