Obituaries
Glenna Bernice
Reed Houle
Glenna Bernice Reed Houle was born at home in York, Neb., August 10, 1928 to Blanch May McNitt and Frank Edward Reed. She grew up with her sisters Dee, Fay and brother Clarence. Her mother and father divorced when she was quite young and her mother remarried Henry Haberman, a widower whom she would call Dad, and her family grew with the addition of Lenora, Ted, Willie and Eddy, and yet she would remain the baby of the family. Her family eventually migrated to southern California, finally ending up in Long Beach. There she went to school and graduated from high school. She worked at Buffin’s Department Store for a while and then, she met her tall dark stranger, a Marine named Fred Houle, through her friend Ramona. They married April 22, 1950 and on March 23, 1951 they had their first child, Terry Ann, followed one year and 27 minutes later by a second child Sally Lynn. Fred was sent overseas for a while leaving Glenna to raise her two children with the help of her close knit-extended family. Fred and Glenna never seemed to stay put for very long as Fred was transferred about every 18 months as he worked his way up through the ranks of the military, eventually becoming an officer, and Glenna did her part as an officer’s wife, maintaining a home, and family. She gave birth to a son Joseph Glenn, Sept. 22, 1955 in Cherry Point, N.C. and another daughter, Rhoda Lee, born March 26, 1962, in Lawton, Okla., and in her spare time hosted cocktail parties and played Bridge.
Fred eventually settled Glenna and the kids in Pablo, close to his family, while he finished his last year of duty aboard ship just off the coast of Vietnam, and Glenna took care of the home front. During that time Glenna worked with her sisters- in- law Rosie Jackson and Phyllis Houle, at the Pablo Bar and Café as the morning cook, which was right across the street from where she lived. After Fred retired from the military, they moved to the Dixon Agency, where Fred became the Tribal Secretary for Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, and Glenna concentrated on raising her family, maintaining a home and entertaining Tribal and BIA dignitaries, as well as helping out during fire season to prepare meals for the fire crews. Everyone was settling in to a normal routine, when on April 15,1969 surprise, Thomas Andrew was born; we refer to him as the tax refund baby.
Glenna had studied the Bible with Jehovah’s Witness off and on throughout the years but was unable to make advancement because of frequent moving. Then in April 1981 she was able to symbolize her dedication to Jehovah in Whitefish. Glenna was a quiet shy person but enjoyed being out with the brothers and sisters in the ministry and attending meetings. She loved to listen to the Bible tapes and Kingdom Melodies. Her favorite scriptures were about the paradise earth, and the resurrection hope. (Psalm 37:11; Job 14:14; Revelation 21:1-5) She was known for her kindness to the older ones in the congregation, often providing rides to and from meetings, preparing and sharing simple meals with them, she truly showed the course of hospitality.
Over time Glenna started wintering with her sisters in Southern California, eventually making Vista her home.
She became part of the College Park Congregation, and Bonnie Taitingfong took her under wing every Wednesday morning in the ministry.
In March 2010, Glenna suffered a stroke, which affected her right side and her cognitive abilities.
After that she continued to slowly decline both physically and mentally, but maintained her integrity to Jehovah. She knew the importance of meetings and continued to be a source of encouragement to all.
On Sept. 7, 2014, Glenna fell asleep in death leaving behind all five of her children, twenty grandchildren and more than twenty great grandchildren. Glenna’s strong belief in the Resurrection gave her the hope of being reunited with her family in the Paradise (3 John 4).
Ronald Selden
Ronald Selden, 58, of Glasgow, Mont. died on Friday, August 29, 2014 near Fort Peck Reservoir.
A loving father and loyal friend, he was born on May 13, 1956 in Corvallis, Ore. He had a rich and varied life that gave him wonderful adventures that he would recount to his rapt family and friends.
He was a talented writer and story teller, which served him well as a reporter for the Missoulian, Great Falls Tribune and later, as a freelance journalist for many publications including Indian Country Today and the Missoula Independent.
He had a strong sense of justice and strived to reveal the truth in every situation he covered.
He was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize in 1993.
More recently, he went to work for the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks in various positions until he ultimately took the position of Public Information Officer for Region 6 of the Department in Glasgow, Mont., where he made many friends.
He was an avid outdoorsman and thoroughly enjoyed every place he lived in Montana and elsewhere.
He took every opportunity he could to hike, fish, boat and hunt. He felt that he was truly at home and at peace while in the wilderness.
Ron married twice in his life. In 1981, he began a common law marriage with Lisa Fleischer, which they formalized in 1987. Together they had two daughters, Stella and Cecily.
They divorced in 1995.
He married Beth Brenneman in 1999.
A unique soul, Ron was a very kind man with a deep love of family and friends. He will be greatly missed. Ron is survived by his daughters Stella and Cecily Selden and their mother Lisa Fleischer, his wife, Beth Brenneman, father Charles Selden (Sylvia) and his sister Karen Addington (Marc).
A memorial service and pot luck meal was held at the home of Frank and Janet Sucha, who are long and cherished friends of Ron and his family.
The memorial was held Sept. 7. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in Ron’s name to Montana Conservation Voters or HiLine Youth Hockey, P.O. Box 933, Glasgow, Montana 59230. For any questions about the memorial, please contact (406) 544-2613.
