Obituaries, Jan. 14

Bonamie, McDougall, Gillin, Jungers, Larson

Beverly Bonamie

The Lord opened his arms and brought Beverly Grayce Bonamie, of Polson, to heaven on Monday, Jan. 4. Family and friends surrounded her at home when she lost her courageous six-year battle with breast cancer. Bev was 73.

She was born on Sept. 1, 1936, in Petrel, N.D., to Edward and Grayce Christman. Bev attended high school in Lemon, S.D., and received her teaching certification at Huron College in 1956. She then went on to complete a degree in teaching at the University of Montana in 1972. Bev married Bernard Bonamie on Sept. 1, 1957, and they shared 52 years together.

 Bev was a loving wife, mother, grandmother and friend. Beverly lived her life for others through her teaching, her friendship and her kindness to everyone she met. Thirty years of her life were spent teaching and 18 of those years as a kindergarten teacher in Polson. She retired in 1993.

Bev was a big University of Montana Grizzly fan. She loved going to the Griz football games and watching the Lady Griz. She was also a member of Delta Kappa Gamma.

She was preceded in death by her brother, Keith Christman, and her parents, Edward and Grace Christman.

Her husband, Bernard, of Polson; their daughters: Kristy Johnson and her husband Paul, of Seattle, Wash., and Lori Chase and her husband Richard, of Helena, survive her. She is also survived by four grandsons: Tory Schuessler of Seattle, Tyler Chase of Bozeman, Trever Chase of Baltimore, Md., and Ryan Johnson of Seattle, Wash.; two granddaughters: Annie Chase of Helena and  Brittney Johnson, of Seattle, Wash.; a brother Ron Christman and his wife Carol of Kalispell, and two very dear friends, Lyle and Hazel Rowan of Wessington, S.D.

A graveside memorial service will be held in Wessington, S.D. at a later date. The family suggests memorials be made to Cheerful Hearts or Relay For Life. Messages of condolence may be sent to the family online at www.groganfuneralhome.com. The staff at Grogan Funeral Home and Crematory, Polson, considers it a privilege to care for Mrs. Bonamie’s family.

Loretta McDougall

HOT SPRINGS — Loretta Roseanne “Sister” McDougall, 45, passed away on Jan. 3, in Missoula.

She was born on July 11, 1964, in Denver, Colo., to Dan and Harriett (Stanislaw) McDougall. She was raised in Denver and at age 3, moved with her family to Renton, Wash., and then Yakima, Wash. It was there that she received her CNA training through the local college and went to work for the local nursing home. While in Yakima, she started her family with Roberto Cuevas and to this union their daughter Crystal was born.

A member of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribe, in the 1990s she moved to Hot Springs, where she enjoyed being with her family and friends. True to her Indian name “Dancing Butterfly,” she was a traveler going wherever the winds might blow her.

Sister had many interests and had most recently learned to bead. She enjoyed playing pool, dancing, and watching movies, “CSI” and “Charmed.” An avid Bronco fan, she also was ready to go fishing, camping or outdoors even if it was working in the woods. A lucky person, she was good at poker and even when she had her winnings she was a giving person who cared for others and was one of the happiest people to be around.

Her favorite place, though, was to be with her family and friends. She had three brothers and three grandchildren, she enjoyed being with and held very dear. Lexius, Kashton and Laynie held a special place in her heart and she would spend as much time as she could with them playing and helping with them.

She was preceded in death by her grandparents: Samuel McDougall, Loretta Bad Road, and Joseph and Annie Stanislaw; great-grandmother Mary Louise Parker and brother Samuel Joseph McDougall.

Survivors include her daughter, Crystal (Rocky Olson) McDougall, of Polson; her parents, Harriett McDougall of Camas Prairie and Dan McDougall Sr. of Hot Springs: brothers Daniel “Mooch” McDougall, Billy (Amber) McDougall and Henry “Bear” (Crystal) McDougall; three grandchildren: Lexius, Kashton and Laynie; her special aunts Rose (LeRoy) O’Bennick, Angie (Butch) Andrew, Hazel (John “Bud”) Barnaby and uncle John Stanislaw as well as a large extended family of aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins and friends whom are too numerous to mention.

A wake began last Tuesday at Rose’s Plunge in Hot Springs, with a Rosary recited on Wednesday at the bowling alley. Services were held on Thursday, Jan. 7 at the old bowling alley in Hot Springs and cremation will follow. A memorial will be announced for a later date.

Frank L. Gillin

Frank L. Gillin, 79, passed away at his home on Jan. 5. He was born in Great Falls to Theodore and Eunice Gillin on June 20, 1930.

Frank served in the Navy aboard the U.S.S. Boxer during the Korean War. He also served aboard a transport ferrying troops up the inside passage to Alaska. He spent nine years at the Naval Shipyard in Bremerton, Wash., as a steel rigger. He was released from there in January 1964 on a medical discharge.

Returning to Montana, Frank worked for Pack River Lumber Company for several years. He survived a life-threatening accident that took several months of recovery. Frank then worked for Lucky Strike Lanes for the next 21 years, retiring in 1996. He loved working with people.

He was preceded in death by his parents and two brothers, Richard and Bill.

Frank is survived by his wife Alice of 57 years; two sons: Lytle (Bud) and wife Charmel, of Ronan, Frank and wife Ginger of Oregon City, Ore.; eight grandchildren: ShaeLe, Ross, Kyle Gillin, Jimmy Michel, Michael, Shandee, William Gillin and Collin Thomas; nine great-grandchildren: Jade Paulson, Trevor, Kelsey, Alayna, Try, Kylee, Allison, Ashley and Abbey Gillin; sister Kathleen Chappel; three nieces: JoAnne, Marci, Andrea Chappel; and two nephews, Jack and Glenn Chappel; sister-in-law Anne Gillin.

