OBITUARIES

Jan 10, 2016

Marvin Backer passed away on Jan. 10 from complications of metastatic prostate cancer. He was born on Feb. 7, 1937, in Schenectady, N.Y., to Lena and Louis Backer. He spent his childhood years in Amsterdam, New York, earned his B.A. from Cornell, and his M.A. and Ph.D. in clinical psychology from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. Marv served...

Jan 7, 2016

Beatrice Mae Blessum, 86, of Great Falls and most recently Bozeman, passed away on Thursday morning, January 7th, 2016. A memorial service will be held at Redeemer Lutheran Church in Great Falls at a later date. Bea was born June 6th, 1929, in Edmore North Dakota to Palmer and Clara (Askelson) Malmin. As a young energetic girl, she helped her...

Jan 7, 2016

Marcella Nadine Caltvedt Scheer, 89, died on Thursday, January 7, 2016. She was born on April 5, 1926 in Marshalltown, IA, to Laila Mildred (Henderson) and Silas Walter Caltvedt. Her father died when she was 10 years old. On June 25, 1947 she married Alfred Carl Scheer in Nevada, IA. They were married 68 1/2 years until his death two...

Dec 31, 2015

Gail Renaldo Raty was born on March 22, 1925 and sadly passed away on Thursday, December 31, 2015 at home in Big Sky, MT with Daughter Linda and Son-in-Law John. Gail was born in Challis, ID to Steve and Oma Raty. Gail moved to California in 1934 with his parents, five brothers and sister. Gail proudly joined the Navy during...

Dec 30, 2015

Donald Joseph Traubert (Don), 92, of Bozeman, died at St. Vincent’s Hospital, Billings, MT on December 30, 2015 from complications of a long life. Don was born in Wellsburg, West Virginia to the late George and Grace (Densmore) Traubert on September 7, 1923. He attended St. John’s Catholic School and Wellsburg High School. He graduated from West Virginia University with...

Dec 28, 2015

Alfred Carl Scheer died on Monday, December 28, 2015. He was born on the family farm in Knox County, Nebraska on February 1, 1926 to Werner and Mabel (Jensen) Scheer. During WWII he was in the US Army Corps of Engineers, and installed anti-submarine fences in the San Francisco bay. He received a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering...

Dec 27, 2015

Michael Lawrence Nelson, 64, of Laramie, Wyoming, passed away unexpectedly on Sunday, December 27, 2015 in Billings, MT while traveling to Bozeman with his son Mark to visit his mother. He was born March 17, 1951 in Burlington, Wisconsin to Lawrence and Frances (Krueger) Nelson. He and his family moved to Hamilton, MT, when Michael was three, and 6 years...

Dec 27, 2015

Herbert (Herb) J. Warp unexpectedly passed away December 27, 2015 while visiting family in Bozeman. Herb was born July 13, 1960 in Bozeman to the late Norman Warp and Darlene Warp Hansen. Herb lived in Great Falls in his early years and moved frequently due to his father's engineering work taking him to Bismarck, Billings, Riverton, Wyoming and back to...

Dec 24, 2015

Lizbeth “Polly” Anne (Brenna) Zindler recently illuminated her sparkling star amongst the universe in spirit. She is survived by her dear and closest friend, her sister, Susan Leigland [Robert], her proud sons Cody and Ry, and her beloved nieces Becky [Gary] and Tiffani [Jan] Leigland. She spent many of her years with close companions firstly with the father of her...

Dec 20, 2015

Dec 19, 2015

Byron Lee Tressler, 90, passed away peacefully on Saturday December 19, 2015 in his Bozeman home. Byron was born on September 28, 1925 to Harriett Broviak and Maynard Tressler. He resided for most of his life in Glasgow, MT. Byron met Lois Arnold in Seattle Washington and they married on October 5, 1946. Upon his graduation from Business College, Byron...

Dec 17, 2015

Dec 16, 2015

Dec 16, 2015

Dec 14, 2015

John Philip Schmoll Sr., 66, of Belgrade, passed away Monday, December 14, 2015. He was born in 1949 in Chicago, IL to Howard and Marie Schmoll. John and his family moved to the Gallatin Valley in 1997. He worked as a lumber inspector for most of his life as well as a woodworker, and in maintenance for Belgrade Public Works;...

Dec 9, 2015

Gordon Elmer Blessum, 89, of Great Falls, passed away Wednesday Dec. 9, in Bozeman MT, where he and his wife Bea had recently moved to be closer to their son, Jeff. Gordon was born on April 26, 1926 in Larimore, ND. He attended high school at the St. James Academy in Grand Forks, ND. He loved playing football – a...

Dec 6, 2015

Kathryn “Kay” McKay, 95, of Bozeman, passed away Sunday, December 6, 2015. She was born June 13, 1920 in Butte, MT to George and Mary (Ronan) Berry. She graduated from Butte High in 1937 and from St. James Hospital School of Nursing in 1941. Kay completed her Master’s Degree in Nursing from Montana State University. She received her certification as...

Dec 1, 2015

John H. Clarke, of Belgrade, Montana, passed away on Tuesday, December 1, 2015. He was born in Havre, Montana on December 27, 1923, the son of Edmund and Barbara Clarke. After completing High School, John served six years in the Navy during which he worked as a Motor Machinist Mate/Engineman First Class. He served on the USS Angler (SS-240) from...

Nov 29, 2015

Laurette Ryan, 98, of Bozeman passed away on November 29, 2015. She was born on February 8, 1917 in Waterloo, New York to Daniel and Laura (Berry) Reilly. A life-long student and world traveler always ready for a conversation, Laurette danced, socialized, and enjoyed many parties throughout her long life. Laurette attended school in Waterloo, graduating high school with a...

Nov 27, 2015

Colonel Thomas E. Diamond Scene: St. Peter and a Mourner at the Gates of Heaven Mourner: “St. Peter, what happens to us when a hero dies? St. Peter: “What do you think, my friend?” Mourner: “Our hearts break. Our world grows smaller. We wander; wondering ‘why’ and no explanations seem to fill the gap our hero left.” St. Peter: “That,...