Obituaries

Jan 1, 2023

Leighton “Gus or Lee” Gustafson, 87, passed away at Bella Terra on Sunday, Jan. 1, 2023.

Lee/Gus was born Sept. 23, 1935, to Rev. Ervil and Helen Gustafson in Willmar, Minnesota. As the son of a small-town minister, he grew up in several midwestern towns, primarily in Nebraska. Lee earned a degree in Business Administration from the...

Dec 29, 2022

Steven Scott Giest was born on May 15, 1954, in Billings. He passed away on Dec. 29, 2022, at his home, the same home he was born in. He was the second born of four boys to Leon and Betty Giest. Steve’s lifetime was full of antics and adventures with his three brothers.

So many classic and...

Dec 27, 2022

Dr. Benjamin Thomas Marchello, known to many of his patients as “Gentle Ben,” passed away on Dec. 27, 2022, from cardiac complications.

He was born on July 7, 1947, to Dr. Albino J. and Virginia Marchello in Shreveport, Louisiana. He graduated from Billings Senior High (proud member, class of 1965), Dartmouth College and the University of Utah...

Dec 26, 2022

Betty May Hofstad, age 86, loving mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, great-great-grandmother and friend, passed away the morning of Dec. 26, 2022, at Billings Clinic.

Betty was born in Martin, North Dakota, to John and Martha Weisser on Oct. 7, 1936. She grew up on the family farms and attended rural schools. Eventually, Betty moved to Billings, but continued...

Dec 25, 2022

Mary Donna (Shamanoff) Frisby-Rambold died peacefully at the Vista, St. John’s Lutheran Home, on Dec. 25, 2022.

Donna was born in Lewistown in 1931 to immigrant parents William and Katherine Shamanoff. Donna’s parents, both Macedonian immigrants, landed in Bozeman and ran a popular cafe downtown. Donna and her sister Patty grew up above the cafe in the...

Dec 21, 2022

It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Janet Petsch Gartner on Dec. 21, 2022.

Janet was born on Jan. 21, 1945, in Riverton, Wyoming, to parents James “Jim” and Reita Petsch. She was joined by sisters Lois (1947) and Jeannie (1957), completing the family. Janet spoke fondly of her childhood years and the...

Dec 18, 2022

Kerry Hoffman, 75, of Billings, and formerly a longtime Williston, North Dakota resident, passed away early Sunday morning, Dec. 18, 2022, in his home in Billings.

A funeral will be held at 2 p.m. Tuesday, January 3rd, at Michelotti-Sawyers Mortuary, 1001 Alderson Ave. in Billings.

Kerry was born to Jack and Florence (Uerling) Hoffman in...

Dec 15, 2022

Ruth Violet Fuller was born May 15, 1929 in Roundup, MT to Grace Louise (Crosmer) and Peter Henry Haverkamp. She was younger sister to Ralph and elder to Peter.

Ruth graduated valedictorian in 1947 from Roundup High School and continued her schooling at University of Montana - Missoula to certify in education. She began her teaching career...

Dec 13, 2022

LaDean L. Wiebold

Teacher and Homemaker

LaDean Wiebold, of Billings, a teacher and homemaker, died on Dec. 13, 2022.

LaDean was born on Aug. 19, 1926, in Pilot Township, near the town of Williamsburg, Iowa. She was the daughter of Emil and Lucy Timmerman of Marengo, Iowa....

Dec 12, 2022

On Monday, Dec.12, 2022, Jeanette Davis, beloved grandmother, mother and friend, passed away at the age of 82, after a short battle with cancer.

Jeanette was born on June 12, 1940, in the state of Washington to Helen and Louis Menegas. After attending Holy Names Private Girls Academy, she embarked on the path to becoming a nun....

Dec 11, 2022

Jesus came and took our loving son, brother and friend home on Sunday, Dec. 11, 2022.

Craig was born to Ray and Alice Kolstad on July 16, 1955, in Billings, where he lived his whole life. He is the oldest of three sons that came a few years later.

Craig graduated from Billings Senior High...

Dec 11, 2022

Maurice Joseph Muth passed away early Sunday morning, Dec. 11, 2022, at the age of 84.

Mass of Christian burial will be at 11 a.m. Friday, Dec. 16, at Michelotti-Sawyers Mortuary, 1001 Alderson Ave. in Billings, with burial at Holy Cross Cemetery following. A luncheon will be offered following at the Billings Moose Lodge on Calhoun Lane....

Dec 10, 2022

Catherine “Cathy” Holland Obie passed away on Dec. 10, 2022, surrounded by her family, after a brief fight with a rare and aggressive cancer.

Cathy was born on Dec. 4, 1951, in Billings, to Jeremiah and Katherine Holland. Cathy attended schools in Rapid City, South Dakota, and Billings, graduating from Billings Central High School. She also attended...

Dec 7, 2022

Our rainbow baby Jesse Cole Wollmann was born Aug. 17, 2022, in Billings, and went to be with our Lord in heaven on Dec, 7, 2022.

Jesse was a vibrant little boy who had such an infectious smile and positive energy around everyone he met. He was a happy baby and had big blue eyes to melt...

Dec 5, 2022

Charles B. Nesbit, 95, passed away peacefully on Monday, Dec. 5, 2022. He was born in Poplar on Feb. 10, 1927. (Charles wrote most of his own obituary. “I wrote it at the same time I wrote my wife Betty’s,” he told a close friend, “because a part of me died back then.”)

Raised on a farm...

Dec 1, 2022

Ted Shinneman, our loving father and grandfather, sadly passed away on Dec. 1, 2022, at the age of 79, surrounded by his family.

Ted is survived by his children: his sons Sean and Chad (Lita), daughter Jennifer Witt (Kyle), and grandchildren Brandon, Courtney and Alexis.

He is predeceased by his parents John and Leora Shinneman...

Nov 28, 2022

Alice Gene Tower passed away peacefully on the evening of Nov. 28, 2022. She was surrounded by family members, friends and love. Alice was born on a kitchen table in Yale, Oklahoma, on Oct. 17, 1925, to Archer Dick Elliott and Della Frances Elliott. She married Emery Tower on Aug. 24, 1946. Alice graduated from Oklahoma A & M,...

Nov 27, 2022

Gene Cornell Erlenbush, 77, of Billings, was born in Mobridge, SD, to Gottlieb and Elsie Erlenbush. Gene passed away suddenly at his home Sunday, Nov. 27, 2022. He died peacefully in his sleep.

Gene was a car enthusiast. He used to drag race while in high school.

He graduated from Billings West High School and...

Nov 25, 2022

John D. Buck, 72, was born in Sistersville, West Virginia, on Nov. 23, 1950. He passed away Nov. 25, 2022, in Billings.

John graduated from Sisterville High School in 1969 and from The Art Institute of Pittsburgh with an associate’s degree in Interior Design. John was creative and talented. He worked for Neiman Marcus in Dallas, Texas,...

Nov 23, 2022

William Paul Brooks was born on March 7, 1931, in Chapman, Alabama. He was a taxi cab driver and movie projectionist during his school years and joined the U.S. Army after graduation. He served 30 years in the Army, rising to the rank of Chief Warrant Officer (CW4). Dad served in data processing during his career, implementing the first...