The Billings Gazette from Billings, Montana • 16

sori August 22, 2002 Billings Gazette Obituaries For paid obituary rates and information, call 657-1241 or (800) 543-2505 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday-Friday; 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays and 3 p.m.

to 6 p.m. on Sundays. The deadline is 4 p.m. for next day publication. BILLINGS Fred Mellgren, 59 Alfred C.

Shaffer, 94 STATE AND AREA DEATHS Basin: Senia Saarinen, 82 Butte: Eileen Meehan, 94 Cody, James L. Haines, 67 Ennis: Dixie Evans, 70; Margaret Whitman, 85 Forsyth: George R. Crawley, 88 Great Falls: Joseph Mudd, 81; Walter Gnojek, 79; Orval Aabak, 83 Kalispell: Paul Hawk, 66 Lewistown: Selma "Sally" Wells, 94; Bill R. Matthews, 41 Libby: Charles Collinson, 86 Missoula: Ron MacDonald, 55 Cremation ok Funeral Gallery Cremation Society of Montana Absarokee Beartooth Columbarium 29 8th St. Bigs 59101 254-2414 Eliminate Extreme Expense Jerry Nordquist Sharon Brown MELLGREN Fred, 59, Bigs Memorial 2pm Sat-Messiah Luth.

24 HAINES James, 67, Cody WY. Cremation-private memorial. 24 Dahl Chapels FUNERAL CREMATION SERVICES Value Without Compromise Billings 10 Yellowstone Avenue (406) 248-8807 Bozeman 300 Highland Blvd. (406) 586-5298 ALLEN Anne Cline, 94, of Bozeman, passed away Sunday. A celebration of life will be 7:30 p.m.

at Spring Meadows, 3175 Red Lodge 708 South McGillen (406) 446-1800 Hardin 524 N. Cheyenne (800) 303-4161 (406) 665-9014 Caring dignified service to our community Recipients of 2001. MSU Small Family Business Award Smith Funeral and Crematory Serving Billings Area for 104 Years Complete Funeral, Crematory and Cemetery Pre-Arrangements with Cremation Niches, Lawn Crypts and Mausoleum. Reception Facility at West Chapel TWO CONVENIENT LOCATIONS IN BILLINGS SMITH WEST CHAPEL 304 34TH ST. W.

245-6427 4 Blocks N. of Central on 34th St. W. SMITH DOWNTOWN CHAPEL 120 N. 26th 245-6427 Adjacent Parking SCHNEIDER C.J.

"Tony," 84, of Billings. Cremation. Memorial service 10 a.m. Friday, Aug. 23, at Smith Downtown MCCANN Dorothy Gayle, 86, of Billings.

Cremation has taken place at Smith's Crematory. A memorial service will be held in memory of Dorothy's life at 2 p.m. Friday, Aug. 23, at the Unity Church of Christianity, 14th St. West and Lynn Ave.

Memorials may be made may be made to the American Cancer Society, PO Box 1080, Billings, MT 59103- SMITH OLCOTT CHAPEL RED LODGE 201 N. Broadway 446-1121 STRINGARI Andrew Frank "Andy," 23, of Belfry. Rosary and vigil, 7 p.m. Thursday, in Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Bridger. Funeral mass 10 a.m.

Friday, Aug. 23, in Sacred Heart Church. Interment, Belfry Cemetery. Memorials to benefit Andy's sons: U.S. National Bank, Box 910, Red Lodge, MT SMITH FUNERAL CHAPEL LAUREL 315 E.

3rd. 628-6858 SMITH FUNERAL CHAPEL COLUMBUS 35 N. Diamond St. 628-6858 Powell, Harold J. Farmer, 68 Scobey: Gertrude Bush, 87 Shelby: Glenn Petty, 59; Barbara Banik, 75 Sheridan, Alice J.

Hoffman, 82 Sidney: Naaman Burman, 26 Worland, Vera Frances Vannoy, 92 FORMERLY OF: Sheridan, Samuel R. "Sam" Miller, 42, Cheyenne, Wyo. Vera Frances Vannoy WORLAND, Wyo. Vera Frances Vannoy, 92, died Aug. 20, 2002, at St.

Vincent Healthcare in Billings. She was born Feb. 11, 1910, in Lyons, the daughter of Charles Alton and Alice Gertrude (Myers) Miller. Vera was raised on a farm near Lyons. In 1926, her family moved to the Plainview, Texas, area where she met her husband.

