Obituaries, April 2
Karlsgodt, Mullin, Sanders, Olson, McAlear, Holdren, Overley, Wolf, Petersen, Walker
Erling K. Karlsgodt
Dr. Erling Kolbjörn Karlsgodt passed away on March 22 at the age of 92. Erling was a true Renaissance man. He enjoyed a successful dental career and had numerous land development projects in San Diego County. Erling was a talented sculptor and painter, traveled extensively in Europe and Mexico, studied genealogy, world history and languages, and possessed an abiding love and pride for his family.
Erling (Dade) was born on his family homestead in Kenilworth on Sept. 25, 1916, to Olaf and Klara (Odegard) Karlsgodt, Norwegian immigrants. His mother died when Erling was three, leaving his father to raise their three children. During these years, Erling traveled to Norway and attended school in “the old country.” He returned to the Montana prairie, and to Polson where he attended Polson High School (class of 1936) and worked in the Lake City Grocery, his father’s store. Dade often sailed the islands and narrows of Flathead Lake in a hand built boat. Erling was later to own one of those very special islands, Little Bull.
Dade studied at the University of Montana in Missoula and was a lineman with the Grizzly football team. In California he received his degree from the USC School of Dentistry in 1944. As a Lieutenant in the Navy, Erling met his wife, Vernette, while stationed in San Diego. They wed in 1945, lived in the San Diego area all of their married life, and traveled to Montana each year with their three children. In both California and Montana, Erling maintained lifetime friendships and professional relationships.
Dr. Karlsgodt was a 32-degree Mason, a 50 year member of both Lions and Sons of Norway, attended Den Norske Fiskeklubben, and Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church. Erling was a proud member of Phi Sigma Kappa at the University of Montana and Xi Psi Phi dental fraternity at USC.
All will miss those beautiful blue eyes, that famous smile, and his kind words. Integrity, a strong work ethic, spirited philosophical discussions, humor and the famous 2-2-1 margarita recipe were his trademarks.
Erling is survived by his wife of 63 years, Vernette; son Kurt and wife Molly (San Diego); son Pear and wife Pat (La Mesa), and daughter Kari (Koskinen) and husband Dan (Jamul). He leaves eight grandchildren: Katie, Stephen, Nathan, Adam, Ryan, Kevin, Kaarina and Klara. Extended family in the U.S., Canada, and Norway survive Erling also.
Our promise to Erling for his return to the Big Sky Country will be fulfilled, as his life is celebrated at the Grogan Funeral Home in Polson, at 2 p.m. on April 10. His final earthly rest will be “where the wind blows free” at the Kenilworth Cemetery near Big Sandy. A memorial for Erling in San Diego is pending later in the spring.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent in Erling’s name to Greater Polson Community Foundation, P. O. Box 314, Polson, MT 59860, the U. of Montana Foundation Excellence Fund, P.O. Box 7159, Missoula, MT 59807-7159, or a charity of your choice.
Condolences may be sent to the family at www.groganfuneralhome.com.
Virginia Mullin
Virginia Mullin, 82, of Elmo, passed away at her home in Elmo from natural causes. Arrangements will be announced by Grogan Funeral Home and Crematory of Polson.
Billy Jack Sanders
Billy Jack Sanders, 81, of Polson, passed away on Sunday, March 22 at his home from natural causes.
Billy was born on July 10, 1927, in Carthage, Mo. to John and Anne Sanders. He moved to Montana at the age of 12.
He met and married Florence Bolduc on Oct. 23, 1950, in Kalispell.
They lived in Kalispell and in Wyoming for six years before moving to Polson in 1962. He bought his home and cherry orchard on Eastshore and started working for Plum Creek Lumber in 1962. He worked as a lumber grader for 28 years and only missed two weeks of work.
He loved fishing, hunting, puzzles, playing jokes and berry picking.
His wife Florence and his brothers precede him in death.
He is survived by his children: Val Knight of Polson, Bill (Lisa) of Polson and Lorna Scott of Polson; granddaughter- Billy James, Nathan, Dakota, Charlisa, Charles, Cinnamon, Caynne, Phillip and Alisha; three great-grandchildren.
A gathering of family and friends will be held at 2 p.m. on Sunday, May 10 at the family home on the Eastshore of Flathead Lake.
Condolences may be left to the family at www.groganfuneralhome.com.