Cremation has taken place and he requested no services. A memorial dinner will be planned at a later date.

Richard Jungers

Richard Wallace “Dick” Jungers, 74, of Ronan, passed away at home on Sunday, Jan. 3, after a five-year battle with lung disease.

He was born on Nov. 13, 1935, in Missoula, to Wallace Jones and Sybil Jungers. He was raised and attended school in Missoula and Florence, where he met and married his high school sweetheart, Thelma Martin.

They were married for 55 years. They lived in Missoula for 18 years.

Dick worked for the Coca Cola Company for 20 years. They moved to Ronan in 1968, where they eventually bought the Pheasant Lounge. they sold the business in 2002 after 29 years and retired. They had five children, and also raised a grandchild, Shawn. Dick was an avid fisherman and considered any day fishing a good day. He was involved in the high school wrestling program, which he truly enjoyed. He seldom missed a match.

He was also a lifelong Grizzly fan.

He was on the city council for five years. Dick was a proud Irishman, and along with Carlene Bockman and Kevin Templer, held the first St. Patrick’s Day Parade in 1988.

Dick was preceded in death by his parents: Sybil and his adopted father, Vic Jungers. Also, his oldest son, Richard (Ritchey) Jungers.

He is survived by this devoted wife, Thelma, and their children: Terry (Mike) Wagner, of Rapid City, S.D., Sandy Jungers, of Crabtree, Ore., Laurie (Ron) Morgan, of Missoula; Mike (Aow) Jungers, of Lacey, Wash.; his brother, Vic (Tony) and Donna Jungers, of Billings.

They have 10 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren, and many beloved nephews, neices and cousins. Services were held on Saturday, Jan. 9, in the St. Ignatius Mission Catholic Church, with rosary recited later. A repception was held at the Ronan Community Center. This was a potluck. Memorial donations can be made to the Ronan Wrestling Club, 47123 Hughes Road, Ronan, MT, 59864.

Geraldine Larson

 Geri passed peacefully at home on Jan. 1, with family and friends at her side. Geri was born on Dec. 7, 1943, in Dillon, to Jack and Blanche Dixon Knight. She was raised in Dillon and graduated from Beaverhead High School in 1962. She then went to college in Jamestown, N.D., graduating in 1966 with a B.S. in Nursing. Geri started her nursing career by working at the Dillon hospital during summer breaks while attending college. After graduation, she worked as a public health nurse in Rexburg, Idaho, and northwestern Montana.

Geri and Jim Foust were married in Dillon in August 1967. They lived in California while Jim attended mortuary school, then moved to Missoula. Jim and Geri moved to Plains in 1972 where Jim became the funeral director at Shrider’s Mortuary and Geri continued with public health nursing. Two children were born from this union; a son Jarrod and a daughter Atari. Jim died in an automobile accident on Nov. 30, 1978.

Geri and Leonard Larson were married in August 1981. From this union, a blended family was formed, which includes three sons: Jarrod, Rich and Chan and two daughters: Atari and Teri. Geri and Leonard celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary with a surprise party at their home, given by family during “fair time,” in September 2006.

Geri began her career at Clark Fork Valley Hospital in Plains in 1973 and remained there for 25 years. Her first position was working as a staff nurse. She then became director of nurses and later was the human resource director and assistant to the CEO. During Geri’s service to CFVH, she helped spearhead the drive to get a clinic built for the hospital, as well as establish outreach clinics in Thompson Falls, Hot Springs, Trout Creek and Noxon. She also played a big part in getting OB/labor and delivery reestablished at the hospital.

Geri had been working at Evergreen Hot Springs for the last few years and had worked on the Monday, four days prior to being diagnosed. She was a 27-year breast cancer survivor.

Geri was also one of the driving forces behind activating the Plains volunteer ambulance service. She taught first responder and EMT classes for a while and was also an active volunteer for five years.

Geri was a member of the Plains Woman’s Club, Eastern Star and a volunteer with the Plains Connection, which included chaperoning the “all night senior graduation party.” For the 10 years that her children were involved in swim team, Geri drove the “coach’s bedroom,” which was also used as the girls swimmers’ “primping room” before all of the dances. She was an avid supporter of athletics at Plains High school and could be seen at many games.

Geri was a kind, friendly, bubbly and loving person, who always welcomed you with warm hospitality. She loved to travel and lived life to its fullest. We will remember her for her beautiful blue, sparkling eyes and her BIG beautiful smile. She will be missed by many.

Geri is survived by her loving husband, Leonard, at the family home; Jarrod Foust (Michelle, Alix, Riley) in Denver, Colo., Atari Foust in Tigard, Ore., Teri Fleisher (Brian, K.C. (Katherine), Stephanie) in Spokane, Wash., Rich Hillebrandt (Sally, Cassidy) in Medical Lake, Wash., Chan Airhart (Kaylee) in Mountain Home, Idaho, Ford Knight (Nancy, John, Matt) in Lakeside/Kalispell; cousins, many in-laws and many, many friends.

A celebration of Geri’s life will be held at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 23, at the fairground pavilion in Plains. A luncheon will follow at the VFW hall.

Memorial may be made in Geri’s name, to the Cancer Network of Sanders County, P.O. Box 1311, Plains, MT 59859 or to the charity of your choice. WE LOVE YOU GERI!!!!

Arrangements entrusted to Sunset Hills Funeral Homes, Plains and Thompson Falls.