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Russell E. Cone

| February 22, 2007 12:00 AM

ST. IGNATIUS — Russell E. Cone, 85, went to be with the Lord, Monday, Feb. 12, 2007.

Born in Bloomfield, Ohio, on May 11, 1921, to Archie and Edna (Woodruff) Cone, he was raised and educated in Ohio before joining the US Army and serving in WWII.

He and his wife Lois were foster parents to over 50 infants, raising them from birth until adoption.

Russell was a maintenance man working as a mechanic or carpenter, and loved the many jobs he had throughout his life. He retired from Sun Air Electronics in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., where he was affiliated with the maintenance department for 25 years.

Russell was active in the St. Ignatius Alliance Church where he helped establish the Christian Lending Library of St. Ignatius. He also helped establish the Willis A Boughton Library in Ft. Lauderdale, along with The First United Methodist Church of Okeechobee, Fla., which honored both Russell and his wife by naming their library The Lois and Russell Cone Church Library.

Russell is survived by his wife of 60 years Lois (Hummell); children Leta (Roy) Sasser, grandchildren Tania (Robert) Bachman and their children Connor and Jacob, Jayme Sasser, LeAnne (Jeremy) Sasser-Collins and children Alissa and Elijah and Christopher (Sequoia) Sasser and their children Anteries, Athena, and LiVanna and David (Mary) Cone and child Thomas Hiles. Russell will be greatly missed by all who knew him.

A combination church/memorial service will be held Sunday, Feb. 25th at the St. Ignatius Missionary Alliance Church at 10:30, followed by a covered dish dinner.

The family asks memorials be made to the local Christian Lending Library at the St. Ignatius Church.

Ruth L. Marshall

ST. IGNATIUS — Former St. Ignatius resident, Ruth L. Marshall, 82, died Feb. 9, 2007, in Phoenix following a short illness.

Ruth was born Nov. 16, 1924, to George and Bertha (Ulmer) Meyer in Hebron, N.D. She married F.W. “Jack” Marshall on Sept. 23, 1942. They resided in Bozeman and Ennis for the following nine years.

In 1951, they moved to St. Ignatius and purchased Marshall Chevrolet, where they remained until 1972. The following two years they spent with Mayflower Van Lines, seeing the entire USA. In 1974, they settled in Phoenix, where Jack died in 1976.

They following year Ruth began working as a bookkeeper at Quick’s Music Store, where she remained until her retirement in 1995. She worked as a volunteer at the Washington Adult Center, in Phoenix, until a few months ago.

Her two daughters survive her: Sandra (Wes) MacDonald of Polson, and Linda (Daryl) Way of Spokane; her granddaughter Traci (Darrin) Reid, and her great-grandsons, Carter and Collin Reid of Missoula.

Memorials may be made to Hospice of the Valley, 1510 E. Flower, Phoenix, AZ 85014 or a charity of your choice. At her request, no services are planned.

Glenn Kerr

DRAYTON, N.D. — Glenn Kerr, 82, of Drayton died at his home Jan. 19, 2007.

He was born Sept. 4, 1924, in Missoula to Leona and Dixie (Dick) Kerr of Moiese. He attended elementary school at North Moiese and high school at Charlo, where he graduated in 1943.

He served in the U.S. Army. After military service, Glenn studied at the University of Montana for a year. In 1950, he was hired by the American Crystal Sugar Co. in Missoula as an agriculturist fieldman.

He continued working for American Crystal for 41 years, moving to Othello, Wash.; Clarksburg, Calif.; Rocky Ford, Colo.; and lastly Drayton, N.D.

Glenn married Janet Mattix of Charlo in 1950, and they had three children, Brent, Nina and Blaine.

In 1965, he married Vickie Helen Gleed and they raised a foster daughter, Trudy Carol Beck. Vickie died in 1980. In 1983, he married Shirley Jonasson-Bill. Glenn married Alice Anderson-Kerr in May 1999 in Drayton. Alice died in June 2005.

Survivors include a daughter, Nina Jackson of Billings; son, Blaine Jackson of Bellingham, Wash.; brothers, Gene Kerr of Salem, Ore., and Dick Kerr of Moiese; and several nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents; a son, Brent Jackson; brothers, Ralph Kerr and Charles Kerr; and wives, Vickie Kerr and Alice Anderson-Kerr of Drayton.

Funeral services were held Jan. 24 in the Skjeberg Lutheran Church in rural Drayton.

George T. Blood, Jr.

ST. IGNATIUS — Our beloved George was born on Feb. 23, 1939, in Polson and passed away surrounded by his family Feb. 16, 2007, at St. Patrick Hospital in Missoula.