On Dec. 17, 1927, she married Bentley Carroll "B.C." Vannoy in Plainview. They lived in Plainview until moving to Worland in 1931. They started Vannoy Roofing Co. in the late 1930s, and she was secretary and bookkeeper for Vannoy Roofing until her husband retired in 1999.

She had also worked as a clerk for a number of years at the Merz Bakery, the Ben Franklin store and at the local beanery for several years. The couple moved to the Pioneer Home in Thermopolis in September 1999. Mr. Vannoy died Jan. 20, 2001.

Vera was a member of the Worland Eagles Auxiliary. Her hobbies included doing needlework, playing the piano in the family band and being with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Survivors include her sons, Jack C. (Phyllis) Vannoy of Billings, Martin E. "Gene" Vannoy of Park City, and James L.

(Janie) Vannoy of Franklin, a daughter, Linda F. Humphreys of Worland; a sister, Irene Spadt of Worland; 12 grandchildren, and 22 greatgrandchildren. Visitation is from 9 a.m. Saturday until service time. Services will be at 1 p.m.

Saturday at Veile Mortuary Chapel, officiated by Rev. Tim Trippel of Grace Lutheran Church. Burial will be in Riverview Memorial Gardens Cemetery. Memorials may be made to the American Diabetes Foundation, 4910 S. Ash Casper, 82601-6320.

James Leonard Haines CODY, Wyo. James Leonard Haines, 67, of Cody, died Tuesday Aug. 20, 2002, at the VA Hospital in Sheridan, Wyo. There will be a private family memorial. Cremation will be held at Cremation or Funeral Gallery.

Alice J. Hoffman SHERIDAN, Wyo. Alice J. Hoffman, 82, died Monday, Aug. 19, 2002, at her home.

Visitation is from 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday at Kane Funeral Home. Services will be at 2 p.m. Friday at Kane Funeral Home with burial in the Sheridan Elks Cemetery. Gertrude Bush SCOBEY Gertrude Bush, 87, died Monday, Aug.

19, 2002, at Daniels Memorial Hospital. Services will be at 11 a.m. Friday in the Scobey United Methodist Church with burial in the Scobey Cemetery. Waller Funeral Home is in charge. WIER Funeral Home Family Owned Since 1932 208 1st W.

Roundup, MT 323-2604 GARRETT Olie Low. Funeral services will be 11 a.m. Thurs. Aug. 22 at the Emmanuel Baptist Church in Roundup.

Interment to follow at the Roundup City Cemetery. Memorial service at the Westpark Village Retirement Center in Billings Mon. Aug. 26 at 2:30 p.m.(8/22) Ms Mortuary and Michelotti-Sawyers Crematory 1001 Alderson Ave. 406-252-3417 SELECTED Serving All Faiths With Dignity A FUNERAL Independent HOMES Continuous Family Ownership Since 1956 Yellowstone Valley Memorial Park 3605 Grand Ave.

406-656-2088 Mary Currie Sobotka GLENDIVE Mary Currie Sobotka, age 78, passed away at her home 20 miles north of Glendive on Sunday, Aug. 18, 2002. Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Friday, Aug. 23, MARY SOBOTKA at the First Congregational United Church of Glendive with Brother Guy Pontoriero officiating.

Interment will be in the Dawson County Cemetery. Silvernale-Silha Funeral Home of Glendive is entrusted with arrangements. Mary was born on May 10, 1924, at her parents' homestead near Benchland in Judith Basin County. She was the youngest of three daughters born to Dan and Gladys Currie. Mary grew up in St.

Anthony, Idaho, graduating from high school there in 1942. She attended the College of Great Falls for one year and married Alton Knutson of Geyser in 1944. She later returned to Idaho and attended Ricks College in Rexburg, where she received the degree of associate in education in 1948 and began teaching in the St. Anthony school system. During that time she completed studies for a bachelor of arts in education with honors from the University of Montana and a master of education degree from the University of Oregon.

Mary moved to Glendive in 1959 and taught at Dawson Community College for two years prior to her marriage to August Sobotka in Glendive on June 21, 1961. From that time until August's death in 1997, Mary had worked closely with her husband in every phase of the operation of the Sobotka farm. She continued its operation until the time of her death. Mary was preceded in death by her husband, her parents, and two sisters, Phyllis Garrett and Catherine Castner. She is survived by her son and daughter-in-law, Kenneth and Pam Knutson of Richland, three grandchildren, Carolyn of Richland, Sherilee of Vancouver, and Dan Knutson of Richland; a niece, Mary Catherine Castner of Belt and a nephew, Jack Castner of Great Falls.

