Obituaries, 12-4

Hankel, Barbara Marie

Barbara Marie Hankel, 89, of Polson, formerly of Minot, N.D., passed away on Tuesday, Nov. 25, at St. Joseph Hospital from natural causes. She was born April 8, 1919, to Sebastian and Barbara Weiss Klein in Minot, N.D.

She is survived by her husband Lloyd W. Hankel of Polson, and formerly of Minot, N.D., daughter Charlotte (Gary) Leifson of Woodland, Wash., son Cary (Joan) Hankel of Jamestown, N.D., daughter Bonnie (Clayton) Jensen of Polson and son Darnell (Nancy) Hankel of Minot, N.D., 16 grandchildren and 19 great grandchildren, as well as 12 grandchildren by marriage.

A memorial service will be held at 4:30 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 30 at the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Polson, with David Kircher officiating. A private family burial was held in Lakeview Cemetery. Condolences to the family at www.groganfuneralhome.com.

Kurtz, Don P.

Don P. Kurtz, 80, of Polson formerly of Cheney, Wash., passed away on Tuesday, Nov. 25 at Evergreen Health and Rehabilitation Center from natural causes. He was born on Oct. 31, 1928, in Akron Ohio, to Ray and Grace Stryker Kurtz. Don retired from the US Army after 23 years as a Master Sergeant serving in both World War II and the Korean War. Don served as Drug and Alcohol counselor at St. Patrick Hospital in Missoula for many years, retiring in 1993. Don married Phyllis Steadham on Sept. 6, 1994, in Coeur D’Alene, Idaho.

He was preceded in death by his parents, a brother Richard, and sister Geraldine. He is survived by his wife Phyllis of Polson, three children: Elizabeth Kurtz of Spokane, Wash., Don P. Kurtz Jr. of Cheney, Wash., and Ray B. Kurtz of Puyallup, Wash. Eight grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren, along with his beloved “rescued” dogs Daisy May and Lady.

In remembering Don’s wishes, memorials may be made in Don’s name to the Mission Valley Animal Shelter at 36251 North Reservoir Road in Polson. Cremation has taken place with a family memorial scheduled at a later date. Arrangements and cremation are by Grogan Funeral Home and Crematory. Condolences to the family at www.groganfuneralhome.com.

Klein, Otto G.

Dr. Otto G. Klein Jr., 70, of Polson passed away on Thursday, Nov. 27 at his home after a long battle with cancer. He was born Aug. 2, 1938, to Otto G. Klein and Mary A Klein in Helena. He attended Helena High School, Stanford undergraduate, Corneal Medical School and finished his ophthalmology residency at NIGH. During medical school, Otto traveled to Africa and worked in an Anglican Mission Hospital for six months developing a love for ophthalmology. He returned to medical school and focused his studies on the eye.

He married Jean Cameron in June of 1964 and divorced 1971. In 1967, Dr. Klein served two years in the United States Army Medical Corp. as a captain, being awarded a Bronze Star for actions in Vietnam.

He was employed as an ophthalmologist with the Mason Clinic in Seattle, Wash. from 1971 until 1978. Dr. Klein was also a clinical professor at the University of Washington Medical School teaching ophthalmology during this time. Dr. Klein moved to Missoula and began an ophthalmology practice with the Rocky Mountain Eye Center in 1978 and was there until retirement in 2001. He saw patients in their Butte, Polson and Missoula offices.

Otto married Susan Vincent (Klein), on Jan. 5, 1980 in Missoula. He was a proud member of the Rotary and The Flathead Lacers. He had many hobbies, which he shared dearly with his children. These included fly fishing, bird hunting and working with his many Labrador retrievers. After he retired he took up boat building producing two beautiful Chesapeake light crafts.

Surviving are his wife Susan of Polson; son Donald of San Francisco, Calif., daughter Kelley Johnson and husband Don of Los Angeles, Calif., son To III and wife, Airman of Spokane, Wash., son Cent of Missoula, and five grandchildren: Grace Johnson, Jasper Johnson, Deacon James Johnson of Los Angeles, Calif., Bovine Klein and Vienna Klein of Spokane, Wash. Also surviving are his brother David and wife Marlin of Billings, his cousin Peter and wife Cherry of Scottsdale, Ariz. He was preceded in death by his brother John Klein and his father and mother.

In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to The Flathead Lakers or Camp Mak-A- Dream. A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 7 in the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church with Rev. Paul Rowold officiating. Cremation has taken place.

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

Anderson, Annie E. (Stanley)

Annie E. Anderson, born April 24, 1920, died on Nov. 25 at the Columbine Manor Care Center in Salida, Colo. where she resided since 2001. Annie was born April 24, 1920 to Owen L. Stanley and Jennie A. (Olson) Stanley in Princeton, Minnesota. Annie was the eighth born of 15 children. Annie married Albert C. Anderson in 1937. Annie and her husband, with their four children, moved from Minnesota to Walden, Colo. area to work at the logging/sawmill industry in 1948. Later, they moved to Lost Park, Colo. (Park County) to work at a sawmill there. They were among the final families to live and work at a sawmill before it was dismantled. One of their children attended the one room school at Lost Park until they moved to Como, Colo. and later Fairplay, Colo., where Annie worked at the Fairplay Hotel and Albert did mining, trapping and carpentry. Annie’s favorite pastime was walking up town several times a day, since she never had a driver’s license. Annie and Albert lived in Fairplay until 1985 when they moved to Ronan. Annie moved back to Colorado in 2000.

