Obituaries, March 4
Wiese, Yazzie, Montgomery, Ricketts, Meuli
Annette M. Wiese
Annette M. Wiese, 63, of Polson, passed away on Friday, Feb. 26, at her home after a battle with cancer.
Born on Aug. 11, 1946, in Cheyenne, Wyo., she was the daughter of the late James and Betty Knight. Annette worked for many years as a cook at Price’s Café, Lake City Bakery, 4Bs and several others. In 1991, Annette married Richard Wiese in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho.
Some of Annette’s favorite pastimes were fishing, bowling, crocheting and she loved spending time with her family and all 15 grandchildren.
Besides her parents, Mrs. Wiese is preceded in death by her first husband, Melvin Wright; a son, Shawn Knight and her step-daughter, DeAnn Wiese.
Those left with cherished memories are her husband Richard “Dick” Wiese; her daughter, Jill Wright (Howard Lilly); two sons, Kevin (Jacki) Knight and Scott (Rhonda) Wright; a step-son, Darin (Pam) Wiese; a sister, Judy (Bob) Johnston; 15 grandchildren and very special friends, Sherry and Melva.
Cremation has taken place and services are being planned for a later date. Messages of condolence may be left with the family online at www.groganfuneralhome.com. The staff of Grogan Funeral Home and Crematory, Polson, consider it a privilege to care for Mrs. Wiese’s family.
Ramone Jarren Yazzie
RONAN — Ramone Jarren Yazzie, newborn, was made an Angel on Wednesday, Feb. 24, at St. Luke’s Hospital.
He was preceded in death by his great-grandfather Ned Ramone Yazzie; great-great-grandparents Ernie and Annie Sorrell and great-grandparents Johnny and Amelia Jones who welcomed him into Heaven.
Survivors include his parents Anthony J. Yazzie and Raena L. Jones; paternal grandparents Curtis and Gigi Yazzie of St. Ignatius; great-grandparents Emma Yazzie of New Mexico and Ernest “Rawhide” & “ Mama” Lou Sorrell of St. Ignatius; uncles Julian L. Sorrell; Aunt Antoinette “Sister” Yazzie and Frank Stanger; cousins Audrey Felsman-Sorrell and Jackson Felsman-Sorrell; maternal grandparents Lubert and Norma Jones of Ronan and Jim and Terry Moses of Lakeside; great-grandmother Dorothy “Dot” Meyers of Roundup; uncles Kendall Jones, Brandon Jones of Columbia Falls and Brennan Jones of Polson; aunts Carol and Phillip Bartell of Arlee, Carla Walhood and Clancy Walhood, Patricia Jones, both of St. Ignatius and Andrea Corpron of Kalispell and numerous other family members.
A rosary was held at the Longhouse last Thursday with graveside services being held at the St. Ignatius Catholic Cemetery on Friday, Feb. 26.
Keith James Montgomery
Keith James Montgomery, 66, of Ronan, MT, passed away on Friday, Feb. 26, at his home.
Keith was born on Aug. 16, 1943, in Aberdeen, Wash., a son of the late Lasharon and Pansy Montgomery. He was a true outdoorsman with a love of camping, fishing and packing into the Bob Marshall Wilderness countless times. Keith had ridden in several rodeos, trained horses, and worked at the Treasure State Mink Ranch. He considered himself a true cowboy and ranched most of his life.
Survivors include his children: Trina (Ed) Phillips of Polson and Ben (Christle) Montgomery of Atlanta, Ga.; two sisters, Jeannette (Robert) Johns of Ronan and Hester (Chuck) Clark of Lolo; a brother, Swan (Bonnie) Montgomery of Missoula; nieces, Debra (Peter) Kathe, Bobbie Jo (Dwayne) Folden, Denise (Wayne) Futch, Sandy (Terry) Pickens, Corinne (John) Clark, Debbie (Richard) Clark and Lacy Montgomery.
A celebration of Keith’s life will be held at 4 p.m. on Friday, March 5, at the Leon Hall (1 mile west of 93 on Leon Road). A potluck dinner will follow. Messages of condolence may be sent to the family online at www.groganfuneralhome.com. The staff of Grogan Funeral Home and Crematory, Polson considers it a privilege to care for Mr. Montgomery’s family.
Norma Baldwin Ricketts
Norma Baldwin Ricketts, 88, of Polson and formerly of Mesa, Ariz., passed away peacefully during the night on Thursday, Feb. 25, at Evergreen Polson Health and Rehabilitation where she had currently been a resident.
Norma was born in Holbrook, Ariz. on Sept. 23, 1921, and was the daughter of the late Arlo Clark Baldwin and Rose Ramsay Baldwin. She spent the first 12 years of her life on the Navajo, Hopi and Apache Indian Reservations and when Norma was 8, she was baptized in the river at Snowflake, Ariz., by her grandfather, John Ramsay.
After graduating from Winslow High School, Winslow, Ariz. in 1938, Norma went on to receive her bachelor’s degree in business administration from Woodbury University in Los Angeles, Calif., in 1941. In 1943, she was a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints with headquarters in Minneapolis, Minn. (North Central States).
Norma lived a full and diversified life with her working career including positions at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Hollywood, Calif., Lockheed Aircraft during World War II, Burbank, Calif., The McClatchy Newspapers, editorial department, The Sacramento Union, music and drama critic (two years) and her weekly column (one year), Sacramento Civic Theater, Music Circus Light Opera Association, and the City of Sacramento Convention Center.
