Margery Miller Hilton
Former St. Ignatius resident Margery Miller Hilton, 85, of Bigfork, Lakeview Care Center, died peacefully, Jan. 12, 2007, accepting her new path with grace.
Margery lived a life of passion. She loved her family, ranching, gardening, and teaching.
She was the wife of Everett Hilton, who preceded her in death along with a grandson, T.J., son of James and Shirley Hilton. The couple raised six children in St. Ignatius.
They were both involved in the community of St. Ignatius. Margery took pride in the Senior Center along with her involvement in the Garden Club. She was most passionate when it came to the St. Ignatius Methodist Church.
As a young girl her parents sold their ranch in Choteau. She grew up in the Missions and married, only to be told that she should not have any children as she had a hole between the chambers of her heart and would not survive to raise children.
Around 1967 Margery was one the first to have and survive open heart surgery and live to raise six children.
Margery is survived by Marilyn and Gorden Bradley, their children, Jeremy, Chrissy, and Jennifer; James and Shirley Hilton, their daughter Korrie; Ezequil Bautisa, father to Margery’s great- grandchildren, Shanae and Jathaneil; Ken and Lori Hilton, their children, Ryan, Janelle and Tyler; Larry and Lou Ann Hilton, their children, Russell and Kimberly; Dave Hilton; Evelyn Jeannatte, her children, Dave and Joe; brother and his wife, Don and Jo Miller; sister and her husband, Dorthy and Howard Varnum; many nieces and nephews; family and friends.
Margery will be missed by her family and the family she became a part of at the Lakeview Care Center. No services are planned at this time. Memorials may be sent to the St. Ignatius School District for the Scholarship Fund.
Johnson Mortuary and Crematory was in charge of arrangements.
Marteen Burns
PABLO — Marteen Helen “Ispitaki” Burns, 47, a homemaker and social service counselor, died Thursday, Jan. 18, 2007, from injuries sustained in an auto accident north of St. Ignatius on U.S. Highway 93.
A traditional Native American funeral service was held Jan. 22, at the Old Eagle Shields Community Center in Browning followed by interment at the Schildt Family Cemetery northwest of Browning.
Survivors include her husband, Marvine W. Stops of Lodge Grass; daughters Tashina Emorie Tibbits and Larena Fawn Takes Horse and sons Terrance Marvine “Chico” Takes Horse III and Angel Cole Takes Horse, all of Bozeman; and three grandchildren.
Amy A. Culbert
POLSON — Amy A Culbert, 94, who died of natural causes, was promoted to Heaven on Jan. 19, 2007.
She was born in Ramey, Minn., to Herb and Jessie Conant on Nov. 25, 1912. The family of 11 came to Montana part way by covered wagon, and when mired in mud and unable to continue, came the rest of the way by train to the area south of Glacier Park where they homesteaded on the banks of the Flathead River.
Amy attended grade school in Coram and high school and nurses training in Kalispell where she met George Culbert. In January of 1935 they were married and they spent 23 years traveling while George was in the Navy. These travels included China, Japan, the Philippines and Central America.
Amy was a courageous young woman who was not daunted by fear as she traveled alone with Jo to be with her husband even in dangerous times of war in the 1930s. In 1958 George retired and they made their home in Seattle for two years and then moved to Big Arm in 1960 where George was in real estate.
Amy loved her husband, family of three children and her extended family. Her favorite things to do were gardening, sewing, camping, fishing and traveling. She was always a hard worker but loved to have fun as well.
Amy is survived by her three children and their spouses: Jim and Sharon Culbert, Bill and Robert Culbert, both of Helena, and Jo and Dick Weaver of Big Arm; her grandchildren and their spouses: Susie and Rick Johnson, Sandi and Jeff Anderson, James and Dani Culbert, Ron and Caroline Culbert, Pam Clouds and Yvonne LaFromboise; her great grandchildren: Jerad and Joel Anderson, Kirsten and Kristoffer Johnson, Ethan Culbert, and Connor South; and her sister, Ardis Measure of Mt. Vernon, Wash.
Memorial donations may be made to the charity of your choice or to The Gideons.
A memorial service will be held on Friday, Feb. 2, in the First Baptist Church of Polson at 11 a.m. Arrangements and cremation are under the direction of Grogan Funeral Home and Crematory. Condolences may be sent to the family at www.groganfuneralhome.com
Sharon Francis Bergman
Sharon Francis Bergman of Polson lost her battle with cancer on Jan. 19, 2007, at the age of 81. She was born Aug. 13, 1925, in Denver, Colo., to Arthur and Cora Wynne. The family homesteaded in Gila Bend, Ariz., then moved to Polson, where she went to Polson High School, graduating in 1942.
After high school, Sharon relocated to Hollywood, Calif., where she met and married Ray Bergman. She became step-mother to Don and had three children — Susan, Beverly and Keith.