He was a devoted father, husband and grandfather; and a very kind and caring man. He was loved by all those he knew and his kindness was matched only by his stubbornness.

He is survived by his wife Janis; brothers Louis and Charlie; sisters Joanne, Gloria and Patti; children Gigi, Rob, George and Audrey; numerous grandchildren, nieces and nephews; and one great-grandchild.

George served 20 years in the US Army, including duty in Vietnam and across the United States.

He retired in 1981, to raise his children in his home valley, where he worked for the irrigation project as a ditch rider until his retirement in 1993.

He was always well-loved by his friends and neighbors and will be greatly missed.

Church services were held Feb. 19 at the St. Ignatius Catholic Church.

Interment was in the Snyelmn Sntmtmne, where military honors were presented.

Adelaide Paul Abraham Mathias

DAYTON — Our most cherished elder Atliyi moved to the next world surrounded by her family Feb. 12, 2007. Born in Dayton on Oct. 14, 1910, she was the only child of Lizette Pierre and Peter Paul Abraham. Atliyi, also known as Adeline, was a highly respected leader and the eldest of the Ktunaxa Nation. To Alqsmaknik (the People), she graced this earth as One Woman, a matriarchy of the Ktunaxa.

She lived a most extraordinary life and mesmerized us with vivid accounts of historical events, recounting every detail of names, places and origins. This phenomenal woman was a product of a strict traditional upbringing rooted in Catholic belief. Catholicism was brought to her family from Big Canoe, who accompanied Father Desmet into the region, and his son Chief Eneas Paul Big Knife began the lineage of chieftainships for Ksanka.

Honesty was her best quality, almost to a fault. As her first language, Kootenai translated into English is very precise and she did not mince words. As a disciplinarian of her people she would openly remind authorities and primarily her grandchildren that she expected better.

Honesty came natural because her family made commitments and bound their words through red tobacco and a pipe.

Atliyi joins the ancestors, her parents: Peter Paul and Lizette Abraham; husband, Michel Mathias; lifelong husband, Alec Lefthand; sons, Barney, Patrick and Joseph Mathias; brother, Camille Kenmille; grandsons Duane Albert and Joseph Mathias Jr.; granddaughter, Tony Girl Mathias; great-grandson Jeremy Stiffarm, and best friend Marianne Michel.

She leaves behind daughters: Margaret Mathias Friedlander and son-in law, Kenneth Friedlander, Sr., Dayton, Amelia Grant of Ronan, Edna Lefthand of Polson, Patricia Hewankorn of Dayton; sons, Wain (Cheryl Ann) Lefthand and Kenny Lefthand of Elmo; sisters, Oshanee Kenmille of Pablo, Helen Charlo of Elmo and Louise Abraham of Bonners Ferry, Idaho; grandchildren Kenneth (Charlene) Friedlander, Joe (Mary) Friedlander, Velda (Bruce) Shelby, Tamara Hamel and Talu (Gracie) Sam, all of Pablo; Karen Friedlander and Mike McCuistion, Otis Orchards, Wash., Cyndi Iron Cloud of Spokane, Rhonda Friedlander and Ted Bessette of Omak, Wash., Jon (Debra) Mathias of St. Ignatius, Lois Friedlander and Dave Johnson of Dayton, Kym Mathias of Pasadena, Calif., Gina Johnson of California; numerous great-grandkids and great-great-grandkids.

She became a second mother to Octave Finley, Bear Bear Malatare, Howard Michel, Terry Jack, Gabe Pierre, Levi Big Beaver and was grandmother to all who claimed her.

At age 7, she spoke her first English word, mispronouncing “walla” for water. She was fluent in Latin from Catholic prayer, completing her formal education at the Sisters of Charity Ursulines in St. Ignatius where she medaled in choir.

As a young woman, she was employed as a jockey in area fairs, ran a sawmill with her father and husband, worked a horse ranch, served as a powwow policewoman, harvested seasonal fruit from the Bitterroot to the Yakima valleys and supported her family through tanning buckskins and exquisite beadwork. As a master tanner and beader, she applied the traditional techniques and designs of her grandmothers in cradleboards, moccasins, dresses, purses, and other apparel.

Atliyi enjoyed hunting, huckleberrying, gathering roots, ice fishing and preparing traditional foods. She was the most powerful vocalist of her people because she believed that singing expressed spirituality and she was grateful to be apart of this glorious world. She was an avid stickgame player and enjoyed poker and waluks. She became a fixture at local casinos playing keno and bingo usually going for broke to win a big jackpot so she could stake all her friends. It was never about the money, just enjoying the company of family and friends. She was employed by the Kootenai Culture Committee to the time of her passing.