In 1950, Norma, along with nine other women, organized the first company of the Daughters of Utah Pioneers in Sacramento and served as its first president.
In 1988, Norma returned to her native Arizona after leaving for 50 years. She felt the move to be a return to her roots. She enjoyed getting reacquainted with her cousins and made many new friends. While in Mesa, she served as the regional representative for the International Society, Daughters of Utah Pioneers for the State of Arizona. At a 1990 convention in Salt Lake City, Norma was honored with a special award, “Women of Faith and Fortitude”.
While compiling research through the years on the early Mormons of California, Norma spent the next six years writing “The Mormon Battalion, US Army of the West, 1846-48,” published in 1996. The book won three national awards and is considered to be a definitive work on the topic.
Beside her parents, she is preceded in death by her husband, Monte Fremont Ricketts, who died in 1983, and daughter, Susan Green.
Those left with cherished memories are her two sons: Robert Ricketts of Polson and John Ricketts of Mesa, Ariz.; six grandchildren: Robby, Molly and Ian Ricketts, all of Polson; Stacie Stoner, Brenden Ricketts, and Lisa Green, all of Ariz.; two great-grandchildren Cody and Jacob Green, both of Ariz.
Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. held on Friday, March 5, at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Polson, with Bishop Gordon Terry officiating. Interment will follow at Lakeview Cemetery, Polson. Friends may visit with the family an hour prior to the services in the Relief Society Room of the church. Messages of condolence may be sent to the family online at www.groganfuneralhome.com. The staff of Grogan Funeral Home, Polson, considers it a privilege to care for the family of Mrs. Ricketts.
Jack M. Meuli
Jack M. Meuli, 77, of Dayton passed away on Feb. 25, at Kalispell Regional Medical Center from natural causes.
Jack was born on Oct. 28, 1932, in Missoula to Melville and Laura Meuli. He attended elementary school in Proctor and graduated from Polson High School in 1950. Jack attended Montana State University where he met his future wife, Lois, while working on the school annual. While at college he made life time friends as a member of the Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity. Jack graduated in 1954 with a degree in agriculture. He was in the ROTC program while attending MSU and served in the U. S. Army until 1957.
On June 17, 1956, Jack married Lois Ann Ward in Billings. After his service in the Army, Jack and Lois returned to establish a ranch near Dayton in the Proctor Valley.
They raised their family, including daughter Jean and son Mike on the ranch. Jack enjoyed ranching and stayed active on the ranch his whole life. Jack was an involved member in the community and enjoyed playing cribbage and pinnacle with his family and friends.
Jack’s focus was on his family, the ranch and the community and he was an active leader in both the local and ranch communities. He was a member of the Proctor School Board, and past president of and member of the Western Montana Stockmen’s Association. He also served on the board of directors of the Montana Stockgrowers Association and was a member of the National Cattlemen’s Association. Jack was also a long time member and past chairman of the Lake County Planning Board, member of the Lake County Conservation Board and served on the Crimestopper’s Board. Jack was a founding member of the Chief Cliff Volunteer Fire Dept. and served on the Session and the Parish Council at the Dayton Presbyterian Church.
He was preceded in death by his beloved wife Lois and his parents, Mel and Laura.
He is survived by two children and their families: daughter- Jean (Pat) Kunz of Bellevue, Wash. and son Mike (Nancy) Meuli of Dayton; 6 grandchildren: Zack, Mike and Joey Kunz and John Michael, Matthew and Mikayla Meuli.
A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, March 6, at the New Life Christian Center in Polson with Presbyterian Pastor Dave Anson officiating. A reception will follow at the church. Condolences may be left to the family online at www.groganfuneralhome.com. The staff at Grogan Funeral Home and Crematory, Polson considers it a privilege to care for Mr. Meuli’s famiy.
Elaine Barbara Rogers Hagestad
Elaine Barbara Rogers Hagestad, 88, of Polson, passed away on Monday, Feb. 22, at St. Joseph Medical Center from natural causes. She was born in Myrtle Creek, Ore., on Feb. 7, 1922, to Ara Pratt and Benton (Banty) Rogers. She was raised with her two sisters on their homestead south of Chinook, and attended schools at Hope and Chinook.
She and Baker Hagestad were married on Oct. 25, 1939, in Fort Benton. Baker joined the U.S. Coast Guard in 1944, through 1945. About 1945, her parents bought acreage in Coram, near Glacier Park, which they divided with Elaine and sister Anastasia and their husbands. Hagestads built the Ho-Hum Motel on their land, which they later sold and moved to Oregon and California before returning to Polson.
Baker passed away on June 21, 2001, Elaine spent her last years at the Evergreen Health and Rehabilitation Center. Her parents, sisters Anne Doney Olson, and Anastasia Seaman and infant brother Barton preceded her in death.
Elaine is surivived by her niece Arlene Doney Penhallegon of Cornville, Ariz.; nephew Roger (Helene) Doney of Whitefish and their two daughters and two sons, and their families.
No services are planned at this time and inurnment will take place at Lakeview Cemetery. Cremation and arrangements under the care of Grogan Funeral Home and Crematory. Condolences may be sent to the family online at www.groganfuneralhome.com.