Sharon and family returned to Montana in 1960 to a cattle ranch in Hamilton. She was divorced from Ray in 1964 and went to work for the Electric Co-Op and ran a Laundromat in Corvallis.
Sharon returned to Southern California in the early ‘70s for a few years, and then took a position with the Women’s International Bowling Congress (WIBC) where she entered a profession that held one of her passions — the sport of bowling.
She managed the Rules Dept. and wrote the rule books that governed women’s bowling.
She retired from WIBC as Executive Assistant in 1988 and moved back to Polson where she stayed involved with bowling, coaching the junior bowlers, and continued to work in the media room at the National bowling tournaments each spring. She also wrote the Polson Senior Center news for the Leader; loved the outdoors, and was active in the Audubon Society, photography and travel.
Sharon remained active in the Polson community, working at the Senior Center until August 2006.
She had a special relationship with all of her children, and was best friend to them all. She touched the hearts of all who knew her.
Sharon is survived by her children, Don Bergman and wife Josie of Hamilton, Susan Mateel of Vancouver, Wash., Beverly Martinez and husband Carlos of Kalispell, and Keith Bergman of Hamilton; 11 grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren.
A celebration of her life will be held at the Polson Senior Center on Saturday, Jan. 27, 2007, at 1 p.m. The family asks that donations be made in her name to the American Cancer Society.
Esther Mae Songer Titcomb
RONAN — Esther Mae Songer Titcomb, 96, died Jan. 21, 2007, at Evergreen Health and Rehabilitation Center in Polson after a short illness.
She was born July 3, 1910, at Davenport, Wash., to Alva J. and Clara Lozotte Songer. The family moved to the reservation from their homestead near the Grand Coulee in 1916, traveling by covered wagon and horseback.
She enjoyed recounting how she and her mother and two sisters stayed at the newly built Davenport Hotel in Spokane, and they traveled in a motor car for the first time in their lives from the livery stable to the hotel.
She attended Round Butte Elementary School and Ronan High School. She attended college as an adult taking fine art classes.
She had three children by her first husband, Lloyd Olean Harley — Lloyd Allen Harley, Wade James Harley (Thomson) and Gregory Harley. Gregory died at two months of age.
She is survived by Wade Harley Thomson and her sister, Lavonne Songer Pierce, both living in Lake County; seven grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren, and one great-great-grandchild.
Esther loved to play music and paint, and traveled the country when she was able.
She and her then husband, Waldo E. Thomson, had a greenhouse and floral business in the late 1940s in Ronan. They were also music teachers and taught their students how to play the piano, clarinet and saxophone. She also worked for the government in Washington D.C. during the 1950s and 1960s.
Funeral services will be today (Thursday, Jan. 25) in the Shrider-Thompson Chapel. Burial will be in Mountain View Cemetery, Ronan. Viewing will be prior to the funeral service.
Shrider-Thompson Funeral & Cremation Services of Ronan is assisting with arrangements.
Raymond Charles Deily
ROLLINS — Raymond Charles Deily, 75, a long-time resident of Flathead County and now of Rollins, died peacefully at his Flathead Lake home Saturday, Jan. 13, 2007, after an extended illness. Ray was born and raised in Austin, Minn., the son of Frank and Flora (Hill) Deily and the youngest of seven children, all of whom are deceased.
He moved to California in 1950, and worked as a furrier and then as a painter. In 1957 Ray married Joan Sowden in San Clemente, Calif., and they raised four children. In 1967 they moved to Kalispell where he became both a painting and building contractor.
He loved the engineering aspects of building and always enjoyed solving the many problems involved in building a quality home. Ray and Joan moved to Vancouver, Wash., in 1984. He returned to Kalispell in 1990 to build their “dream home” on Flathead Lake.
During his career he built numerous homes throughout the Valley including many of the early homes in the growing Many Lakes residential area south of Creston. Ray loved the outdoors and built his homes, including his residence on Flathead Lake, to take maximum advantage of the beautiful views of lakes, mountains and wildlife.
One of his favorite pastimes on Flathead Lake was to view the annual nesting eagles on nearby Shelter Island through a telescope, watching the young eagles hatch and eventually fly away.
He also enjoyed launching his power boat for skiing and touring the lake’s many inlets and islands, and was an inveterate world traveler. Ray is remembered by his family and many friends for his sweet smile and endearing heart.
He was a past member of the Knights of Columbus in Kalispell and was at one time Grand Knight.
Ray was preceded in death by his daughter, Laurie Deily Rodriguez, in 2001. She was well known in the Kalispell real estate business before marrying and moving to California.
In addition to his beloved wife Joan Deily of Rollins, he is survived by a son, Michael Deily of Butte; two daughters, Jamie Allwine of Toledo, Wash., and Julie Gould of Meridian, Idaho; seven grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews.
