Obituaries

Mar 19, 2015

Marie E. Barnes, 86, of Bighorn, Mont., passed away Thursday morning, March 19, 2015, at Rosebud County Respite Care, Forsyth, where she was given comfort while she said goodbye to the family. She was born north of Custer at her parents' home near Pineview, the daughter of Jens and Alma Nielson. Marie's early school years were at the country...

Mar 18, 2015

James Phillip Wittmer, 65, of Billings passed away March 18, 2015. His Golden heart stopped beating after a long courageous battle with cancer. Jim passed away at home surrounded by his loving family, being a born again Christian, he went to be with his savior Jesus Christ. Jim was born January 7, 1950 to Harold and Caroline Wittmer. He...

Mar 16, 2015

Norman L. "Norm" Sulenes, 95, of Billings, died on March 16, 2015 in Kihei, Maui, Hawaii.

The son of Arthur and Minnie Sulenes, he was born in Minneapolis on Dec. 22, 1919. He was raised and educated in Minneapolis, serving in WWII with the U.S. Navy in the Pacific during the invasion of Okinawa, and part of...

Mar 15, 2015

Harold William Grusing, of Billings, passed away peacefully, surrounded by his loving family, at St. Vincent Hospital, on Saturday, March 7, 2015, after a hard-fought battle with pneumonia. Harold was born in Lakin, Kan., on Oct. 8, 1937, to Louis and Mildred Grusing. He had three children from an early marriage: Doug, Kevin and Steve. He met the love...

Mar 11, 2015

Our beloved father and grandfather, Elmor James Adkins, 88, passed peacefully into eternity at 12:28 a.m. on March 11, 2015. Born into the most humble and humbling of circumstances, Dad built, in the words of one grandson, "a legacy without price in value and without end in duration." Over the course of his life, he was a U.S. Air...

Mar 10, 2015

Vada Mercer Pitchford completed her earthly journey on March 8, 2015. She was born in Sherman, Texas, on Nov. 2, 1920, the daughter of Sallie (Legate) and Ernest F. Mercer. She was united in marriage with Louis C. Pitchford, Jr., in 1955 and spent her life loving God, her family and her friends. She is preceded in death by...

Mar 8, 2015

Oliver Victor Stark earned his angel’s wings on March 8, 2015, after a valiant struggle against medical odds. He was born September 14, 1940, in Billings, MT to Edith and Oliver Stark, both of whom preceded him in death. Oliver married the love of his life, Karen Schwartz, on November 23, 1961, and their love shone for 53 years....

Mar 7, 2015

Mom and Dad are together again Lawrence Farnsworth Small, Sr. died on Sunday, March 1, 2015. Here, in his own words, are his remembrances of his life: Lawrence F. Small Sr. was born in Bangor, Maine, on Dec. 30, 1925, the youngest son of Maine educator Irving W. and Geneva M. Small. Family included three brothers and his maternal...

Mar 6, 2015

Catherine (Schafnitz) Jones passed away March 2, 2015, in her home, surrounded by her loving family. Catherine was 98 years old (or 97 years, depending on which birthday is used). She was born on Aug. 12, 1916 (or May 25, 1917), in Dickinson, N.D. No matter what date is celebrated, Mom delighted in having "two birthdays" parties a year...

Mar 1, 2015

Helen Marie Driscoll, 89, of Billings, passed away peacefully on Thursday, Feb. 19, 2015, with family at her side. Helen was born on Dec. 20, 1925, to William and Miriam Hayes in Brooklyn, N.Y. Helen was a big city girl who fell in love with Big Sky Country. Raised in New York City, Helen spent her summers on a...

Mar 1, 2015

Carla Jean Schmidt died on Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2015, at St. Vincent Hospital. Carla was born on Nov. 30, 1949, in Salt Lake City, to Carl and Maude Swanson. She was their only child. Her father was in the service, and it was during Carla's early years that she grew to love traveling. In 1968, Carla married Steven Sandahl....

Feb 28, 2015

Rosalen "Joy" Leavitt, beloved wife of Robert LaVerne Leavitt (deceased 11-16-14) for over 54 years, loving mother of Jerry, Russell and Tom, passed away in peace at 7 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 28, 2015. She is survived by her brother, Walter Wark, and preceded in death by her brother Daniel Wark, mother Margaret and father Frank Wark. She is survived...

Feb 27, 2015

Charles Albert Pedersen was born in Chicago, Ilinois on Sept 10, 1917, the second of four children born to Norwegian immigrant parents, Selmer and Karen Pedersen. Before two years of age he had contracted polio which left him with a crippled leg, but his mother refused the prescribed brace so that he would learn to walk on his own....

Feb 24, 2015

Griffin came into our lives so quickly, and she left us even faster.

Griffin was born on Valentine's Day, 2015, at 26 weeks. She spent most of her life in the loving care of the Billings NICU nurses. On Feb. 24, they made the tough decision to send her to the Children's Hospital in Denver, where she...

Feb 24, 2015

Lois Anne Klunder passed away February 19, 2015 at her Billings home, after a long battle with COPD. Her family was at her side. Lois was born on December 27th 1934 to Ershel and Venetta Boyce in Idaho Falls, Idaho. She went to college at the University of Idaho where she met and married her late husband Bill L....

Feb 22, 2015

Our beloved George passed away Sunday, February 15th, at Riverstone Hospice Cottage with his daughter by his side. He was surrounded with family and friends in the week prior to his passing. He went to be with our Lord peacefully while listening to beautiful harp music.

He was born to Ira Ward Snider and Alta “Marie” Hathaway...

Feb 18, 2015

Emery James Wetzel was born to Emery and Mary Wetzel on November 25, 1934 in Billings.

Emery lived a life marked by consistent faithfulness. Above all, he strived to do all things to the glory of God as he followed his savior, Jesus Christ. He always was an active participant in his church and served as choir...

Feb 17, 2015

Maeona Esther Weldon Smith passed away at home, surrounded by her loving family, on Saturday, Feb. 14, 2015.

She was born on May 16, 1923, on the Weldon Homestead in Blue Creek, Mont. She was the daughter of Orville and Elizabeth Weldon. Maeona was raised on the family ranch with her five brothers and sister. Her elementary...

Feb 15, 2015

William Richard Meinhardt passed away peacefully on Feb. 12, 2015, shortly after suffering a massive stroke.

Bill, the youngest of six children, was born on Oct. 25, 1928, on the family homestead property near Bridger to proud German immigrants. He was preceded in death by his parents, brothers and sisters. He is survived by his wife and...

Feb 11, 2015

Jill Diane Card, 76, of Billings, passed away peacefully on Feb. 11, 2015, at Billings Health & Rehabilitation Community.

Jill was born on June 5, 1938, to Howard and Viola "Peachy" Card. Jill is preceded in death by her parents and sister Joanne Card.

Jill's memory will live on in the hearts of her family:...