Obituaries

Mar 19, 2017

"A thick and shapeless tree trunk would never believe that it could become a statue, admired as a miracle of sculpture." - St. Ignatius

Lee E. Steiner, our loving patriarch, died on March 17, 2017, after a long life filled with great love.

Liberatus Exavier was born in the granary of his family's farm outside...

Mar 18, 2017

Kenneth was born in Dickinson, N.D., to Mildred and Charles Kostelecky. In his younger years, Ken would often, with his brothers, cause mischief and have run-ins with the local law enforcement for their silly boyish pranks and antics.

He was a sergeant in the U.S. Army and fought in the Vietnam War, where he earned a Purple...

Mar 18, 2017

Andrew G. Andrews, age 90, died Thursday, March 9, 2017, at home of natural causes.

"Andy," as he was more popularly known to his friends and family, was born in Duluth, Minn., to Marie Dovolos and Andreas Andricopoulos. After graduation, he joined the AirCorp during World War II, where he was an aerial gunner until the war...

Mar 16, 2017

ABSAROKEE/BILLINGS - Our dear father, grandfather and great-grandfather passed away peacefully into heaven on March 8, 2017. He was born on Aug. 23, 1915, in Pingree, N.D. Bill exceeded his goal of reaching 100. He met his wife Dora in 1933 at a barn dance in North Dakota, and they married in 1935. Bill, Dora and their two daughters...

Mar 15, 2017

Lilyth Sylvia Larson Finn, a longtime resident of Billings, passed away peacefully on Sunday, March 12, 2017, at the Canyon Creek Memory Care Facility in Billings, just four months shy of her 100th birthday. Lilyth was born on July 23, 1917, on the family farm near Sheyenne, N.D. She was the daughter of Peter and Mamie Larson. Her father...

Mar 13, 2017

Kaden Ryan Hafer left us way too soon on March 10, 2017. He touched so many lives in so many ways in his short time with us. Kaden was a kind, caring and loving soul who easily made friends with anyone, anywhere. His brilliant imagination helped him create amazing stories and beautiful artwork. He always loved making you laugh...

Mar 10, 2017

Ryan Patrick Murphy was born on June 28, 1971. Everyone but his sister Lea was excited he had finally arrived. Lea, with three brothers already, wanted a sister. Ryan, a boy, simply would not do.

That lasted until she met him. That first meeting was memorable. Back in those days, children, germ-laden as they were, were not...

Mar 10, 2017

Marsha Terry Selwyn, 74, passed away on March 8, 2017, at St. John's Nursing Home. Marsha was born in Brooklyn, N.Y., on June 2, 1942, to Rose and Louis Nodler. She graduated from Erasmus Hall High School in 1960 and married Jeff Selwyn in 1965. Inspired by the TV series "Little House on the Prairie," they moved from Long...

Mar 9, 2017

Marian Rose, 89, died Monday, March 6, 2017, at home of natural causes.

Marian Janice Geurkink was born July 8, 1927, in Forsyth, to Marion Geurkink and Beatrice Zent Geurkink. She lived in Hysham, graduating from high school in 1945. She attended Montana State College for two years.

She met the love of her life,...

Mar 8, 2017

On March 4, 2017, our sister, aunt and friend, Judy Lamb, passed away very suddenly and unexpectedly from a fall in her home.

Judith Lorraine Lamb was born May 3, 1949, in Sheridan, Wyo., to Jack and Betty Calkins Lamb, and was the oldest of four children. Judy grew up in Billings and graduated from Billings West...

Mar 8, 2017

Eben "Bud" Huntington, 88, passed away at home on March 7, 2017. He was born on Nov. 29, 1928, to Lloyd and Faith (Bolton) Huntington.

Bud was a lifelong rancher and had a love and appreciation of animals and the land. His family was of utmost importance to him.

Bud was preceded in death by...

Mar 7, 2017

Dr. Warren Daniel Bowman, Jr. M.D., a much-loved physician, ski patroller, mountaineer, outdoorsman and author, died on March 3, 2017. at his home in Billings. He was 87.

Warren was born on Jan. 4, 1930, in Richmond, Va., the first child of Dr. Warren D. and Olive Smith Bowman. He grew up in Washington, D.C., where his...

Mar 6, 2017

Joan Haiston O'Brien, 92, died Sunday, Oct. 2, 2016. Joan was an original member of the Billings Symphony Orchestra, for which she played the harp for 50 years before retiring in 2001. She loved the sound of the instrument and was often told, "You'll play first chair when you get to heaven." Joan had lived in Westpark Village since...

Mar 4, 2017

Iris Kline, 80, of Billings, passed away on March 4, 2017. She was born on Sept. 2, 1936, to Al and Margret Grensten. Iris grew up and attended school in Judith Gap, along with her two brothers, Allen and Earl Cunnington; and one sister, Sherri Perry.

After high school, she attended business school in Billings, where she...

Mar 2, 2017

LAUREL - Bill Thorndal, 74, of Laurel, died on Monday, Feb. 27, 2017, after an extended hospitalization. Bill was born in Fergus Falls, Minnesota, to Lucille and Herbert Thorndal. His mother contracted polio when he was a small boy and she spent the next 50 years confined to a wheelchair. This contributed to Bill's deep empathy for those facing...

Mar 2, 2017

On Friday, Feb. 24, 2017, Devin Kennedy played his drums for the last time, succumbing to respiratory failure, which cut short his musical life. Devin was born in Billings on June 18, 1987, during a lightning storm, which announced this beautiful soul to the world.

In middle school, Devin found his niche and passion for life when...

Mar 1, 2017

Ronald James Baldi passed away on Feb. 25, 2017.

Ron was born in 1929 in Denver, and adopted by parents Opal and Harry Bernstein. He married Jean Huddleston in 1946, and recently celebrated 71 years of marriage. Jean passed away Feb. 7, 2017, dying within three weeks of one another. As a young man, Ron worked at...

Feb 28, 2017

Ruth M. Maxfield, 82, passed away on Feb. 28, 2017, at Autumn Care Center in Billings.

She was born on Dec. 12, 1934, in Scottsbluff, Neb., to Elizabeth (Wombolt) and George Fox Sr. Ruth married Kinsey Maxfield in Billings on November 7, 1974. She worked as a waitress at Esquire Fine Foods, and was a member of...

Feb 24, 2017

Verne Lester McKinney passed away Monday, Feb. 20, 2017, after a battle with brain cancer. His wife of 14 years, Alice Johnson-McKinney, was at his side, along with close friends Martin and Shirley Schwend, and Frank and Sharon DeRudder.

Verne was the firstborn of four sons to Lester and Cordella McKinney, he was born May 30, 1934...

Feb 21, 2017

Dorothy Jean Huxley Davis, 90, of Billings, passed away from natural causes on Feb. 18, 2017.

She was born on Feb. 20, 1926, in Livingston, the daughter of Reverend Thomas L. Huxley and Anna Huxley. The family later moved to Lewistown, where she received her education, graduating from Fergus County High School in June 1944. Upon graduation,...