In Memoriam:
LaRue and Steven
Walker
LaRue Rampton Fuller Walker was born February 17, 1922, in Bountiful, Utah and passed away on December 18, 2010 in St. George, Utah from Alzheimer’s.
She was the daughter of Fredrick Leorin and Marie Lee Rampton (both deceased) of Bountiful, Utah. She was blessed with a son, Jay Dennis Fuller, from her first marriage to Jesse J. Fuller.
However, it was her marriage to Steven Lamar Walker that filled her life with love, caring, adventure and travel for 56 years.
With her younger sister, Faye, LaRue grew up in Bountiful, Utah in the 1920s and 1930s. She was popular and pretty.
In high school, she played clarinet in band and orchestra. LaRue graduated from Davis HS in 1940.
She attended Utah State Agricultural College (now USU) in Logan for two years.
She married her high school sweetheart, Jesse Fuller on September 22, 1941. They briefly lived in California before Jesse enlisted with the Army Air Force in 1943 and during WWII LaRue served as a Procurement Specialist in the Army AF in Burbank, California from 1942-1944.
Her son, Jay, was born August 16, 1945, back in Utah. Divorced from Jesse, LaRue became a working single mother. Her parents helped her raise their grandson in Bountiful, Utah.
She had over a twenty-year career in insurance management and most of those years were with the Taylor Agency at Prudential Federal Savings & Loan Association.
In 1953, her son Jay was diagnosed with a mild case of polio. Jay recovered because LaRue aggressively pursued the best medical treatments available at that time even traveling to Mesa, Ariz. for a change of climate for him.
She met Steven LaMar Walker in 1953 and they were married July 31, 1954, at the Ambassador Club in SLC, Utah (photo). In 1969, they made a major life change by leaving Utah and moving to Polson, to build and operate a motel.
For a few years LaRue also worked at a local bank, but the goal changed from opening a motel to a high-end gift shop, Walker’s Gift Box in 1970.
During her years in Polson, and St. George, LaRue was an active member of Beta Sigma Phi [a non-academic social, cultural and service sorority for women] for 30 years. She held the Laureate Degree.
She served as the sorority’s City Council Representative, Treasurer, Extension Officer, Recording or Corresponding Secretary.
She received the Order of the Rose and was Sweetheart and Woman of the Year in 1979. LaRue was also a breast cancer survivor.
LaRue and Steve decided to retire in 1990, moved to St. George, Utah and built their dream home in Bloomington. They resided at 904 Rio Virgin Drive until 2010.
Several of their Utah and Montana friends also retired to St. George and they had many fun-filled years playing golf, card games, shopping, and travel.
LaRue was preceded in death by her loving husband, Steven L. Walker. She is survived by her son, Jay D. Fuller and wife, Wreatha A. Witte, and by her sister, Mrs. Faye R. Dillon of Wenatchee, Wash. [and Faye’s now deceased spouse, Glenn], two nephews [Kenneth Dillon, G. Raymond Dillon], three nieces [Diane D. Stacey, Carol D. Ream, and Connie D. Bruskland] and four great nieces/five great nephews and seven great great nieces.
Steven LaMar Walker was born September 7, 1924, in Salt Lake City, Utah and suddenly departed this life on August 25, 2010.
He was the youngest child of eight siblings of James Craig Walker and Lisadore Wheeler Walker.
He spent his youth in Holladay working on the family’s dairy farm, Mountain Home, along with his brothers and sisters (all preceding him in death). Part of Steve’s heritage is the fact that his maternal grandparents, Henry and Sariah Pixton Wheeler, owned and farmed the land now referred to as the Wheeler Historic Farm in SLC.
He was a 1942 graduate of Granite High School in SLC, Utah.
During high school, he was a member of the Agriculture Club and the Bachelor’s Club (a cooking club for senior boys only) and enjoyed playing softball.
As LaRue’s health and ability declined, Steve’s high school cooking education and talents were put to good use.
Steve served in the U.S. Army between 1948 to 1953, stationed at times in Japan, and was honorably discharged as a Sergeant.
He was an electrician in the service and then worked as a traffic engineer with US West (Bell system) for 19 years.
Through friends, Steve met LaRue in 1953 and they celebrated 56 years of wedding anniversaries.
They enjoyed their years together in Utah and Montana with friends and family. Steve loved fishing especially in the wilds of Wyoming and Montana. Steve and Jay would spend time together – Steve fishing and Jay tieing the flies that seemed to attract the fish.
During Jay’s teenage years, he loved to watch his Dad read and stalk the waters, confident in ability and at peace with himself.
Steve became LaRue’s caregiver after her Alzheimer’s diagnosis, faithfully caring and watching over her.
Steve was preceded in death by his parents and all of his siblings: Melba W. Carpenter, Lowell, Henry, Kenneth, Clifford Verl, Ruby W. Gilbert and Lorna W. Anderson.
He was survived by six nieces [especially Rochelle Anderson], five nephews, and 28-30 great nieces/nephews.
Jay and Wreatha would also like to recognize their good friends who helped us with LaRue’s care at Emeritus at Cliffview during her last few months – Alta and Ken Earl, Judy and Larry Busch and Laurel and Blair Bona.
LaRue’s very good friend, Alta Earl, especially helped her since we were living in Memphis, Tenn. at this time.
According to their wishes, Steve and LaRue were cremated and their ashes were scattered over various favorite spots.
They are truly loved and missed by all.