Memorials are suggested to the charity of the donor's choice. Harold James Farmer POWELL, Wyo. A star athlete at Powell High School and the University of Wyoming who later went on to become an athletic coach, Harold J. Farmer, 68, Powell, died Tuesday evening, Aug. 20, of an apparent heart attack.

Born in Big Horn County on Aug. 22, 1933, he grew up in Powell and always called Powell home. He was the son of Duard and Gretna (Smith) Farmer. He was educated in the Powell schools and graduated from Powell High School in 1951 where he starred in football and track. He went on to play football and run track for the University of Wyoming.

After graduating from UW, he returned to Powell to teach agriculture and coach football, baseball and rodeo at Northwest Community College from 1960- 1979. He married Marge Bruyer in July of 1961, and they had three children: Renee, Mark and Rochelle. They were later divorced. On June 3, 1975, in Santa Maria, he married Frances Maggard. They have made their home in Powell.

Since his retirement from the college, he has continued to farm and ranch and pursue his love of horses. He was a member of St. John's Episcopal Church. He was a devoted follower of University of Wyoming athletics and greatly enjoyed reminiscing with former teammates at UW reunions. Survivors include his wife Frances of Powell; six children and nine grandchildren: Renee Thomas and husband Steve and their daughter, Anna, of Presho, S.D.: Mark Farmer of Pittsburg, Rochelle Wright and husband Scott and their children, Raelle and Shawn, of Cody; Jay Maggard and wife Christie and their children, Kellen and Ali, of Seattle; Cindy Fulton and husband Pidge and their sons, Nick and Beau, of Powell; Phil Maggard and wife Lisa and their sons, Deacon and Dixon, of Cheyenne; his father, Duard Farmer of Powell; two sisters, Jeraldine Underwood and husband Harold of Powell and Donna Kisor of Powell; and numerous aunts, uncles and cousins.

He was preceded in death by his mother, Gretna Farmer. Funeral services will be conducted at St. John's Episcopal Church at 10 a.m. Friday, Aug. 23.

Miratsky-Easton Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. Fredrik C. Mellgren Fredrik C. Mellgren, 59, passed Dorothy Gayle Tenney McCann away Tuesday Aug. 20, 2002, at home surrounded by family and Dorothy Gayle friends.

McCann peacefully Fred was born Dec. 27, 1942, in ing arms of her Billings to Kristian and Marjorie family on Aug. (Stepper) 19, 2002, after a Mellgren. He brief battle with spent his child- cancer." hood years in Dorothy was Ingomar and born Dec. 28, Fromberg, and 1915, to the late graduated from Alton Burr and Fromberg High Ava Nicholas school in 1961.

Schultz Tenney. Fred enlisted in She was raised FREDRIK the U.S. Air on the family FREDRIK MELLGREN Force and was stationed at Beale Air Force Base in California. It was there that he met the love of his life Dee Anne Davis, and they were married on June 15, 1963. Shortly after their marriage, Fred was involved in an accident while in the service that left him paralyzed for life.

Anyone who ever met Fred knew that he was an amazing man and accomplished more in his wheelchair than most people do on two feet. After spending a year at Long Beach VA Hospital, Fred and Dee Anne returned home to Montana, where Fred graduated from Rocky Mountain College. They then moved to Missoula where Fred attended the University of Montana and received his master's degree. Fred worked for the U.S. Forest Service for eight years.

He and friend Bob Curnow established Cher-Dee Distributing in Missoula and then bought Subaru of Billings. About a year later, Fred started Mellgren Accounting Services in his home until his death. Fred thoroughly enjoyed his business because of the incredible friendships that he developed with his tax clients. Summers were spent at his cabin on Flathead Lake with his family and friends for 34 years. Fred enjoyed boating, fishing, hunting, riding snowmobiles, racing remote controlled speedboats and flying remote controlled airplanes, which he built and flew at the Billings Flying Mustangs flying field.

He is survived by his loving and supportive wife Dee Anne; his daughter Piper Wood and grandson Cameron; his daughter Kirsti and her soul mate Terry Glasgow; his mother Marjorie Mellgren, his brother Hank Mellgren (and his wife Valerie), all of Billings, and several nieces and nephews. He is also survived by Larry Stricker (and his wife Nema) of Vernal, Utah, who was as close to him as any brother could ever be. Fred wanted to express his appreciation for all the friends who touched his life, especially Jim Wise, Bob Curnow and Bob Hanson, for 35 years of being there whenever he needed them. Cremation has taken place at Cremation or Funeral Gallery. Memorial services will be held at Messiah Lutheran Church, 2929 Colton Billings, on Saturday, Aug.

