Obituaries

AJIJC, MEXICO — Intrepid traveler, beloved healer and radiant being Jyoti SaeUn died July 20 in Ajijic, Mexico, tenderly attended on her final journey by daughter Lisa Haney and the devoted staff at Casa Zoe.   Born on Sept. 4, 1937, in Missoula, the first child of Connie and Joe Niemeyer, she promptly set about revising the name on her birth certificate – Constance Joan – to Jodie. That name stayed with her well beyond her tenure at Hawthorne Grade School, Missoula County High School, and the University of Montana, where she earned a degree in nutrition and institutional management and was a beloved member of the Delta Gamma Sorority. She married attorney Tom H...

POLSON — Richard Cary Benner, born on Jan. 30, 1947, in Eugene, Oregon, went gently into his Heavenly Father’s arms in his sleep in Polson on July 30, 2021. The only book that Dick ever read was the Bible and he had it right on his table where he sat each morning. He had lots of extended family, ...

RONAN — Sylvia Joan Hanson passed away on Aug. 24, 2021. She was born on Oct. 21, 1934, in Lincoln, Nebraska, to Leonard and Jean Britton Tiensvold. She was welcomed by her older sister Margaret. By the time the family left Rushville, Nebraska, for Montana, her brother Lyle was born. The family went...

BEND, OREGON — Noted master bead artist, Donna Henderson, passed in Bend, Oregon. She was born in Burlingame, California, June 24, 1959, lived her early years in the Bay Area, and later lived in Los Alamitos, California. She moved to Polson when her parents, James A. Shaffer, Jr. and Frances A. Shaffer...

POLSON — Edmond Joseph Violette (Ed) passed away on Aug. 12, 2021, at the age of 90. Ed was born in Deer Lodge on Sept. 25, 1930. He was the youngest of five children. He had three brothers, Sherman, Glenn and Jim and his sister, Iris.  He married Gloria Johnson in Polson in 1950 starting a 66-...

PLAINS — Lifelong local rancher Richard Beller, born on Oct. 18, 1924, in Seattle, Washington, passed away peacefully at home in Plains on Aug. 15, 2021, at age 96.  Richard was born weighing 3 pounds, 13 ounces, in Seattle , Washington, given little chance of survival. He was relinquished by h...

POLSON — Sarah Joan Shortman–Buckman, age 41, left our lives peacefully on Saturday, July 3, 2021, at St. Joseph Medical Center in Polson. She was born on Dec. 23, 1979, at Fort Belknap Hospital in Harlem, Montana, to Glen and Jolene (Shortman) Buckman. Our Sarah began her life in her family&r...

POLSON — Margaret Elaine Hanson of Polson, passed away peacefully surrounded by family on Aug. 19, 2021, at Polson Health and Rehabilitation Center. She was born on Oct. 15, 1940, to Walter and Delma (Brott) Zimmerman in Beatrice, Nebraska, grew up on a farm near Jansen, Nebraska, and graduated from Fa...

RONAN — Preston Wayne (PD) Henifin passed on July 30, 2021, in Ronan. He was born on Dec. 31, 1976, at Madigan Army Medical Center in Fort Lewis, Washington. He is survived by the love of his life, his wife Tamara Rae (Camel) Henifin. His is also survived by his parents, Wayne Boyd and Mindy Kay (Rhoad...

RONAN — It is with great sadness that the family of Jack Howard Bishop announces his passing on May 27, 2020, at the age of 81. In 1938 he was born in Oakland, California, to Howard and Dorothy Bishop. Jack became a big brother to Sister Nancy in 1945. Jack served in the U.S. Air Force from 1956-1960. ...