Memorial services for Ray were held at St. Matthew’s Church Jan. 23,with the Rev. Gary Reller and Father Vic Langhans officiating. Music was provided by longtime friend Betty Hanzel. Memorials may be made to Grace Hospice, 1111 S. Main St., Kalispell, MT 59901.
Johnson Mortuary was in charge of arrangements.
Olive Mae Ecelbarger Henderson
Jan. 13, 1915-Jan. 21, 2007
POLSON — Olive was born Jan. 13, 1915, on a farm near Big Run, Pa., to Wade and Edna McGee Ecelbarger. She attended the first six years of school in a one-room school near her farm and completed her education at the elementary and high schools in Big Run, where she graduated in 1932 as the salutatorian. She then got her BS Degree in Home Economics with a minor in Science and High School English in 1936 from Indiana State Teachers College in Pennsylvania. She also attended the University of Wisconsin and Indiana University.
She married Sheridan Henderson in 1941 and had identical twin boys, S. Hugh II and Richard Dean. Olive and Sherd moved to Fort Howard, Md., in 1946 where they lived for 38 years. Sherd worked at the VA Hospital there and Olive taught Home Economics in Baltimore County Public Schools and retired in 1970. Sherd and Olive loved traveling and enjoyed meeting people. They had a summer home near Ocean City, Md., for 16 years where they enjoyed friendships with people from Delaware, Virginia, and Pennsylvania.
Olive and Shed moved permanently to Polson in 1983 and for a few years spent their winters in Florida. They also did a lot of traveling around Montana, Canada, and along the Pacific Coast with their son Hugh and daughter-in-law Sue.
Olive is survived by her husband of 65 years, Sheridan Henderson; two sons and daughters-in-law, Hugh and Susan Henderson of Polson, and Dean and Linda Henderson of Baltimore; grandchildren and their spouses, Carl and Stefanie Nordberg, Jack and Krissy Nordberg, and Jason and Jennifer Nordberg, all from Montana; Mr. and Mrs. Rick Henderson, Tammy and Michael Chaney, and Ronald and Paulinea Henderson, all from Maryland; her great-grandchildren, Brittany, Beau, Trey, Ansley, and Lauren Nordberg and Logan and Savanna Henderson; and sister Jeanne Swanson.
Olive was predeceased by brothers Meade, John, and Myron Ecelbarger.
A memorial service was held Jan. 24, in the Grogan Funeral Home, with Pastor John Payne officiating. Condolences to the family may be sent to at www. groganfuneralhome.com
Ann Marie Coulter
May 8, 1915 - Jan. 18, 2007
SHERWOOD, N.D. — Ann Marie (Hood) Coulter, 91, of Sherwood — formerly a Charlo resident for over 50 years — died Thursday, Jan. 18, 2007 at a Mohall, N.D., nursing home.
She was born May 8, 1915, in Stephenson, Mich., to Frank and Bessie (Gagnon) Hood. She was raised and educated in Stephenson. She met her future husband, Ralph Coulter, on a blind date while both were living in Chicago.
They were married Oct. 9, 1937, in Polson.
They had four daughters who were all named after the Blessed Virgin Mary. Ann and Ralph lived in Polson and St. Ignatius and eventually settled in Charlo in 1953.
Ann worked for the Blackfoot Telephone Company in Charlo and Ronan as a telephone operator; she also worked as a secretary/treasurer for the Mission Range Credit Union for many years. After retiring, she worked in the library of the Charlo school system. Ralph died Oct. 29, 1995.
Ann moved to Hurricane, Utah, near her daughter Cecile in 2001. She moved to Sherwood in February 2004 to live with her daughter, Lamay.
Ann was a member of the Leon Community Club, Mission View Garden Club, Charlo Senior Citizens, St. Joseph’s Altar Society and the Bible study and prayer group. She was also a Eucharistic minister and reader at St. Joseph’s.
Surviving are daughters Cecile Marie (Buck Snyder) Rathbun of Hurricane, Virginia Schoonmaker of Waterford, N.Y., Lamay (Kenny) Southam of Sherwood; brother Ervin (Angie) Hood of Stephenson; sister Joyce Schetter, Round Lake Beach, Ill; 17 grandchildren; 41 great-grandchildren and five great-great-grandchildren.
Ann was preceded in death by her husband, Ralph; parents; daughter Mary Shilleen Southam; brothers George and Richard Hood; and sisters Cecelia Hood Hannula and Pearl Hood Adams.
Mass of Christian Burial was held Jan. 23 at St. James Catholic Church, Sherwood. Interment will be in the Calvary Cemetery at Ronan in the spring
Memorials are preferred to the Charlo School Library, Charlo, MT 59824; or the Charlo Senior Citizens.
Friends may sign the online guestbook at www.andersonnelson.com
Brose-Anderson-Nelson Funeral Home of Mohall was in charge of arrangements.