All Obituaries

Violet Lea Kraft, 82, passed away peacefully on July 18, 2018, surrounded by her children. Violet was born on June 25, 1936 in Victor Montana. Violet held multiple jobs throughout the valley but her proudest career was the 15 years public service with the Counseling on Aging. Violet was very caring, she loved her grandkids, and family gatherings.   Violet is survived by 4 daughters, 2 sons, a step daughter, and 2 brothers. Danae Fine (Gene) of Oregon, Teena Pfyffer (Larry) of...

MATTHEW ALAN MESKIMEN "For we walk by Faith, not by sight." II Cor. 5:7 (KJV) Matt was born on June 16, 1962 to Elmer and Anne Meskimen in Hamilton, MT.  He entered into Heaven on July 17, 2018 at home in Darby, MT. Matt attended the Montana School for the Deaf and Blind in Great Falls until he was 13 years old, at which time he moved to San Diego with his family.  He attended public schools and graduated from Granite Hills High School.  Matt had many great...

On Tuesday, July 10, 2018, one day before his 68th birthday, Robert (“Bob”) George Beyer, passed away while vacationing in Columbia Falls.  Born and raised in Malta, Montana, Bob spent his youth helping at his dad’s service station and in his mother’s garden, along with his three brothers and two sisters.  He graduated from Malta High School then attended the Helena College of Technology where he received his airplane mechanics degree.  Bob worked for...

Gary Lee Ranes, passed away peacefully at his home on Tuesday, July 10, 2018.  He was born in Havre, Montana on October 30, 1961 to Molly Jo Schaefer Phares and John Eugene Ranes. Gary was raised in Havre, Montana where he attended elementary through high school, graduating in 1980.  He loyally served the Havre Public School system as the Head Maintenance Specialist for 25 years, taking immense pride in his work.  Gary devoted special attention to the Blue Pony stadium, and...

Corvallis- Glen Edward Moeller, 73 of Corvallis passed away unexpectedly in the evening of July 4, 2018 in his home after a full day of baling hay.  He was born on June 30, 1945 in Minneapolis, MN, the son of the late Ralph and Clara Moeller. Glen was born and raised in the area of Minneapolis, MN and found his love of horticulture and the outdoors at a young age.  In 1968, he met the love of his life, Sue Fredeen, and they were married in January of 1969. Glen and Sue then...

Donna Marie Dyrdahl, 84 of Hamilton passed away July 3, 2018 at the Marcus Daly Hospice Center in Hamilton. Donna was born November 29, 1933 at her home in Aneta, ND to the late Oscar and Nile Nielsson Jacobson.  She received her education in the Grand Forks, ND school system.  On September 4, 1950 she married Robert Dyrdahl.  Robert passed away May 16, 2009. Donna was a lifelong member of the VFW Auxilliary. She was preceded in death by her parents, Nile and Oscar...

Robert S. House of Darby passed away on Saturday, June 30, 2018 at the Community Medical Center at the age of 81. He was born August 17, 1936 in Canandaigua, New York to Alvin and Alice House. At the age of 7 his family moved to the West Fork of the Bitterroot Valley where his parents taught school and pioneered new churches in the region including The Wesleyan Church in Conner, MT. Robert graduated from Darby High School in 1954 and immediately began his career with Del Conner Lumber...

KALISPELL — What a man! What a life!  Barry Dean Abel was born in Texas where his parents ran a fruit shipping business; according to family lore, the doctor was a little tipsy, (or roaring drunk, depending on the version), and filled out his birth certificate with the wrong date, wrong day of the week, and misspelled his name. Years later his 103-year-old aunt vouched for the corrections with the Social Security Administration.  He met Shirley Parks at the Maid-Rite...

Patricia “Pat” King passed away Saturday June 30, 2018 in Hamilton, Montana.  She was 83.  Pat was born Patricia Ann Johnson to Walter W. and Gladys W. Watson Johnson on October 3, 1934 in Nebraska.  She grew up and received her education in Medford, Oregon.  She later married Charles Floyd King on May 24, 1960 in Reno, Nevada.  Throughout her life, Pat worked primarily as a waitress.  However her true passion was working as a dog obedience...

HAMILTON – Mildred Alice Long passed in her home peacefully Thursday, June 28, 2018 surrounded by family.  She was born on her family’s homestead by Haxby, MT to Frank and Delila Carman on January 20, 1925. The homestead was bought up for the Fort Peck Dam and they relocated to Deary, ID.  From there she moved to Grantsdale with her 2 children, Ralph (Butch) Brown and Jeanie Brown.  Years later Mildred met Oliver Long and they fell in love and married on May 24,...