Obituaries, Jan. 14
Obituaries, Jan. 14
Decker, Gorov, Hawkins, Walker
Eileen Swaney Decker
ST. IGNATIUS — Eileen Swaney Decker, 86, of St. Ignatius, passed away at her home on Monday, Jan. 4, of natural causes.
She was the third of seven children born to James and Mary McDonald Swaney on Nov. 21, 1923, in St. Ignatius. She attended school at Dixon Montana and the Ursuline Boarding School at St. Ignatius, graduating from Dixon High School.
On April 17, 1948, she and Fred H. Decker were joined in marriage, having three children. She is survived by her three children, Denise (Gary), Daniel and Mary Jean; 17 grandchildren and 20 great-grandchildren.
She was a member of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes and an active member of this country’s greatest generation, she contributed to the World War II effort by working at Farragut Naval Base. She started a long career in Indian affairs working for the Tribal Council of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes by taking Tribal Council meeting minutes in the late 1930s and providing secretarial services to the Tribal Government and the Bureau of Indian Affairs.
She was promoted and worked in the Flathead Agency Bureau of Indian Affairs Realty Division until 1975 transferring to the Juneau Area Office to work in the BIA’s Trust Rights Protection Office. She was promoted within the Trust Rights Division and received a transfer to the BIA’s Trust Protection Office in Washington, D.C. Later, she transferred back to Alaska working in the BIA’s Juneau Area Office, retiring in 1984.
She was well known for her love of history and her knowledge of the families of the Flathead Indian Reservation. She had been consulted by many historians regarding family histories during the allotment era and of the McDonald family. She enjoyed traveling and learning the history of all the areas she visited. She grew to love Alaska, making many friends there and she loved the great expanse of the land and its wildlife.
She lived life as she wanted and was well known for generosity, many times bringing those in need into her life and home. She encouraged those in her family to further their education and careers. She was a staunch supporter of Tribal Government and its quest to protect the land and water of the reservation. She was an avid supporter of President Obama’s campaign, predicting years ahead of his announcement of running for office that he would one day become this nation’s president.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Fred; her parents, James and Mary McDonald Swaney; her brothers: Jay, Doogie, Bill and Bearhead and one sister, Doris.
She is survived by her three children: Denise (Gary) Morigeau, Daniel F. Decker and Mary Jean Decker; her grandchildren: James Steele Jr., Rick Steele, Matt Steele, Bill Steele, Daniel J. Decker, Shawn Decker, Joshua Decker, Amber Walks Over Ice, Amanda Decker, Dylan Decker, Dustin Decker, Wyatt Decker, Shaniya Decker, Frederick Decker, Victoria Decker and Pauline Never Miss A Shot, and her sister Opal Cajune.
She was returned to her home in St. Ignatius for visitation and prayer on Wednesday evening, with a Catholic Service held at the Catholic Church in St. Ignatius on Thursday, Jan. 7. Burial services were held at the family cemetery immediately following the mass.
Arthur Myles Gorov
May 25, 1932 — January 12, 2010.
The first thing about Montana that captured Arthur M. Gorov’s imagination was not the startling landscape, or the stars that had never turned out to greet him on nights at home in Chicago. It was something created from Montana’s heart that captured his own, a woman, his wife, named Billie Lee.
Before Montana, Art had spent his entire life in Chicago, except for a stint in the Army. A graduate of Von Steuben High School and DePaul University Law School, he practiced with Berkson, Gorov and Levin downtown. Later, he headed up legal research for the Circuit Court of Cook County. At age 70, after a life in the Midwest and much traveling back and forth to Montana, Art Gorov made the move. He landed in Helena, and to more than a few people’s surprise given his decade, found a fulfilling job as chief trial counsel with the Montana Department of Labor. That work, which ended recently due to health issues, enabled him to traverse the state handling cases and come to adore his adopted home even more.
Art, 77, died peacefully on Jan. 12 of heart-related complications exactly where he wanted to be, in Montana, where his family had recently come from both coasts to bear witness to his love for them and theirs for him at his new home in Polson. His wife and life partner of 31 years, Billie Lee, a community organizer for Lake County, saw him through his transition from big city to rural resident then on to the next world where he now soars with the eagles he loved.
Art loved camping across the West, the profession and art of law, working with injured raptors to help their return to the wild, sailing lakes large and small, nature preserves, corned beef sandwiches, live opera, and getting in the last word. He also, almost instinctively, was compelled to give back some of his good fortune, and in addition to his work with groups that fed the hungry and his support of wildlife organizations, he devoted many years to helping women with ovarian or breast cancer win the right to treatments that their insurers were attempting to deny them. He represented them pro bono.
He is survived by Billie Lee of Ronan; his daughter Lynda Gorov and granddaughter Raziel of Santa Monica, Calif.; granddaughter Rebecca Smokowicz of Washington, D.C.; and his step-son Richard Lee and grandson Connor of Willowbrook, Ill.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to the National Wildlife Federation, 11100 Wildlife Center Drive, Reston, Va., 20190-5362. Condolences and/or stories and memories may be sent to the family in care of Shrider-Thompson Funeral Home, 419 Round Butte Road in Ronan, MT. 59864. A memorial service is being planned by the family for a later date.
Joan L. Hawkins
Joan L. Hawkins, 74, of Polson, passed away on Sunday, Jan. 17, at St. Joseph Hospital in Polson. Visitation for friends and family was held on Wednesday, Jan. 20 at Grogan Funeral Home, 101 Sixth Ave. E. in Polson. A Rosary service began at 7 p.m. Mass of Christian Burial will be conducted at 10:30 a.m. today, Thursday, Jan. 21, at St. Ignatius Mission Church, St. Ignatius. Burial will follow at St. Ignatius Catholic Cemetery. Grogan Funeral Home and Crematory, Polson is assisting the family. www.groganfuneralhome.com.
Doug Walker
Doug Walker, 84, of Polson, a rancher and WWII Army Veteran, died on Friday, Jan. 15, at Polson Health and Rehabilitation. Cremation will take place and no formal services are scheduled at this time. Grogan Funeral Home and Crematory, Polson is assisting the family.