Obituaries

Apr 9, 2016

Just before sunrise on April 3, 2016, Gay joined her family in heaven. Always a beautiful and gracious lady, she passed away one week shy of her 85th birthday.

She was born Helen Gay Vannoy to Cleveland A and Katherine Grace McAfee Vannoy at the family ranch in Wyoming on April 10, 1931. Growing up in Thermopolis,...

Apr 8, 2016

Dr. Robert Warren Bergeson, 66, passed away peacefully on Monday, April 4, 2016, at the University of Colorado Hospital in Denver.

Bob was born to Jules (Bergie) and Gunhild (Goodie) on Nov. 3, 1949, in McCook, Neb. A lifelong love of the Nebraska Cornhuskers was born that day. Bob and his family moved to Billings in 1952,...

Apr 4, 2016

Maxine L. Trucano McCurdy passed away quietly at her home in Billings, early Saturday morning, April 2, 2016, at the age of 90.

She and her identical twin sister Mildred were born on Nov. 28, 1925, to James and Adeline Visintainer Trucano on the homestead at Boyes. She and Mildred were delivered by their grandmother, Leona Barbero,...

Apr 4, 2016

Joel Steven Hale, treasured son, brother, uncle, and friend passed away unexpectedly Wednesday, March 30, 2016, from heart complications. Joel's presence filled any room he was in. He lived big and squeezed every moment out of his 48 years on Earth. Never one to shy away from the spotlight, Joel could be counted on for a crazy story, joke,...

Apr 4, 2016

Helen Snow Rogers Jamison, age 104, passed away on April 4, 2016, in Billings. She was born on Sept. 19, 1911, on her grandparents' farm near Beach, N.D., to Arthur and Mamie E. Snow, who had come to Montana to prove up on a homestead. After the untimely death of her father, the family lived in Tacoma, Wash., before...

Mar 31, 2016

Lenore Agnes Kobold Johnson was born Dec. 28, 1927, to Elmer "Slim" and Rose Kobold in Sheridan, Wyo. She was raised alongside five siblings on a ranch near Kirby, Mont., now Rosebud Battlefield State Park.

Lenore attended Big Bend School in Kirby and Johnson County High School in Buffalo, Wyo. At the age of 17, she set...

Mar 31, 2016

Jaxon John Edward Nelson was born on March 31, 2016, in Billings. He passed away on April 6, 2016, in Aurora, Colo.

In his short life, he touched many hearts and many people.

Jaxon was preceded in death by great-grandparents Richard Kehm, Ed Michael, Jessie and Lillian Nelson. Survivors include his mother, Kayla Nelson; grandparents...

Mar 27, 2016

Our mother and wife, Evelyn Viola Dyrud Morck, passed away quietly with a smile during the morning of the first day of Spring and Palm Sunday, March 20, 2016. Evelyn was born in Conrad to Adolph and Emily Dyrud on Dec. 6, 1933, fitting comfortably in the middle of a large Norwegian family. Along with her brothers and sisters,...

Mar 24, 2016

Mary "Lu" Schaenen, 86, passed away on March 24, 2016, in Rio Verde, Ariz. Lu was born on Dec. 8, 1929, and was raised and lived in Billings.

She is survived by her husband of 62 years, Dave Schaenen; daughter Diane Schaenen; grandson Justin Schaenen; and brother/cousin Kenneth Rambold.

Lu was a gracious, giving and...

Mar 24, 2016

Clarie N. Lehnen, age 85, a longtime resident of Billings, passed away on March 17, 2016. She was surrounded by her husband of 65 years, Myron, and two loving sons, Darrell and Dean. She passed away at Billings Clinic after a long illness.

Clarie was born July 29, 1929, at her parent's family farm near St. Phillips,...

Mar 24, 2016

In loving memory of a wife, mother and friend.

Mary Rita (Shotzi) Boland passed away on March 17, 2016, at RiverStone Health Hospice.

She was born the last of eight children, on Nov. 27, 1931, to Grover Cleveland Kelly and Hellen J. Sullivan Kelly in Casper, Wyo.

She moved to Billings at the...

Mar 24, 2016

Rita (Howard) Pulliam, 77, in the arms of angels, was delivered to the Lord on March 17, 2016, surrounded by her loving family.

Rita was born on Sept. 19, 1938, in Galt, Calif., to Harold and Addie Howard. She was the youngest of four children.

Rita grew up in Lockford, Calif., graduating from Lodi High...

Mar 24, 2016

Larry G. Jones, 75, of Billings, passed away on Wednesday, March 9, 2016, from complications due to a stroke. Larry was born on Oct. 9, 1940, to Ben and Neoma Jones, in Kansas.

He is survived by daughters Cami Kisling and Treni Nauman; grandson Cody Kisling; granddaughters Kayla and Keri Nauman; sister Vicky (Lynn) Dolven; brothers Jeff...

Mar 20, 2016

Millie was born on March 5, 1928, to Rado and Elinka Jovanovich in Bearcreek. Millie was a twin and the ninth of 12 children. She was very proud of her large family, her heritage and Bearcreek.

Millie has been dealing with dementia for at least the last four years. She could set down her forkand not recall...

Mar 19, 2016

Marjorie (Briggs) Halvorson, 99, passed away Tuesday evening, March 15, 2016, in Billings.

She was born on Sept. 18, 1916, in Conrad, to Paul and Anna (Cooper) Briggs. She graduated from Teton County High School in 1934. Marjorie and Walter Halvorson, originally of Cut Bank, were married on June 4, 1939 in Shelby. Shortly after their marriage,...

Mar 18, 2016

Frances McFerran, beloved wife, mother, grandmother and sister, passed away on March 16, 2016, due to multiple medical conditions.

Frances was born in Laurel on Nov. 2, 1931, to Floyd and Rose Cline. She graduated from Joliet High School and began working as a telephone operator. In the fall of 1949, she met Gene McFerran at the...

Mar 18, 2016

Monica Ehly Lang Van Elsen died Saturday, March 12, 2016. Our mother was 101 years old. She was born on Aug. 11, 1914, to German immigrants Kasimir Ehly and Katerina Schmidtz in Richardton, N.D.

From there, they moved to Montana in a hay wagon pulled by two "beautiful grey horses." The little family settled on the Powder...

Mar 17, 2016

Steven "Dutch" Petersen, 54, lost his battle with melanoma cancer at 8 p.m. on March 14, 2016, surrounded by his wife Tammy, daughter Stephanie and her fiancée Hailey and his niece Jennifer Hirsch.

Dutch entered the world in Billings on March 20, 1961, the fourth of eight children born to Allen and Marcia Petersen.

Once...

Mar 16, 2016

Devoted husband, father, grandfather, parts man and fisherman, Tony was a happy man who whistled through life. He passed away March 14, 2016, at the age of 82, after a very brief illness.

Born in Cohagen, Mont., in 1933, he grew up in Miles City and attended Sacred Heart and Custer High Schools. Tony was a born...

Mar 15, 2016

Mary Isabelle (Malia) Laird went to be with the Lord on Sunday, March 13, 2016.

Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Monday, March 21, at St. Pius X Church. There will be a prayer vigil at the church at 7 p.m. Sunday, March 20.

Mary was born in Butte on Sept. 22, 1931, the...