24, at 2 p.m. Memorials may be made to Big Sky Hospice, P.O. Box 35033, Billings, MT 59107, Rocky Mountain College, Department of Business, 1511 Poly Drive, Billings, MT 59102, or to the charity of one's choice. Daddy, we will miss you terribly, and cannot even begin to say how blessed we were to be picked by you and mom to be a part of your lives. We know that you will be watching over us from your Heaven on the Lake.

Bill R. Matthews LEWISTOWN Bill R. Matthews, 41, of Lewistown, died Wednesday, Aug. 21, 2002, at St. Vincent Healthcare in Billings.

Services will be at 11 a.m. Friday in the Cloyd Chapel with burial in the Central Montana Memorial Gardens. homestead in Absarokee. She attended Beaver Creek school there and graduated from high school in Billings. Dorothy was married to Ralph Stevens in 1934.

They had two children, Beverly Gayle Stevens Latham and Richard Ralph Stevens. Dorothy and Ralph were divorced in 1951. In August 1955, Dorothy married Rex McCann. Dorothy and Rex were co-owners of Superior Homes Realty in Billings until his death in 1996. Up until her stroke three years ago, she was a faithful devotee of aerobics and rarely attended classes at the YMCA less than three times a week.

In addition to that, she was an excellent dancer and went dancing at least once a week. She loved dancing, gardening, hunting, fishing, camping, playing pinochle and, most of all, spending time with her family who will miss her beyond words. She was a loving Mother, Grandmother and Great Grandmother and enriched the lives of all who knew and loved her. When we look up, perhaps it is not the stars we see, but rather openings in Heaven where the love of our lost ones shines down to let us know they are still with us. Dorothy is survived by her children, Beverly Gayle Stevens Latham and husband Keith, Richard Ralph Stevens and wife Ethel; her grandchildren, Carrie Puder and husband George, Richelle Thompson, Nicholas Stevens and wife Sandi, and Cherrane Stevens.

She is also survived by her great-grandchildren, Cami Carr and husband Steve, Danyal, Kayla and Talon Thompson, Shannon Adams, Mark Richardson and Jenny Stevens, as well as one greatgreat-grandchild, Kelsey Ann Adams. In addition to her parents, Dorothy was preceded in death by her husband, Rex McCann; sister, Irene Hedden; and brother Ray Tenney. The family wants to thank the staff at West Park Village for their care and caring for the past three years that Dorothy resided there. Also, for the excellent and sensitive care she received at Deaconess Hospital from the third-floor staff. Lastly, we wish to thank her longtime physician, James Nichols, for his wonderful care of Dorothy over the years.

He is one in a million. Cremation has taken place, and a memorial service in celebration of her life will be held on Friday, Aug. 23, at 2 p.m. Services will be at Unity Church of Christianity located at the corner of 14th Street West and Lynn Avenue. Memorials may be made to The American Cancer Society in her memory.

Tenney left the lov- DOROTHY McCANN Samuel R. 'Sam' Miller CHEYENNE, Wyo. Samuel R. "Sam" Miller, 42, of Cheyenne and formerly of Sheridan, died Tuesday, Aug. 13, 2002, while on a camping and fishing trip near Kaycee.

Memorial services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at First Baptist Church in Sheridan. Champion Ferries Funeral Home in Sheridan is in charge. Alfred C. Shaffer Alfred C.

Shaffer, age 94, of Billings, passed away on Wednesday, Aug. 21, 2002, at the Eastern Montana Veterans Home in Glendive. Graveside services with military honors will be held at 2 p.m. Friday, Aug. 23, at the Sunset Memorial Gardens in Billings with the Rev.

Robert Lane officiating. Silvernale-Silha Funeral Home of Glendive is entrusted with arrangements. Alfred was born on July 10, 1908, in Darling Township, the son of Walter and Bertha Shaffer. He was raised and educated in Darling Township and graduated from high school in Falls, Minn. Alfred and Margaret A.

Corgiat were united in marriage on June 24, 1937. He entered the U.S. Army in April of 1944 and served in both the Asiatic Pacific Theater and European African Middle Eastern Theater. Following his discharge from the military in March of 1946, he became a heavy-equipment operator. He and his wife resided in Provo, Utah, and Trident, Mont.

