Obituaries

Mar 13, 2023

Our beloved Mom and Grandma, Ethel Mae (Salois) McKnight, passed away Monday, March 13, 2023, in Great Falls. She was 87. Cremation has taken place under the care of O'Connor Funeral Home. Graveside services and a burial of ashes will take place at Mount Olivet Cemetery on a later date.

Ethel was born on the family ranch...

Mar 12, 2023

After 91 beautiful, joy filled years of life, on March 12, our beloved mother, Bonnie J. Yurko gained her angel wings surrounded by loved ones.

Bonnie was full of love, found joy in all things, and was a beautiful person inside and out. Bonnie was born August 26, 1931, on the family ranch to Henry Burton and...

Mar 12, 2023

Vincent Paul Howanitz, 60, beloved husband, brother, uncle, friend, Navy veteran, “sheriff,” and “mountain man” unexpectedly passed away on March 12, 2023, from a massive heart attack.

Vince is survived by his loving wife of 12 1/2 years, Sarah; brother, Nicholas (Linda) of Port Orange, FL; sisters, Alice (Ron Miller) of Orchard Park, NY and Pat (Bill...

Mar 11, 2023

Clarence M. Fowell, age 81, of Mauston and Great Falls, MT, passed away unexpectedly on Saturday, March 11, 2023.

He was born on October 7, 1941, in Richland County, Wisconsin, the son of Ronald and Clara (Luttig) Fowell. Clarence was a 1959 graduate of Ithaca High School. Following high school, he enlisted in the U.S. Air Force...

Mar 6, 2023

Glen William Corcoran, son of William and Irma Corcoran, died on March 6, 2023, his 82nd birthday.

Glen was raised on the 100 year old Corcoran farm in Eden, MT and he graduated from Centerville High School. He served his term in Navy on the Yorktown Aircraft Carrier. After the Navy, Glen attended Great Falls Commercial College,...

Mar 5, 2023

Georgia Maroney Steir was born August 23, 1936, to Edward Maroney and Mary Munson in Helena, Montana. She passed away peacefully on March 5, 2023, surrounded by her husband and devoted caregivers.

Georgia attended school in Helena and graduated from Helena High School with a scholarship to Butte School of Mines but chose to stay in Helena....

Mar 4, 2023

Raymond A. Wardinsky, age 89, passed away on Saturday, March 4, 2023. He was born in Great Falls on April 21, 1933. His parents were Eugene A. Wardinsky and Madonna Catherine Burns.

All the Wardinsky boys were given nicknames from their grandfather. Ray was known to his family and long-time friends as “Butch.” He graduated from Great...

Mar 1, 2023

Gordon Edward Swanson, 61, died peacefully in the arms of his loving wife, Jodi Erwin Swanson, surrounded by family, on Wednesday, March 1, 2023, in Great Falls, Montana.

Gordon (Gordy) was born on July 8 in Manilla, Philippines. He was, however, a Californian through and through, loving the sun, sand, and surf. If it seemed strange for...

Feb 25, 2023

Wayne L. Ballantyne passed away on February 25th, 2023, after a progressive battle with Alzheimer’s. Wayne was born on July 26, 1932, as the second of three children born to Gilbert and Millie Ballantyne at Tooele, Utah.  Tooele, Utah was known to the Ballantyne’s as “The Ranch” that sustained the family in the Depression years. The family later moved...

Feb 19, 2023

Ronald Leroy Kinder passed away on February 19, 2023, at the age of 87.

Ron was born in Havre, MT on June 9, 1935, to Murvel and Ellen Kinder of Rudyard, MT. Ron was the first of 4 children. He would remain very close to his parents and siblings throughout their lives. Ron graduated from Rudyard High...

Feb 17, 2023

Janice M. Grimm, 72, of Great Falls, passed away on Friday, February 17, 2023, with her family by her side.

A funeral liturgy will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Monday, February 27, 2023, at Holy Spirit Catholic Church.

Janice was born on July 4, 1950, in Great Falls to Francis and Martha (Cain) Schlimgen....

Feb 16, 2023

Marjorie B. Thomas, 85, of Sun Prairie, suddenly and sadly left us on Thursday, February 16th.

She was born February 26th, 1937, in Browerville, Minnesota to William and Rosemary Zigan. She came to Montana in the fall of 1956 and was blessed with five children. She spent 56 years as the bartender at The Office Bar in...

Feb 16, 2023

Lena Louise Welling passed away on February 16, 2023, peacefully at Peace Hospice House. She was born on July 23, 1931, to Anna and William Stahl in Midland, South Dakota.

She married Bill Welling, they later divorced. They had 4 children, Bill Welling of Great Falls, Dave (Kathy)Welling of Ulm, Debbi (Greg) Wennerberg of Great Falls; 4...

Feb 14, 2023

Eddie Lee Stubbs, 87, died February 14, 2023, at Benefis Peace Hospice in Great Falls, Montana.

Eddie was born at home to Glenn and Isabel on April 3, 1935, in Miller, Nebraska with six brothers and six sisters. After graduating high school in Kearney, Nebraska he enlisted in the U.S Air Force. After he was honorably discharged,...

Feb 12, 2023

Shirley Louise LaMere (Howland) went home to Heaven on Sunday, February 12, 2023.

She was born to Oscar Howland and Olive Stoner Howland on June 20, 1948. She was born and raised in Sandpoint, Idaho. She loved being from a small town and growing up there. She was the youngest girl and was spoiled because she didn’t...

Feb 11, 2023

Richard Calvin Smith, 75, of Great Falls, passed away on Saturday, February 11, 2023. He will be laid to rest at 1:00 p.m. on Friday, February 24, 2023, at the Montana State Veterans Cemetery in Fort Harrison.

Feb 9, 2023

Born Karen Rae Stevens, June 15, 1942, in Laurel, Montana to Ray and Ruth Stevens. Karen passed away peacefully February 9, 2023, in Great Falls from complications arising from her cancers.

She is survived by her sisters, Susan Macdonald of Great Falls and Ellan Yuill of Billings; son, Steven (Michele) Sheffels, grandson, Taylor (Lisa) Sheffels, great-granddaughter, Mackenzie,...

Feb 4, 2023

Lawrence L. Howell, 85, of Great Falls, passed away on Saturday, February 4, 2023.

He was born on July 10, 1937, in Havre, Montana to Riley and Flossie (Carson) Howell. After graduating from high school, he enlisted in the US Army where he learned his trade as an automotive mechanic. His work experience varied over the years....

Feb 4, 2023

Billie Marie (Metsgar) Fujimoto passed away peacefully on February 04, 2023, in her sleep.

She was born on October 03, 1938, in Fort Towson, Oklahoma. She was raised by her parents, Doyle and Jewel M. (French) Metsgar. She has two siblings, Be Linda Lee Shetka and Doyle (Sunny) Clayton Metsgar Jr.

Billie married her husband,...

Feb 3, 2023

Catherine Louise (Davis) Hurd passed from this life at the Peace Hospice House on February 3, 2023, at the age of 104. Prayers for her are asked as she continues her journey into the next.

Catherine was born December 9, 1918, in her grandmother’s house to Clyde and Myrtle Davis of Caldwell, Idaho, during the Spanish flu...