Obituaries

POLSON — Retired Air Force Major Lee Alderdice, age 96, quietly and peacefully left the constraints of his earthly body and was so looking forward to his personal homecoming with Jesus, on Friday, Dec. 17, 2021. He was born on June 14, 1925, in Akron, Ohio, to Athel and Dessie Alderdice. He joined a sister Roberta. He joined the Air Force at 17 and spent 20 years in that service and retired in December of 1963, at which time he went to work for Firestone Tire Co. and later Todd Shipyard in the state of California.  He married Virginia “Ginny” Burroughs in 1948 and they raised three children together. Ginny passed away in 1993. His passion was golf and he exce...

ST. IGNATIUS — James “Jim” Cook passed away at his home on Dec. 18, 2021. He was born on June 15, 1945, in Borger, Texas. After graduating Crooked Oak High School in Oklahoma City, he broke and trained horses, and then entered the Army for a tour in the Vietnam War 1965-67. He returned t...

HELENA — On Sunday, Dec. 5, 2021, Suzanne Bahny acquired her angel wings. She fought a very long and hard battle with cancer. She was born on Sept. 12, 1951, in Ronan to Norman and Barbara (Lindblöm) Knudson, and was the oldest of three adventurous girls, who spent their childhood fearless on the ...

CHARLO — Sheri Rae (Lee) Evans was born on April 26, 1954, in Missoula to John “Jack” and Berniece (Reynolds) Lee, the sixth of eight children. Sheri passed away Dec. 5, 2021. As a child, she rescued every stray cat, dog, or other living creature she found, and would carefully nurse them ba...

SAINT IGNATIUS — Russell Owen Wagner (Russ), 70, of Saint Ignatius, passed away on Thursday, Nov. 11, 2021, in the Benefis Health System Hospital in Great Falls, of COVID. He was born on July 5, 1951, in Browning, the son of Keith (Bob) and Mary (Billie) Wagner. He attended high school in Hood River...

BUTTE — Marshall “Papa” Hart Thompson, age 80, of Butte, passed away at St. James Hospital after a short battle with COVID on Dec. 8, 2021.  Marshall was born in Dillon, on May 18, 1941, to Rayburn Edmund and Barbara Alicia (Gray) Thompson. Rayburn and Barbara were both teachers and...

POLSON — Linda Diane Dupuis Pulse was born on Oct. 4, 1942, and raised in Montana and was an enrolled member of the Pend d’Oreille Tribe. She passed away peacefully, surrounded by her loved ones in Polson on Nov. 22, 2021. Linda was a proud mother, wife, sister, auntie, and cookie grandma.  ...

RONAN — On Tuesday, Nov. 23, 2021, Gina Teresa Johnson, loving mother, sister, grandmother, auntie, cousin, and friend, passed away at age 63. Gina was born on Jan. 29, 1958, in Ronan, to Adam Grant Kirsch and Bonnie Jean (Hoyt) Kirsch.  Gina grew up in Ronan on the family ranch and graduated f...

CHARLO — Evelyn Howe Allen is with Jesus today, as she was yesterday. She’s walked with Him her whole life and is home now, in that peaceful place. (Quoted from Jack Weber, her grandson.) She passed away on Nov. 28, 2021. Evelyn was born on May 18, 1932, in Dupuyer, to Tom and Lillian (Jones) ...

RONAN — Kristine S. Meili, age 72, passed away on Tuesday, Nov. 30, 2021, at St. Joseph Medical Center in Polson. There are no services planned at this time for Kristine. Arrangements are under the care of Shrider–Thompson Funeral Home.