Obituaries

Sep 9, 2016

Steven "Steve" Robert Shinners passed away unexpectedly after a brief illness at the age of 65 on Sept. 6, 2016, in Billings.

Steve was born in Milwaukee, Wis., on June 15, 1951. He was a 1969 graduate of Brookfield East High School, Brookfield, Wis., and went on to attend Mankato College in Mankato, Minn., where he obtained...

Sep 4, 2016

Helen Ernestine "Erny" Teachout was born on Nov. 1, 1921, in Powell, Wyoming, to William S. and Sophia Lehman. She left this world on Aug. 31, 2016, to be with her husband and her Lord and Savior. Mom was the third of five children.

Mom was raised in the Lockwood/Billings area. She attended Pine Hills School, which...

Aug 31, 2016

Carol Ann Heald, 87, died after complications from a long-fought struggle with dementia. Carol was born on Aug. 17, 1929, to Elmer M. and Ferne M. Wheelock in Big Spring, Texas. Carol graduated from Centennial High School in Pueblo, Colorado, in 1945. In the fall, Carol attended Southern Methodist University in Dallas, where she met Tom Heald. They were...

Aug 31, 2016

Marci M. Krohn, 49, of Billings, passed away on Aug. 29, 2016, after a short, courageous battle with cancer. Marci was born on July 30, 1967, in Glendive, the first daughter of Marvin and Martha Ulrich. She was raised and educated in Glendive and, following high school, she continued her education at Dawson Community College, Dickinson State University (BA...

Aug 26, 2016

Richard G. Blotkamp, 59, of Billings, went to be with the Lord on Sunday, Aug. 21, 2016, one day shy of his 60th birthday. He peacefully passed with loved ones surrounding him at the Billings Clinic Hospital. Rich was the son of Richard and Elaine Blotkamp. Rich was born on Aug. 22, 1956, in Billings.

Rich graduated...

Aug 24, 2016

Arlene Hawkins, 80, passed away unexpectedly on the morning of Aug. 18, 2016. Arlene was born in Huntley, Montana to Reuben and Mollie Seibel. During her teenage years, Arlene enjoyed tap dance and teaching tumbling in the city recreational program and attended high school at Billings Senior High. Arlene met Cecil Hawkins and they were married in Hardin, Montana...

Aug 23, 2016

Alma (Walter) Bresnahan of Billings, went to meet the Lord on August 17th, 2016. She is preceeded in death by her husband, Robert; and daughters Lynne and Jan. Alma leaves behind her granddaughter, Crystal (Roy); great-granddaughter, Marina; great-great-grandchildren, Chris and Charlie; brother, Bill (Mona) Walters; and sister, Joan Walters. A private family service was held in Alma's honor.

Aug 20, 2016

Hazel Elnora Strobel passed away on Friday, Aug. 19, 2016, in Billings. She was born on Nov. 13, 1923, to Bertha Nerenz Shear and Earnest Ellsworth Shear in Mildred, Montana. She spent her early years in the small community of Calypso along the Yellowstone River in eastern Montana and later moved with the family to McIntosh, South Dakota. She...

Aug 19, 2016

Elizabeth "Betty" Wright Nelson, 98, passed away at her home on Aug. 10, 2016, surrounded by her loving family.

Betty was born in Billings on April 29, 1918, one of seven children born to Florence and Ralph Wright, who were homesteaders on Duck Creek. She married Stanley "Scoop" Nelson in 1936. They were married 55 years and,...

Aug 14, 2016

Johanne Lane Cuthbert Moser, our sweet and lively matriarch, passed away peacefully early Sunday morning, Aug. 7, 2016, in Billings. She was 90 years young, and her beautiful soul will be missed by all of us.

Johanne was born in New York City to Kathleen and George Cuthbert on May 18, 1926. She attended Newton High School...

Aug 14, 2016

Heaven gained an angel on Sunday morning, Aug. 14, 2016, when James passed away.

He is survived by his mother, Christine Resch; brother Richard (Heather); his sister, Janie; and his niece, Angela.

Visitation will be from 2 to 4 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 16, at Michelotti-Sawyers Mortuary, 1001 Alderson Ave., followed by cremation. The family will...

Aug 13, 2016

Francis "Frank" E. Dunning, age 89, of Billings, passed away on Aug. 9, 2016. He was born on May 2, 1927, in Ashland.

He served his country in the U.S. Navy and worked for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, retiring in 1983.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Virginia, of 48 years. He...

Aug 11, 2016

Constance "Connie" McVeigh Hertz passed away on Aug. 8, 2016, from the results of Alzheimer's, with her loving husband Jim (Jimmy) Hertz by her side.

She was born on May 28, 1936, to Hiram McVeigh and Velma Swift Ramirez in Memphis, Tennessee. In 1945, when she was in the third grade, her parents moved her and her...

Aug 4, 2016

Marie was born on Oct. 13, 1922, on a small farm at Alpha, N.D. Her parents were Victoria and John Knopp. Marie graduated from Sentinel Butte High School in 1940. She moved to Billings and attended Billings Business College. Marie married Fred "Fritz" Kautz on Dec. 14, 1941. This couple farmed and ranched west of Billings. Four children were...

Aug 3, 2016

Listen, my son, accept what I say, and the years of your life will be many. Proverbs 4:10

On July 30, 2016, our beloved father, grandfather, Poppie, dedicated man of faith was embraced by his eternal Father in the warmth of his Heavenly Kingdom.

After a full hip replacement in January 2016, Dick had a...

Aug 3, 2016

William Gene "Bill" Erdmann, 79, died peacefully at home on July 23, 2016. He was born on Aug. 5,1936, in Golden Valley, N.D., to William Fredrick and Wilhelmina (Miller) Erdmann. He was the youngest and only son born to a family with four sisters.

Bill and his parents traveled from Golden Valley to Billings in the 1940s...

Aug 2, 2016

Clayton Frederick Grabinski passed into eternal peace and rest on July 28, 2016.

He was born at his home in Sauk Rapids, Minn., to Edward and Ida Grabinski, the youngest of six. He married Joan Larson on Aug. 24, 1957, and raised his four children and two of his wife's young sisters, Pam and Deb, in Forest...

Aug 2, 2016

Elayne Cannon Bishop passed away after a short illness on Sunday, July 24, 2016, after many years at Grand Park Assisted Living Faculty.

She was born on Dec. 6, 1924, to Inga and Earl Penne. Elayne was proud of her many years of service as a Pink Lady at St. Vincent Hospital, as well as crocheting many...

Jul 30, 2016

Dorothy Ayre was born in 1919 to Louis and Agnes Gagermeier in Glendive. She graduated from high school in 1936. She and her best friend, Betty Schultz, were "twice double-promoted." While working for the telephone company, she attended Dawson Community College the year that college opened. She married her high school sweetheart, Robert Ayre. They were parents to 11...

Jul 30, 2016

Lorene L. Keefe, 102, of Billings, passed away Monday morning, July 25, 2016, at Valley Health Care Center. The daughter of James and Edith Laurie, Lorene was born in Dietz, Wyo., on Dec. 19, 1913.

As a young child, Lorene's family moved to Klein, where she graduated from high school. Following graduation, Lorene attended Eastern Montana College...