Obituaries, Feb. 5, 2009
Chaffee, Slover, Davis, Archibald, Trahan, Martin, Appelgate, Stripp, Martin Young
William H. Chaffee
William H. Chaffee, publisher of The Laurens Sun since July 1983, passed away on Monday, Jan. 19, at Mercy Medical Center in Des Moines, Iowa. He reached the age of 78 years, 8 months and 14 days.
William Chaffee was born on May 5, 1930, at Odebolt, the son of Judson and Dorothy Briggle Chaffee. Bill began working at the Odebolt Chronicle newspaper in January 1945 and graduated from Odebolt High School in May 1948.
On February 8, 1951, Bill and Darlene Peters were married at the Emmanuel Presbyterian Church at Carnarvon. Bill entered military service in 1951 and was discharged in 1953. The Chaffees returned to Odebolt where Bill again worked for the Odebolt Chronicle until beginning employment at The Sac Sun in Sac City, Iowa in March 1954. In February 1955, Bill and Dar purchased their first newspaper, The Walnut Bureau, at Walnut, Iowa and remained there until 1968 when they purchased The Paullina Times and Sutherland Courier. In 1980, they purchased the Flathead Courier and the Ronan Pioneer in Montana. They returned to Iowa in 1983 when they purchased The Laurens Sun, which they have owned and operated since that time.
Bill is survived by his wife Darlene of Laurens; son Steven H. Chaffee of Laurens, Iowa; and daughter Nancy Aiken of Maple Grove, Minn., two granddaughters, Siena and Afton Aiken; and a stepsister, Valerie Williams of Olympia, Wash.
He is preceded in death by his mother and step father, Dorothy and Ralph Little; his father and stepmother Judson and Christine Chaffee; his sister, Tobianne and grandparents.
Funeral services were held on Thursday, Jan. 22, at the United Methodist Church in Laurens, Iowa. Burial was at the Emmanuel Presbyterian Church cemetery at Carnarvon, Iowa.
Billy Jean Slover
Billy Jean Slover, 74, of Ronan, passed away on Friday Jan. 23 at her home from natural causes. She was born on Dec. 19, 1934, in Lawrence, Kan. to Gerald L. and Velma J. (Riley) Gates. Billy attended and graduated from high school in Lincoln, Calif. in 1952. Billy and Edward Slover married in 1952, in Sacramento, Calif., and she later attended Mesa State College for nursing and graduated in 1974 as an LPN.
She worked as an LPN in Montrose and Grand Junction Colo. She enjoyed reading, swimming, puzzle solving and card and board games, along with her loving family.
Her parents Gerald and Velma Gates preceded her in death. Billy is surivived by her husband Ed Slover of Ronan; sons: Dan G. Slover of Palisade, Colo., and Chris L. Slover of Ronan; and a sister Betty J. Hepburn of Grand Junction, Colo. along with seven grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.
Cremation has taken place and no services are planned at this time. Condolences to the family at www.groganfuneralhome.com
Maretta Wiladein Davis
Maretta Wiladein Davis, 84, of Kalispell, passed away on Friday, Jan. 23 at Heritage Place in Kalispell. Maretta was born on Dec. 8, 1924, in Missoula to Dick and Alta Williams. On Dec. 11, 1940, Maretta married Richard Learn in Kalispell. They made their home in Proctor, raising five sons: Jim, Ernie, Rod, Wayne and Ken. They later divorced, and she married Raymond Davis of Kalispell. She was preceded in death by her parents, both husbands and her sister Audrey. Maretta is survived by her sons: Jim and Maxine Learn of Proctor, Ernie Learn of Proctor, Rod and Brenda Learn of Polson, Wayne and Arlene Learn of Ronan and Ken and Linda Learn also of Ronan; 16 grandchildren, 34 great-grandchildren; one brother Warren Williams of Trego; two sisters, Pat Hanson and Gloria Landon both of Kalispell, MT. Funeral service was held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 31 at Buffalo Hill Funeral Home. Private burial will be at Glacier Memorial Gardens after the funeral. You are invited to go to www. buffalohillfh.com to leave the family your condolences. Buffalo Hill Funeral Home is caring for the family.
Cynthia Archibald
HAMILTON - Cynthia Hester Archibald, beloved mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and friend, went to be with her Lord Jesus Christ on Thursday morning, Jan. 29. She was surrounded by her children.
Cynthia was born in Rushville, Ind. the fourth of six children to Curtis and Helen Hester on Oct. 14, 1921. Her family moved to Grand Rapids, Mich. in 1933. where she later graduated from high school. Nurses training eventually led her to Butte, where she met and married Jim Archibald on April 6, 1948. They shared almost 56 years of a rich, full, loving life. Jim and Cynthia made their home in Butte where their four children were raised, and retired to Polson in 1990. There she was active in the Polson Presbyterian Church and in PEO.
Her phenomenal musical talent was a part of all her adult life. She directed the choirs at Butte’s Presbyterian Church, played in her two-piano group, tuned pianos for visiting concert pianists and numerous friends as well as composing music for family members and special occasions.
In 2004, Jim and Cynthia moved to Hamilton to be close to family. Cynthia spent her last seven months at Discovery Care Centre where she was loved and cared for by the remarkable staff.
She was preceded in death by her beloved husband Jim; her parents; two brothers, Curtis and Dan Hester and two sisters, Carolyn Terpstra and Beth Spandikow.