Adeline expected the best of her people and spent endless hours teaching all that she knew. Atliyi was the epitome of a compassionate Kootenai woman and while very few met her standards, in her aura we all walked a little taller and tried a little harder. She will be missed by the many close friends, caregivers and relatives from throughout the Northwest

Mass of Christian Burial was held on Feb. 16 in the Elmo Hall followed with burial at the Dayton Cemetery. Arrangements were under the direction of Grogan Funeral Home, Polson.

Goldie Leone Brondum Knuppel

ST. IGNATIUS — Goldie Leone Brondum Knuppel, 88, died of natural causes Thursday, Feb. 8, 2007, at her residence in St. Ignatius. No services will be held at her request. Cremation has taken place and her ashes will be scattered at a later date. Garden City Funeral Home and Crematory assisted the family with the arrangements.

She was born Jan. 28, 1919, at home to James and Emma Brondum in Coleharbor, N.D. In 1924, when she was five years old, they moved to a ranch in Potomac. Goldie attended Potomac School and graduated from Missoula County High School in 1938. She worked for her room and board at West Riverside so she could attend school.

In 1938 Goldie married Charles F. Knuppel in Hamilton and was married to him for 45 years until his death in October 1983.

Both she and her husband were hard workers. They cleared land for meadows up Wallace Creek at Clinton with a team of horses and plowed the fields to establish a ranch. They built two log barns by hand in the early 1940s, which still stand today. They moved to Arlee and ranched there until retiring and then moved to St. Ignatius in 1975.

Goldie loved the outdoors, hunting, fishing, sewing and canning. Her rose garden and flowers were admired by all. She was imitated but never duplicated on her growing abilities, especially roses, and she always had a very beautiful rose garden, admired by all who saw it.

Goldie was an officer in the Marshall and Mary Foundation, which was created to help people who were blind and deaf.

She is survived by one son, Charles F. Knuppel of Arlee; grandson Charles L. Knuppel and great-granddaughter Kinsey R. Knuppel of Columbia Falls.

She was preceded in death by her parents, James and Emma Brondum; and four brothers, Ernest, Martin, Charlie and Marshall Brondum.

Goldie was a loving mother, grandmother and great-grandmother and will be missed by all who knew her. She was a very proud woman and an inspiration for all of us.

Dawn Raymond Mitchell Alexander

ARLEE — Dawn Raymond Mitchell Alexander, 44, joined the Ancestors on Sunday, Feb. 18, at her home in Arlee.

A descendant of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribe, she was born in Butte to Clifford and Delores Raymond. She returned to the Reservation as a young adult and married Don Mitchell. Later she married Louie Alexander. She was a loving mother and wife and will be dearly missed by her family and friends.

She leaves behind her special friend Rory Couture; sons Donald Isadore (wife Sashay Camel) and Danny and daughter Tashina Rene; a sister Deanne Milanie and brothers Bill and Jim; granddaaughter Rickisha Bear, and a large extended family of in-laws and friends.

The funeral services are Friday morning at the Arlee Community Center. Burial will follow in the Jocko Cemetery.

Paul Collins

ANCHORAGE, Alaska — Paul Wayne Collins, 54, passed from this world to a better place for him on Feb. 9, 2007, in Anchorage, Alaska, after a lengthy illness.

Paul was born Oct. 6, 1952, in Hot Springs.

He was the youngest child born to Stewart R. "Slim" Collins and Mary Eleanor Frolin Collins. Paul attended Ronan and Polson schools.

He joined the US Army in 1970, served a tour in Vietnam and ended his military career in Anchorage. He had resided there since that time.

Preceding him in death were his father Slim and an infant son, Thomas Wayne Collins.

Paul is survived by his mother Mary Collins of Ronan; siblings Jack Collins of Ronan, Neil Collins (Donna) of Ronan, Nancy Williams (Pat) of Ronan and Judy VanNess (Robin) of Pablo.

Also surviving are his children, David Collins (Mandy) of Missoula, Ben of Missoula, Sara (Aaron) Johnston of Anchorage and Josh Collins of Anchorage; grandchildren Spencer Collins, McKale Collins, Jaden Collins, Austin Collins and Shaiann Collins.

Many thanks go to Paul’s friends in Anchorage who cared for him, Scott Eaton and Mike Bosworth and others.