Gail Ann Olson
Gail Ann Olson, 55, of Polson passed away at her home on Monday, March 23 from natural causes. She was born March 16, 1954, in Brooklyn, N.Y. to Lawrence and Lee Schnipper Fishelberg. She attended and graduated from Brentwood High School in Brentwood, N.Y. After graduating from high school she went to Boces School of Cosmetology, and attended Santa Barbara City College in Santa Barbara, Calif.
She married David Olson in 1974 in Phoenix, Ariz. Gail worked as a beautician, teacher, banker, home stager and organizer, wedding and party planner. Gail was active in her church as a Sunday School Teacher and Superintendant, children’s church leader, worship team singer and signer.
Gail loved life, her many hobbies included softball, volleyball, bowling dancing, sign language, and being the instigator of food and water fights.
She was preceded in death by her mother and is survived by her husband David of Polson; daughter Jennifer Olson of Missoula; father Larry Fishelberg of Boca Raton, Fla.; a sister Holly (Richard) Allen of East Greenwich, R.I. and a brother Steven (Debbie) Fishelberg of Monroe, N.Y, along with a grandchild. A memorial service was planned for 6:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 28 at the New Life Christian Church, 1414 2nd St. W., Polson. Condolences may be sent to the family or the obituary viewed at www.groganfuneralhome.com.
Larry Gene McAlear
Larry Gene McAlear, 66, of 1632 First Avenue NW, died on Wednesday, March 25 at his home after a one-year battle with pancreatic cancer.
Larry is survived by three daughters, Janet (Brook) Lightner of Cedar Rapids; Jean Ann (Adam) Jeffrey, of Taylorville, Ill. and Debbie (Lynn) Hansen of Twin Bridges; two sons, Mike (Sheryl) Redman of Missoula and James (Karen) Redman of Columbus; 21 grandchildren; a sister, Marlene (Dale) Hereid of Libby; and a brother, Richard (Shirley) McAlear, of Boise, Idaho.
His parents and a brother DeWayne McAlear preceded him in death.
Larry was born on Oct. 18, 1942. in Polson, the son of Earl and Myrtle Peek McAlear. He worked for many years for the Cedar River Paper Company. Larry was a member of the River of Life Church in Cedar Rapids and the Valley of Praise in Salmon, Idaho. He was an Army veteran.
Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, April 4, at Grogan Funeral Home in Polson with burial with military honors will follow at Lakeview Cemetery in Polson. A memorial fund has been established. Online condolences may be left for the family at www.groganfuneralhome.com.
June E. Holdren
June E. Holdren, 83, of Ronan, passed away at the Retreat home in Polson from natural causes on March 27.
She was born on November 2, 1925, in Wenatchee, Wash. to Earl and Marian Davenport.
She is preceded in death by her parents; first husband Ralph Lovinger; daughter- Linda Kempf and her second husband- Norman Holdren who passed away in Nov. of 2008.
She is survived by her daughters Patricia (Bill) Triggs of Polson and Judy Ramer (Warren) of Missoula. Son Raymond (Judy) Lovinger of Washington, and her brothers Bob Davenport (Betty); Tom Davenport and Bill Davenport; four grandchildren; six great-grandchildren and five great-great-grandchildren.
A memorial service will be held for June and Norman at 4 p.m. on on Friday, April 3 at the Charlo Senior Citizens center in Charlo. Inurnment will be held at Lakeview Cemetery in Polson. Memorials are suggested to the Mission Valley Animal Shelter. Condolences may also be sent to the family at www.groganfuneralhome.com.
Chi Dawn Wolf
ST. IGNATIUS — Chi Dawn (LeBeau) Wolf, 34, lifelong resident of Montana passed away on Friday, March 20 at her home in St. Ignatius from a long term illness.
Chi Dawn was born on June 10, 1974, in Missoula to Leslie (McKeever) LeBeau and Hildred L. LeBeau. She was raised and educated in Ronan, St. Regis, Sanders Country Schools and St. Ignatius. She received her AA Degree in Business Management at Salish Kootenai College. She worked for several of the businesses in St. Ignatius, also working in Missoula providing home caregiver services to the disabled and for several retail businesses. Most recently, Chi worked for S and K Technologies prior to her illness.
Chi chose to trust God in the beginning stages with illness.She had a strong faith in her Lord, which gave her comfort and strength during the difficult months of illness. Chi enjoyed traveling, camping, hunting and shopping with friends and family. She liked to try out new recipes to share with family, friends and co-workers. Chi loved spending most of her time with family while camping at a National Park or in the big cities where she enjoyed shopping and seeing the sites. She also liked being with elderly people as well as enjoying her cousins and friends new babies. Her husband and daughters were the light of her life. She was a scorekeeper for several Women’s Pool Leagues and will be fondly remembered for her love of sunflower seeds and the social atmosphere she brought with her.