Alfred George R. Crawley FORSYTH George R. Crawley, 88, of Forsyth, died Friday Aug. 16, 2002, in Red Lodge. George was born Sept.

29, 1913, in Creston, the son of Luther G. and Beatrice Gray Crawley. He moved with his family to the Vananda area in 1917, where he spent his youth and attended school. In 1933, George married Gladys White. To this marriage they had four children, Deryl, CalA Lynn and Susan.

They moved to Renton, during the 1940s when he worked as a guard in the shipyards during WWII. George later worked in Billings as an assistant city engineer before moving to Forsyth where he worked for the City of Forsyth as the city engineer. In 1970, George married Ama Nees in Forsyth. He continued to work for the City of Forsyth and also with Rosebud County as a surveyor until 1973 when he returned to work with Heavy Construction. George and Ama retired in 1978 a and moved to Overton, where they lived until Ama's death in 1996.

Following Ama's death, George returned to Montana where he has continued to live since. George loved all outdoor activities including fishing and riding motorcycles. He was also an avid reader. He is survived by his sons, Deryl of Sammamish, and Cal of Elbert, four stepchildren, Darlene (Larry) Eichhorn of Lewistown, Dorene Dunigan of Barstow, Mike (Caroll), Nees of Sheridan, and Pat (Dianna) Nees of Colstrip; 16 grandchildren and numerous great-grandchildren. George preceded in death by his children, Lynn and Susan, and his sister, DIS2 Ethel Ballard.

Graveside services will be at 2 p.m. Friday, Aug. 23, at the' Forsyth Cemetery. Cremation has taken place. Beals of Forsyth is assisting the family with these arrangements.

903 Selma M. 'Sally' Wells LEWISTOWN Selma M. "Sally" Wells, 94, died Tuesday, Aug. 20, 2002, at the Central Montana Medical Center. At her request, cremation has taken place, and there will be a private inurnment of the cremains at the Lewistown City Cemetery.

Creel Funeral Home is in charge. 4 mouse hearings scheduled Associated Press had traveled to Greenland, the Middle East, Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Puerto Rico and had worked construction in these countries. He proudly told his family and friends his stories and experiences of working in these countries. Alfred's hobbies included hunting and raising flowers. In his retirement years, Alfred had been employed by the State of Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks as groundskeeper at Deadman's Basin.

He was famous for his fish fries after returning from Minnesota with fresh fish, cranberries and blueberries. He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife Margaret in 1984; two brothers, Fred Shaffer and Arthur Schaffer; two sisters, Madelyn Van Wormer and Lena Sundberg. Survivors include his son, James A. Shaffer of Billings; his daughter, Meri Ann Tracy and her husband Vincent of Billings; one brother, John Shaffer of Hibbing, six granddaughters; 12 great children; and several nieces and nephews in Minnesota. The U.S.

Fish and Wildlife Service has scheduled four public hearings on a proposal to designate habitat for the Preble's meadow jumping mouse. Two hearings are planned in southern Wyoming: at Laramie County Community College in Cheyenne on Aug. 27 and at the Platte County Library in Wheatland on Aug. 28. Hearings are also planned Aug.

28 at the Douglas County Philip Miller Building in Castle Rock, and Aug. 29 at the Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District building in Loveland, Colo. All the meetings will be from 5-9 p.m., according to Fish and Wildlife officials. The Fish and Wildlife Service has proposed establishing 19. critical habitat areas in four counties in Wyoming and seven counties in Colorado.

In Wyoming, about 240 miles of streams have been proposed as critical habitat in Albany, Converse, Laramie and Platte counties. About 22 percent of those 20,000 acres is federal land. The Preble's meadow jumping mouse is listed as a threatened species under the federal Endangered Species Act. According to the Fish and Wildlife Service, critical habitat is essential to conserving a threatened or endangered species and warrants special management considerations. Designation of critical habitat does not affect private landowners on private land.

"The designation of critical habitat for the Preble's meadow jumping mouse will help focus federal, state and private management efforts in areas that are important to the conservation of this mouse," said Ralph Morgenweck, Mountain Prairie Region director for the Fish and Wildlife Service. Comments on the issue can be mailed by Sept. 16 to the agency's Ecological Service office, 755 Parfet Suite 361, Lakewood, CO 80215, or to by the same date..