The Rev. Karen McRae will officiate at services at the Mission Valley United Methodist Church on Post Creek Hill on Saturday, Feb. 24, at 1 p.m., with military honors to follow at the church. A reception will be held at the church Fellowship Hall after the service.

Melton David 'Monty' Montgomery, Jr.

POLSON — Melton David "Monty" Montgomery, Jr., was born Aug. 2, 1922, to Melton David Montgomery, Sr., and Evelyn Louise McAlister Montgomery in Riverton, Wyo. His first six years of life were spent in various small towns until his parents moved to Polson, where he resided throughout his school years and early adulthood.

His parents lived in Polson until their senior years then lived next door to Monty in Missoula after a short stay in California. His first Polson home was next door to his lifelong sweetheart and future wife, Ethel (J.F. and Olive) McAlear Montgomery. This began a friendship and love that lasted 75 years and 62 years of marriage.

Monty was a hard working young man who loved and helped his parents. His first job was for the McAlear Dairy, as was many local children, with Ethel's uncle Earl. Monty learned charity and a life-long feeling for others less fortunate from Earl who often told his youthful workers to leave milk for families despite them having no milk money, because they had little ones. Monty began working for Mallory's Market at age 12 before and after school until he graduated from Polson High School in 1942.

He was a good student and an outstanding all-star athlete. He led Polson teams to state championships in most of the years he played basketball, football, and track. He loved to ice skate, but his greatest love was hunting and fishing. In later years, as Monty and Ethel flew to visit a daughter on Alaska Airlines, a flight attendant saw them holding hands and asked how long they had been married: the answer, 56 years. She then asked about their long and happy marriage and Monty promptly said "It's because we hunt and fish together." She brought them drinks "on the house."

Monty served in the U.S. Navy in WWII, training as a pilot in many bases in the Midwest. He married Ethel at the height of the war, Aug. 29. 1944, while she was in training at MSU as a Cadet Nurse. After his honorable discharge, they resided in Mt. Vernon, Wash., and then moved to Spokane where Monty attended Kinnman Business College.

In 1946, Ethel and Monty returned to their beloved Polson with two infants. Two more daughters were born at the old Hotel Dieu Hospital where Ethel was sometimes called to her nursing career. Monty ran the Union 76 station on Main Street and later the Texaco station on Highway 93 at the bridge. They had many friends and a lively social life, with Monty a lifelong member of the BPOE and Ethel in Eastern Star. Monty was always a cheerful, friendly, good businessman who looked out for his customers and his workers, who were also lifelong friends.

After a time, Ethel and Monty left Polson for Billings, Denver and Spokane. Monty worked for General Motors, Asbestos Manhattan and lastly Bearing and Rim Supply of Spokane. Throughout these years, every holiday was spent in Polson and part of each summer at the McAlear cabin on Flathead Lake. He was very happy when Bearing and Rim opened a store in Missoula and he and family were able to return to their beloved Montana.

After his and Ethel's retirement, he enjoyed hunting and fishing with his wife, daughter Pam, son-in-law, grandsons and his best friend Chuck Dixon.

Monty and Ethel celebrated their 60th Anniversary in Polson in 2004 with over 120 friends and family. Monty lived a full and rich life with his beloved daughters, grandsons and two great-grandsons. He was close to his only sister, Eva Lou Moran of Ronan, as well as his nieces and nephews.

Monty was a fair and honest man in all of his dealings, loved his family and friends, worked hard his entire life, and loved nature and Montana. He had a short illness, which he managed as he did his life, with dignity and humor.

He will be missed by those he left behind, his beloved best friend and wife of 62 years, Ethel McAlear Montgomery; daughters Karen Kay Dunwell (Keith) of Wiltshire, England, Connie Jean Potter (Murray) of Las Cruces, N.M., Pamela Marie Ebel (Fred) of Missoula, and Theresa Faye Jones of Bamberg, Germany; grandsons Jess and Chuck Ebel of Missoula, Mike Ebel (Heidi) of Salem, Ore., and David Jones (Julie) of Chickasha, Okla. Monty was especially happy with his great-grandsons Benjamin (Mike and Heidi Ebel) and Scott (David and Julie).

A memorial service was held Feb. 17 in the Polson Community Church, with military honors following at the church.

Condolences can be sent to Ethel at the Village at Community Hospital where she is currently recovering from heart failure. Any donations can be made to the Polson-Flathead Historical Museum, founded by Ethel's father, J.F. "Fay" McAlear.