A member of the Eastern Shoshone Tribe of the Wind River Reservation in Fort Washakie, Wyo. and a descendant of the Salish Tribe of the Flathead Reservation. She married the love of her life Adam Wolf, a southeastern Montana native, on May 18, 2002. They lived in the Billings area and Missoula for a few years then made their permanent home in St. Ignatius.
Chi was preceded in death by her father Hildred LeBeau; grandfather Lester McKeever; mother in law Delores Wolf; aunt Jamie McKeever Hernandez and great aunt Berna Hayford.
Chi is survived by her beloved husband, Adam and their three daughters: Kiara, Sevanna, Paje; her mother Leslie LeBeau of St. Ignatius; her brothers Kyle Managhan and his son Kyler of Missoula and Celsey Managhan of Lolo; grandparents Nancy Salo of Washington, Ada of FL and Earl LeBeau of Fort Washakie, Wyom.; aunts Rita McKeever of Perma; Heidi Standeven, Jennifer Salo, Kila Salo of Northwest Coast, Rhonda and Jola LeBeau of WY; uncles Wade, Bennie and Tommy of WY, Allen and Casey McKeever of Oregon and David Matne of Washington, as well as step grandmother Donna Veteh and step uncle Steven Hutchison of Oregon. If we left out any one please don’t be offended.
Her daughter Kiara said “Chi was the greatest mom anyone could ever have. Us three girls were lucky to be gifted with her.” She will be greatly missed, she was a good wife, mother, daughter, sister and friend. We will never forget those big beautiful brown eyes and beautiful smile and her laughter. We are looking forward to the day we are reunited.
A wake was held March 23-24 at the Longhouse where funeral services were conducted on Tuesday, March 24. Burial followed in Snyelmn Sntmtmne. A special thanks from her family to Lori Cap John, Bernie Alexander, Roxy Acevedo, Carla Block, Dawnelle Sorrel and her mom, Morrey Tellier, Roberta Steele, Michele Barlow, Shaquille Bundy Ness and Ralph Foster.
Russell F. Overly
Russell F. Overly, 94, of Polson, passed away on Monday, March 30 at St. Joseph Hospital from natural causes. Grogan Funeral Home will announce Arrangments. A full obituary will run next week.
Lois R. Petersen
Lois R. Petersen, 94, of Polson, passed away on Monday, March 30 at The Retreat from natural causes. Grogan Funeral Home will announce Arrangments. An obituary will run next week.
James Ronald Walker
James Ronald Walker, loving son of Ronald and Dolores Walker, passed away in his Ronan home on March 13, following several years of poor health.
Jim and his twin sister, Janet, were born on Nov. 18, 1953, at Bozeman Deaconess Hospital. Attending Bozeman public schools, he graduated fomr Bozeman Senior High School in 1973. He enlisted in the U.S. Army in July of 1973, and received his training at Fort Ord, Calif. and Fort Sill, Okla. After spending 18 months in Germany, he was discharged in 1975 returning to Bozeman where he worked for his father at Walker’s Auto Body Repair.
On Oct. 25, 1975, Jim married Lanette Perkins in Pilgrim Congregational Church and they made their home in Belgrade and Bozeman, where he worked for Montana Container Corp. for two years and UPS for eleven and a half years. Jim and Lanette have two children, Kari Ann and Christopher James Walker.
In 1993, the family moved to Pablo where he enrolled in Salish Kootenai College, graduating in 1996 wiht a degree in computer science.
Her worked at Madison Arm Resort at Hebgen Lake outside of West Yellowstone for three years and as supervisor of security at Thousand Trails Resort in Cottonwood, Ariz. for five years.
He married Michelle Richman in Cottonwood in October of 2005.
Jim was preceded in death by his sister Barbara (Walker) Branden.
He is survived b his wife, Michelle Richman of Cottonwood, Ariz.; daughter Kari Ann Walker of Missoula; son Christopher James of San Diego, Calif.; parents Ronald and Dolores Walker of Polson; sisters Janet (James) Martin of Indian Springs, Nev. and Coralee Harris of Lebanon, Kan.; numerous aunts, uncles, neices, nephews and cousins.
Jim loved outdoor activities like hunting, fishing, camping and boating and his computers. He was anxious for his dad to get his boat up and running so they could go fishing and he had several fishing trips planned with his friends Chuck for this summer. Jim will b greatly missed by all who knew him and especially his family.