Local Obituaries for Families in Beaverhead County
Mardell Johnson
March 17, 2018
Mardell Johnson was called home March 17, 2018 to be with the Lord. Mardell was a loving wife, mother and grandmother among other things and will always be remembered as that. While not a Montana native she took to the beauty of this peaceful place and called it her home. Mardell was born July 22, 1949 to Harold and Emma...
Norman Focher
March 17, 2018
Norman Earl Focher, 76, passed away March 17th, 2018. Norman was born on April 2nd, 1941 in Billings MT. to Edward Focher and Vivian Heisler. He was a man of many talents and occupations including farming, ranching, mailman, and owner of multiple businesses. Norman was a recreational pilot, loved the outdoors, and enjoyed hunting and fishing with family and friends....
Patricia Miller
March 14, 2018
Patricia Mae Saling Hunt Miller passed away on March 14, 2018 at Pioneer Rest Home in Dillon, MT. Mom was born on Sept. 9, 1929, in Gresham, OR, to Edmund (Ted) Saling and Georgia Beck Saling. She was raised in Estacada, OR, along with her younger sister Donna (Saling) Bledsoe. She attended school in Estacada until her graduation in 1947....
Johanna Vinson
March 5, 2018
Johanna Vinson passed away March 5th 2018 at Pioneer Care in Dillon, Montana. She was 85. Johanna was born October 2nd, 1932 in Kulmbach, Germany. Losing her father in Italy during WWII, she grew up with her mother and four siblings in the not so pleasant times. At the age of 14, she went to work in a factory in...
Verona Eby
March 3, 2018
Verona May Nettik Eby was born on June 7, 1935 in Dillon, Montana to Edward & Verna Nettik. She attended schools in Dillon, graduating from BCHS in 1953 and attending 1 year at WMC. She most enjoyed her work at the big dipper when she was younger. She grew up with 2 brothers, Ernie (Mary Ellen) and Mickey who made...
Steven Jennings
March 1, 2018
Steve Jennings 1948-2018 Steven Wayne Jennings died peacefully at home on March 1, 2018. Born June 27, 1948 in Missoula where his parents Les and Elaine Jennings attended college after both served in the military during WWII. Steve spent all but 2 years of his childhood in Montana in Butte and Bozeman where he graduated High School in 1966. After...
Kenneth Schoen
February 22, 2018
Kenneth Robert (Bob) Schoen, 78, of Dillon, MT passed away on February 22nd, 2018 in Dillon. Bob was born in Parker, Idaho to Kenneth and Helen Schoen on June 1st, 1939. He went to school at Rupert, Idaho. He married Anna Smith with whom he had 3 daughters and later divorced. He married Carolyn Darfler on August 4th 1978. Bob...
William "Dick" Crockford
February 8, 2018
William Richard “Dick” Crockford of Dillon, Mont., 65, passed away from a heart attack early Thursday, February 8, 2018. He was born May 2, 1952 in Los Angeles to William “Bill” Crockford and Doris Driscoll Crockford. He married Deborah Westby August 17, 1974 in Missoula, Mont. Together, they have three daughters Heather, Rebecca, and Theresa. Many know Dick from his...
Merrill Fitzwater
February 4, 2018
Merrill Wayne Fitzwater Wayne was born Nov. 9, 1918 at Greenville, Ohio the youngest son of Jasper and Elsie (Bretz) Fitzwater. The parents were basically farmers until the father went to work for the Pennsylvania Railroad, first at Bradford, Ohio and then out of Columbus, Ohio. In the early 1930’s Jasper lost the greatest part of his left hand and...
Stuart Fitzgerald
February 4, 2018
Stuart William FitzGerald was born Jan 6, 1929 in Detroit Michigan to James Stuart FitzGerald and Marguerite Elizabeth Milligan. In 1946 he joined the U.S. Marine Corps. Upon graduation from Parris Island boot camp he was shipped to North China in support of the Marshall Plan until 1947. When his enlistment was up, he returned to Detroit where he met...
Shirley Knox
January 19, 2018
Shirley Lee Knox, age 86, passed away peacefully on January 19, 2018 in her home, with her family at her side. Shirley fought her share of health issues in recent years, and the heart full of so much love finally wore out. Shirley was born July 1, 1931 in Wheeling, Missouri to Virgil Lee Brown and Stella Arleen (Trussell) Brown....
John Valach
January 16, 2018
John Francis Valach joined his beloved grandparents in heaven on January 14 after a short illness. John was born on June 16, 1981 to Jim and Lori Valach. He attended Dillon schools and graduated from Beaverhead County High School in 1999. He enrolled at Western Montana College on an art scholarship. John was a talented artist and our home is...
Ella Laden
January 4, 2018
MY STORY: THE HIGHLIGHTS Ella Laden April 7, 1923 – January 4, 2018 The Early Years I was born Ella Frieda in Black Coulee, which lies nestled at the foot of the Bear Paw Mountains, near the place where Chief Joseph had his “Last Stand”. My father and mother, August and Louise Mueller, both came from Germany through Ellis Island,...
Alice Brown
January 2, 2018
Alice Louise Brown passed away peacefully at her home in Lima, MT on January 2nd 2018. It had been a special week for her and her two sons and two daughters and their spouses and granddaughter Megan. They all got to spend time with her and say their good-byes. Even as she was failing, her concern was for the welfare...
Eugene Thomson
December 31, 2017
While receiving the Last Rights from Dillon’s own Father Pascal, Eugene “Shaker” Thomson passed peacefully from this life at his home on December 31. He was surrounded by family—all three children and two grandchildren. While his spirit remained strong, his body grew weak and ultimately failed in his 97th year of life. Shaker was born February 14, 1921 in Anaconda,...
Ron Briggs
December 27, 2017
This world lost an amazing man, H. LaRon Briggs “Ron” 61 proudly of Dillon, Montana went to be with his best friend Jesus Christ in Billings, Montana on December 27, 2017. Ron was born in Dillon, Montana to Harold George and Joan Christenson Briggs on Aug 9th, 1956. He grew up on Briggs Ranch having great adventures with the 17...
Lila Hight
December 25, 2017
Lila Jean Hight of Dillon, Montana, passed away on December 25, 2017 of a long heart illness. She was born January 29th, 1932 in Fruita, Colorado, to William T. Pixley and Frances Nadine Eberline. When she was 3 months old her family moved to Beaverhead County, living in the mining districts of Bannock, Bonaccord, Watson Creek, as well as, Elkhorn...
Jeanne Harrison
December 14, 2017
Jeanne Harrison of Dillon, Montana, passed away on December 14, 2017 of a sudden illness. She had just celebrated her 96th birthday. Born on December 9, 1921 in Pocatello, Idaho, to Maurice Burwell and Harriett (Stewart) Burwell, her childhood was spent in Pocatello and Montpelier, Idaho, and Kaysville, Utah where she graduated from Davis High School. In 1942, Jeanne came...
Donald Fjermestad
December 4, 2017
Donald Paul Fjermestad, 85 of Dillon, Montana passed away at his home surrounded by his family on December 4, 2017. He was born on December 25, 1931 in Minnewauken, North Dakota to Marshall and Julia (Rickert) Fjermestad. He was an underground miner in Butte, Montana after high school then joined the Navy. He was married to Vera Davidson in 1961...