Condolences may also be sent to the family at www.groganfuneralhome.com

Dheryl Lee Walton

ARLEE — Dheryl Lee Walton, better known as "Angel," from Arlee and New York died on Sunday, Feb. 11, 2007. She is survived by Eddie Maestas, her husband of 10 years, and close friends, Paul and Joy Grier, Pastor Corey Tilroe, Debbie Melvin, and Vail, and many other friends and acquaintances. A private burial in the Jocko Valley Cemetery is planned in the spring.

Foster & Dugeloh Funeral Home of St. Ignatius handled the arrangements.

Robert 'Rob' Norbert Jensen

ST. IGNATIUS — Robert "Rob" Norbert Jensen, 43, of St. Ignatius, had been missing since Oct. 15, 2005. His remains were recovered Jan. 30, 2007.

Rob was born in Ronan on Sept. 22, 1962. He grew up in Ronan and attended the Seventh Day Adventist Church School, later graduating from Auburn Academy in Washington state.

Some of Rob's interests were barefoot waterskiing, water skiing, snow skiing, brain tanning hides, and ranchwork. He was a small business owner with cars and property. He loved flying hang gliders even though he witnessed the traumatic death of his dad while hang gliding together.

Rob met his future wife, Mary Lynn Callander in Washington. They later moved to Montana in the spring of 1991. They were together for 21 years. To this marriage they were blessed with their only child, Robert Andrew Christopher, better known as "Bobby," born Dec. 22. 1962. He is in ninth grade at Mission High School.

He is survived by his loving wife Mary; son Bobby; is sadly missed by his grandma Phyllis; mother Gabriel; sister Jacequeline; aunts, uncles, cousins and numerous friends.

A memorial service is still pending.

We would like to thank you for your love, prayers and support at this time.

George W. Sharp

ST. IGNATIUS - On the morning of Friday, Feb. 16, 2007, George W. Sharp, 72, of St. Ignatius entered into eternal life after a brief bout with cancer.

George was born in Polson to Alice (Landergreen) and Charle Sharp on Aug. 9, 1934. He was a member of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes and raised on the Flathead Reservation. George attended school in Dixon and at the Ursuline Academy in St. Ignatius. As a young adult he served our country in the U.S. Navy.

George participated in many significant historical events during his life. He helped build the Space Needle in Seattle for the 1962 World's Fair and helped get the Alaska pipeline across Canada in the 1970s. George had a reputation as a competent captain and piloted huge fishing boats from Seattle to Alaska prior to their departure for six months at sea. His passion for boats was also evident with his spic-n-span Bayliner which, accompanied by his many friends, he launched into Flathead Lake every summer.

The outdoors was George's place of comfort and he could often be found fishing, hunting, driving in the mountains, and picking mushrooms for his culinary creations. He was a very talented architect and had designed the old Heidelhaus in Missoula. George enjoyed landscaping and practiced this art while living in Seattle. Comments were often heard that he had the best-looking yard in Indiantown.

George had a knack for making a living doing things he loved. He was a regular stickgame player and rarely missed the Arlee Powwow. He was quite famous for his story telling and had several books in progress. George enjoyed his many friends, and as a compassionate man, his home was open to many people, friends old and new, who were in need.

George was preceded in death by his parents and siblings, Gebuck (Kenneth) Ahlborn, Helen Morrison, Joyce Lozeau, Carl Luddington, John Sharp and Delores Slawson.

He is survived by his sisters, Geraldine (Billy) Larsen and Esther Baylor; brother, Daryl Lozeau; the mothers of his children, Naett Sharp and Ann Masten; six children, 16 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren. His children include Jero Sharp, Jera Stewart, John (Kathleen) Sharp, Joan Sharp, Fawn (Daniel) Malvini and Fran (Carol) Cahoon. George's grandchildren are Alyssa (Ryan) Schock, Jaci (Chad) Agustin, Sydney Allard, Kelsey Sharp, Nathan Sharp, Javan Jordon, Emerald Zuri Green, Daniel Malvini Jr., Cristy (Rick) Mitchell, Heather Cahoon (Jesse King), Francis (Katie) Cahoon, Jody (Juan) Perez, Eldon (Jessie) Cahoon, Daniel Cahoon, Brian Cahoon and Kelsey (Mike) Hansen. George's great-grandchildren are Dylan Schock, Melissa Mitchell, Tyler Mitchell, Michael Mitchell, Megan Mitchell, Amy Mitchell, Olivia Perez, Jonathon Perez, Robert Perez and Sierra Perez.

Mass being held Feb. 20 in the St. Ignatius Catholic Mission. Interment was in the Pleasant View Cemetery where military honors were presented.

Foster & Durgeloh Funeral Home of St. Ignatius was in charge of arrangements.