OBITUARIES

Edward Malmin

Sep 3, 2014

Former Whitefish resident Edward “Eddie” Malmin passed away at his home in Pendleton, Oregon, on Sept. 3, 2014.

He was born on Jan. 21, l943, in Fort Dodge, Iowa, to Erling and Esther Malmin.

He grew up in the Bode and Ottosen, Iowa area, and graduated from Twin Rivers High School in Bode in l961,...

Linda Harapat

Sep 1, 2014

Linda Susan Harapat, 65, passed peacefully on Sept. 1, 2014, after a decade-long battle with Alzheimer's.

A small service will be held at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 6, at the Bethany Lutheran Church in Bigfork.

Linda was born on Nov. 15, 1948, in Grand Rapids, Minn., to her parents, John and Leona Anick. She...

Robert Stuart

Sep 1, 2014

Robert “Jack” Stuart passed away Sept. 1, 2014, at Brendan House in Kalispell.

Jack was born in Conrad to Frank O. Stuart and Mary Presslity Stuart on Aug. 22, 1928. He attended school in Ledger and Conrad. He received his private pilot license when he was 16.

Jack enlisted in the Air Force in 1946...

Karl Snyder

Aug 20, 2014

Karl Dan Snyder passed away August 20, 2014 peacefully at his home in Kalispell.   He was born Oct. 7th 1926 in Louisville Kentucky. He was baptized and received his first holy communion into the Catholic church. At age 9 his parents divorced changing his life direction. His great aunts, the Grimm sister ’ s, then gave him love and...

Jennifer Lewis

Aug 16, 2014

Jennifer C. Lewis, 62, passed away peacefully at her home in Bigfork on Aug. 16, 2014, surrounded in love by her family and friends.

Jen was born May 7, 1952, in Waukegan, Illinois, and moved to West Okoboji, Iowa, shortly after with her loving parents John and Sally Cory.

While Jennifer was growing up in...

Lois Lingle

Aug 16, 2014

Lois Jane (Frankfurth) Lingle, 69, passed away Aug. 16, 2014, at Kalispell Regional Medical Center.

Lois was born in 1945, in Dupree, South Dakota, to Albert and Mayme (Poppen) Frankfurth.

She grew up in Dupree through her high school years then moved to Rapid City, South Dakota, where she graduated from high school. She then...

Kimberly Emerson- Santa

Aug 14, 2014

Kimberly Anne Emerson-Santa, 53, passed away peacefully at Kalispell Regional Medical Center on Aug. 14, 2014.

She was born to parents David Allen Emerson and Anne Marie Emerson in Highland Park near Detroit, Michigan.

She is survived by husband Scott James Santa; and her three children, Alicia, Anthony and Daniel.

Kim had an...

Mary Brekhus

Aug 14, 2014

Mary Brekhus passed away peacefully on Aug. 14, 2014, at the Brendan House in Kalispell.

Mary was born Oct. 17, 1956, in Kalispell to Howard and Fern (Miller) Brekhus. Mary graduated Bigfork High School in 1974 where she excelled in basketball and track and field. She was later inducted into the Girls' Basketball Hall of Fame. Mary...

Roy Dimond

Aug 10, 2014

Roy S. Dimond, age 89, passed away on August 10, 2014.  Roy was loved by many who shared his passion for life, the outdoors, hiking, fishing, and hunting.  He was an Eagle Scout and a Sea Scout.  Roy was a longtime member of the Audobon Society and local hiking clubs.  Roy proudly served the U.S.A.  in the U.S. Navy during...

Ernest Drake

Aug 8, 2014

Ernest Vernon Drake, 87, passed away on August 8, 2014.

Ernest was born July 3, 1927, in Somers to Vernon and Anna Keller Drake. He was the fourth of nine children. At the age of 6, the family moved to what was to become the family farm on Whitefish River.

Ernest married Wonita Drake in 1950, and...

Buck Foster

Aug 8, 2014

Buck Foster “went home to be with the Lord” on Aug. 8, 2014.

He was born in Joplin, Mont., at the neighbors’ farm on the way to the hospital on Oct. 23,1932.

“Dad had many accomplishments; however, he wanted to say, ‘If you knew him, you would know what they were.’ I must brag a...

Evelyn Knutson

Aug 8, 2014

Evelyn Margaret Knutson, 92, passed away on August 8, 2014 at Lake View Care Center in Bigfork with some family by her side.  Evelyn was born on August 3, 1922, fourth of five children, to Gerhard G. and Mathilda (Schneider) Gerving, in Glen Ullin, North Dakota.  After graduating from Glen Ullin High School in 1940, Evelyn worked for a...

Minta Schnur-Milner

Aug 7, 2014

Minta Mae Schnur Milner was born in Washington on Sept. 11, 1930, to Preston and Opal Bourne.

She “went to be with her Lord and Savior” on Aug. 7, 2014, in Kalispell. She grew up in Fairfield, Mont.

As a young lady, she met Donald Schnur and moved to California where he was...

Anita Murchie-Smith

Aug 6, 2014

Anita passed away in her sleep in the early evening of Wednesday, Aug. 6, 2014, in Kalispell, at the age of 66, after being diagnosed in 2013 with ovarian cancer.

Anita was born on Friday, Nov. 21, 1947, at St. Mary Hospital in San Francisco, to the late Raymond and Verna Dusté. She remained in...

Ernest Cormier

Aug 2, 2014

Ernest P. Cormier, 80, died suddenly at his home on Aug. 2, 2014, after having sustained injuries which had incapacitated him.

He was born on Nov. 24,1933, in Gardner, Mass.

Ernest served proudly for 20 years in the U.S. Air Force. After traveling the globe (Vietnam) he retired In Montana (1977) where he made a...

Gary Wilson

Aug 2, 2014

Gary L. Wilson passed away August 2, 2014 peacefully at the family farm in Kalispell. He was the youngest son of Roy and Juanita Wilson of Dunkirk, OH. Gary was born February 8, 1952, in Kenton, OH, and was raised in Dunkirk Ohio where he attended Hardin Northern School graduating in 1970. Gary enjoyed his...

Skeez Messing

Aug 1, 2014

Skeez Messing, 92, passed away on Aug. 1, 2014, at Hidden Meadows Memory Care in Columbia Falls.

He was born to Marvin and Emily Becker Messing in Freeport, Ill., where he grew up. He was nicknamed Skeez because his life paralleled the character, Skeezix, in the comic strip “Gasoline Alley.” His artistic nature emerged early; in high...

Lyle Barlett

Jul 26, 2014

Late in the evening of Saturday, July 26, 2014, at the end of a short stay at Brendan House in Kalispell, Lyle passed away as he wished, quickly and peacefully in his sleep.

He was born in Superior, Wis., Nov. 7, 1925, and grew up in Eau Claire, Wis., with sisters Phyllis and Ailene, and...

Marie Sterne

Jul 26, 2014

Marie Mae (Colby) Sterner, 94, passed away July 26, 2014, at Renaissance Senior Care in Kalispell.

Marie was born March 22, 1920, in Kalispell. She was raised in Kila on the Colby’s ranch along Truman Creek. She went to grade school in Kila and attended Flathead County High School.

Marie married Peter H. Sterner on...

Michael Dugan

Jul 19, 2014

Michael Richard Dugan, 55, of Kila passed away on July 19, 2014, from cancer.

Michael was born in Fort Bragg, Calif., on Nov. 25, 1958, to Richard and Barbara Dugan. He spent his formative years on his grandfather's ranch in California.

After residing in Libby for four years and running successful businesses, he moved with...