She is survived by her sister Sylvia King of Ada, Mich.; brother-in-law Rob Van Sice of Butte; daughter and son-in-law Deb and Ken Cathey of Hamilton; sons and daughters-in-law James Jr. and Lynn of Morrison, Colo.; John and Sheilah Archibald of Kennewick, Wash., and Bob Archibald and Bronwyn Weaver of Geneva, Ill.; 14 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.
Services celebrating Cynthia’s life were held at 1 p.m., on Monday, Feb. 2, at the Daly-Leach Chapel in Hamilton, with Pastor Greg Karlsgodt officiating. There will be a reception following the services in the funeral home’s community room.
The family suggests that memorials be made to the charity of your choice in Cynthia’s name.
Arrangements are under the care of the Daly-Leach Chapel.
Larry Curtis Applegate
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — Spc. Larry Curtis Applegate, 27, died on Jan. 17. Curtis was born in Morristown, Tenn. to Larry Ray and Cynthia Patton.
Survivors include his wife Krista Applegate of Colorado Springs, Colo.; mother and step-father Cindy and Danny Patton of Surfside Beach, S.C.; father and step-mother Larry Ray and Denise Applegate of Morristown, Tenn.; and in-laws Rupe and Bobbe Paulson of Ronan.
Curtis was a decorated Iraqi veteran. He received awards and decorations including the Purple Heart and Army Commendation Medal awarded with Valor.
A Military Memorial service was held at Fort Carson, Colo. on Jan. 22 and a funeral service at Goldfinch Funeral Home in Surfside Beach, S.C. on Jan. 24.
A memorial service will be held at Faith Lutheran Church at 3 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 7 at 415 Fifth Ave SW, Ronan. Memorials in honor of Curtis may be sent to Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services, Attention Amy Ellison, 1401 Recreation Lane, Colorado Springs, CO 80905. Please request the memorials be directed to Helen Hunt Falls/In Memory of Curtis Applegate.
Kyle J. Trahan
ST. IGNATIUS — Kyle J. Trahan, 20, passed away on Feb. 1 in Ronan. Services are pending with Foster Funeral Home of St. Ignatius.
Elizabeth Stripp
Elizabeth Ann “Libbi” Stripp, 51, of Polson, passed away on Thursday, Jan. 29, at St. Luke Extended Care from natural causes.
A mass will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 7 at the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Polson with Rev. Jim Connor officiating. A reception will follow in the church basement. A full obituary will follow. Arrangements are by Grogan Funeral Home of Polson.
Myrtle Martin
Beloved mother, grandmother and aunt passed away peacefully on Jan. 26 in Seattle, with her family by her side.
Myrtle Genevieve Gunn was born on Nov. 25, 1908, in Barnes County, N.D. to William and Ellen Gunn. She attended Sanborn High School and Valley City Teachers College in North Dakota.
Myrtle married Alfred Lewis Martin on Dec. 27, 1932, in North Dakota where they resided until 1951. They ventured to Polson and ran an irrigation farm in Valley View, eventually moving to their Skyline Drive residence in the late 1950s to enjoy a beautiful view of Flathead Lake and the Mission Range. Myrtle and Al enjoyed pinochle, fishing and gardening, and were active members of the Polson Senior Citizens Center. Myrtle lived in downtown Polson for a number of years before relocating to Seattle at the age of 93.
Myrtle was preceded in death by her husband, Alfred and is survived by her son, Dale William Martin (Anne) of Seattle; granddaughter, Leslie Martin Kinkade (Ron) of Tacoma, granddaughter, Angela Pauline Martin of Seattle; and grandson, Gregor Lewis Martin (Katie) of Encinitas, Calif.
Over her life’s century, Myrtle proudly kept alive numerous recipes for her popular homemade baked goods. When asked of her secrets to living to be 100, Myrtle simply replied with a big smile, “work hard and enjoy every day.”
Shirley Marie Young
Shirley Marie Young, born on Sept. 26, 1949, went to the sunny beach above on Jan. 23, after a long, courageous battle with illness. Her free spirit and ready smile will be missed by everyone who was ever in her presence.
She worked as a massage therapist in Southern California until she became ill and made her home in Hot Springs. The community and springs lifted her spirits so she lived there for the final 16 years of her life. Shirley was a woman of many talents and exceptional taste. She had a knack for giving new life to things broken and making plain things beautiful. She longed to travel and spent time in Japan, Tahiti and Bali, saw the Galapagos Island from a distance and visited many other faraway places earlier in life. Some of her fondest memories are of being on the road, at sea or on a train exploring the world and meeting new people. She also floated the river, hiked, camped and aspired to experience nature in every shape and form. She loved being with family and yearned for joy and love for all. She never took life for granted and never left words unsaid. Her love of dance was obvious in the way she lived her life.
Shirley will be missed by her mother and step-father Alma and Jerry Osborn of Hemet, Calif.; sister Sandy Young of Cedar City, Utah; brothers Danny, Roy and Rick Young of California; aunts Dorothy Young and Beverly Duda; uncle Floyd Sauer of Washinton; many cousins and nieces and nephews who made her very proud. She also had an enormous extended family she picked up along the way including David Schmidt and Kendra Fisher of Hot Springs and Talia Knudsen of Helena, to name a few. During her last years, Shirley was blessed with many special friends in the Hot Springs community who she and her family appreciated being there for her.
Shirley will join her father, two uncles, an aunt and grandparents, as well as many friends she had missed greatly.
Shirley’s friends and family will miss her, but we will see her again the next time around. Until then, she will be near when the sun warms our faces, the wind blows our hair and the stars light the sky.