Annie is survived by her oldest son, Kenneth (Norma) Anderson of Realto, Calif., youngest son, Roger (Becky) Anderson, of Fairplay, Colo., daugther-in-law Sharon Anderson, of Ronan, 13 grandchildren, 19 great-grandchildren, sister Agnes (Elmer) Waits, of Laclede, Idaho, brother Harry of Minnesota. Husband, Albert, son Pete and daughter Shirley preceded her.

Graveside services will be held at the Mountain View Cemetery in Ronan at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 2, where she will be laid to rest beside her husband Albert. In lieu of flowers and cards, memorial contributions may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association. Contributions may be sent to the Shrider-Thompson Funeral Services, P.O. Box, Ronan, MT, 56864 on behalf of Annie Anderson.

Beauvais, Lawrence L. (Larry)

Lawrence L. “Larry” Beauvais, 65, of Pablo passed away on Tuesday, Nov. 25 of natural causes at the St. Joseph Medical Hospital in Polson. Graveside memorial services will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 6 a the Lake View Cemetery in Polson. A potluck reception will follow at the Polson Indian Senior Center.

Shrider-Thompson Funeral and Cremation Services of Ronan is assisting with arrangements.

Sveet, Carol Mae

On Nov. 26, Carol Mae Sveet was gathered up and placed into the arms of Jesus.

At 92 years old, our little lady was at rest in her own house and her own bed when the Lord whispered her name. Perhaps like the song He said “Come home, Come home, You who are weary, come home.”

A Thanksgiving memory laced with sadness, but thanksgiving for all the years we had her with us. Carol was born to Edward B. and Clara “Susie” Owen on March 24, 1916 in Minot, N.D. The family later moved to the small town of Geraldine near Great Falls. On the farm and open plains, Carol found her love of riding her spotted horse. The only thing she didn’t enjoy on the farm was the abundance of rattlesnakes, which she encountered out on her rides.

Target Range, Missoula, was to be the next family home. Carol worked hard to help her father on the farm. As a teen, she began her job at the Rockaway Dance Hall in Lolo. It was here that she fell for the tall, handsome Dutchman, Orie Tromp. They were married in 1934 and built a home in Lolo. Here they started their family of eight children. Later, they moved their home to Kalispell and then eventually to Ronan. After some hard times, Carol divorced and later married Andrew Sveet, a wonderful Norwegian man from North Dakota. They eventually made their home in Hot Springs. Preceding Carol in death were her parents, four brothers, Jesse, Lloyd, Bernard, and Robert; a daughter Mary Ellen Rieben; and a great granddaughter, Kaydence Faith McCrea. Survivors include four sons; Allen Tromp, Polson; Robert Tromp, Missoula; David (Janice) Tromp, Missoula; Gary Tromp, Hot Springs; three daughters Norma (Carl) Sirucek, St. Ignatius; Nancy Bisson, Pablo; Lucille (Marc) Johnson, Ronan; and two sisters; Alice Voss, Butte; Dorothy Voss, Missoula. Grandma leaves behind 19 grandchildren, 35 great grandchildren, and one great-great-granddaughter.

A private family gathering will be held this week. Burial will be at the Calvary Cemetery in Ronan.

Friedrich, Paul Robert

Paul Robert Friedrich, 27, of Florence, passed away at St. Patrick Hospital on Tuesday, Nov. 18 as a result of an automobile accident.

He was born November 6, 1981 in Glendive. He graduated high school in the Class of 2000 at Dawson County High School in Glendive, then attended the University of Montana.

Following school, he worked in western Montana with the last four years as a maintenance worker at Snowbowl Ski Resort in Missoula. Paul loved snowboarding in winter and fishing and hiking in summer. His favorite place on Earth was Snowbowl where he lived, worked, and played.

Paul always found the positive in everyone and every situation. He took everything in stride and, as anyone who hiked with him knew, he had a big stride. He had a big smile, a big heart, and was always eager to lend a helping hand.

His nephews were looking forward to coming to Missoula this winter so “Uncle Paul” could teach them to snowboard. Paul was a beloved son, brother, nephew, uncle and friend. He will be missed terribly.

He is preceded in death by his maternal grandmother, Ann Marie Harshbarger and paternal grandmother Lucille Friedrich and cousin Scott Hoffmeyer Jr. His family includes parents, David and Darlene Burtch of Florence and Eugene and Jan Friedrich of Billings; sister, Sasha Olson and brother-in-law Scott Olson and nephews Kyle, Jared and Dustin of Williston, N.D.; sister, Mandi Smith of Ronan; stepsisters Kristy Burtch of Great Falls and Shannon Burtch of Owaso, Oklahoma; grandfathers, Galen Harshbarger of Williston, N.D. and Robert Friedrich, Sr. of Plentywood, MT; as well as aunts, uncles, cousins, and his faithful dog, Wags.

Services were held Monday, Nov. 24 at Garden City Funeral Home with burial at Sunset Memorial Cemetery. A reception will follow at Snowbowl Ski Resort. Pallbearers will be Pat McKay, Bill Comstock, Sam Charlo, Aaron Harshbarger, Riley Strain, Todd Lozeau and Bo Helm. Honorary pallbearers will be Chad Harshbarger, Sasha Olson, Robert Friedrich, Jr., Carl Friedrich, Owen Smith and Mark Smith.

The family suggests that memorials be made to Montana Educators Credit Union, in care of the Paul Friedrich Memorial Fund, P.O. Box 2668, Missoula, MT 59806. The fund is for the benefit of the Western Montana Humane Society.