Susan Bauman Whittington, 74, of Anaconda, passed away peacefully on May 19.
    Born on Jan. 8, 1951, in Deer Lodge, to Eugene and Elsie (Speck) Bauman, Susan was the eldest of five siblings. She graduated from PCHS in 1969.
    Susan dedicated many years to the city clerk for Deer Lodge. Later, she channeled her passion for cooking into a long-standing role at Scharf’s Family Restaurant, where her talents and generous spirit left a lasting impression on patrons and colleagues alike. Her family fondly remembers her as a fabulous cook whose hearty meals brought everyone together.
    She was a devoted mother to her children: Chad, Brooke and Traci. Her legacy continues through her grandchildren: Bret, Jacob, Kaden and Addison; and great-nephews Erik, Declan and great-nieces Charlotte and Harlow.
    Susan is survived by her daughters, Brooke of Anaconda and Traci of Missoula; her sisters, Cindy, Julie and Anngie, nephews, Corey, Dane, Drew and Steven, all residing in Deer Lodge. She was preceded in death by her son, Chad; parents, Eugene and Elsie; brothers Tim and Rob Schroder.
    Susan’s warmth, dedication, and love for her family and community will be deeply missed by all who knew her.
    No services are planned.

    David Lee Whitney, 68, of Garrison, passed away on April 28 at his home in Garrison following a four-year battle with cancer. Cremation has taken place, and a private burial will take place in the near future. David was born March 19, 1957, to Vance and Peggy Whitney in Deer Lodge.
    He attended schools in Deer Lodge. He was a truck driver for most of his life. David enjoyed hunting and camping and classic cars. He spent most of his time working on his 1968 Chevelle, which was his prize possession.
    David is survived by sons, Jason Whitney and Jeramy Parker; sister Betty Roper (Randy); and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.
    He was proceeded in death by his parents; brothers Yale and Harley; and sister Ruth Pirtle.
    A celebration of life will be held for David and Harley from 2 p.m. – 4 p.m. on June 21 at 494 Sawmill Road, Garrison.

    Michael (Mike) Harry Foley, 83, of Hall, Mont., passed away in Missoula, Mont., on April 25, 2025. He passed away peacefully after a long battle with cancer. His family and friends will forever cherish the memories made together.
    Mike was born in San Francisco, Calif., on Sept. 3, 1941. The second child of Harry and Grace Foley (nee Buck). He grew up in Menlo Park and Los Altos, Calif., with his siblings Pete, Sylvia and Phil. As a young man, he enjoyed swimming, water skiing, biking and working as a caddy. He loved traveling with his family to Mexico and visiting relatives in Montana. After graduating from St. Francis High School in 1959, he joined the Navy and served as a cook on a Destroyer Escort ship for three years, traveling to Japan and who knows where else!
    After the Navy, Mike went to chef school in San Francisco, which allowed him to work in Germany. He has fond memories of that time traveling in Europe, including with his Dad for several weeks in a new Porsche.  After Europe, he went to work as a chef in Houston, Texas.
    In his 20s, he would visit his great aunt Myrtle in Idaho Falls, where he met Carol Vilhauer, a beautician. It took a lot of visits, but they were married on Nov. 29, 1968. Carol and Mike settled in Menlo Park, Calif. In his early years there, he worked as a chef at a popular French restaurant and later as a machinist. In 1971, their daughter Katherine was born, and in 1973, their son Michael was born. In 1975, they moved to Montana, to the 3-mile area near Stevensville, Mont. Mike started his own excavating business, and they built a new house. In 1976, their third child, Richard (Rich), was born and brought to that new home. Carol helped with the business, and they enjoyed raising their three children in the rural area.
    With a lack of local work and more distant jobs taking Mike further away from home, they chose to move to Hall in 1983, where they had visited Mike’s cousin’s ranch. They bought the old Cenex and turned it into Foley’s Quality Service and Supply.
    Mike was a jack-of-all-trades, providing many parts, supplies and services to locals and travelers alike.  Mike filled many roles as a machinist, welder, mechanic and problem solver. Trying to make the most of family time on Sundays, being their only day off, he enjoyed family drives, trap shooting, family ski days and working on his many hobbies, including building a kit airplane.
    After about two years of remodeling an old house in Hall, Mike and Carol moved into it in 2001. Mike later built his shop, welding all the steel trusses himself. The shop provided a place to finish his airplane and work on his other hobbies. They started slowly retiring from the store around 2014 when Mike and Katherine updated the building to a pottery shop and studio. Yes, Mike taught himself to throw pots, with a little help from Katherine. They closed the shop in 2019, when Mike wanted to spend the winter in the warmth of Brownsville, Texas.
    Mike loved to travel. He and Carol took many trips together around the U.S. to visit friends and family and sightsee. They went to New Zealand multiple times to see Michael and his family, visiting Hawaii on one of their trips. Sometimes this travel pushed Carol out of her comfort zone.
    During the last few years of retirement, Mike, with the help of Carol, finished the airplane, but because of his health, he was unable to get his pilot’s license. Sadly, he was never able to fly the airplane. His health also kept him from fulfilling his dream of returning to Europe and Hawaii.
Mike was preceded in death by his parents, Harry Edward Foley and Grace Louise Foley; his brother James Peter Foley; and son-in-law Clay Holland, along with many sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law, aunts, uncles, cousins and friends.
    Survivors, who will dearly miss him, include his wife Carol Foley; daughter Katherine Foley, her stepson Ryan Holland; son Michael (Andrea) Foley, granddaughter Maeve; son Richard (Nikki Dixon) Foley, granddaughters Millie and Hattie; siblings Sylvia Nobleman and Phil (Dona) Foley; and many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends near and far.
    Services will be held at Garden City Funeral Home on May 30, 2025, at 3:30 p.m., reception to follow. In lieu of flowers, please donate to the Drummond Community Library and the Hall Elementary School.

    Kathleen Logan, 78, Celebration of Life to be held 1-3 p.m. Sunday, June 1, 2025, at the Racetrack Fire Hall, 6887 S Frontage Rd. Deer Lodge, MT 59722. Visit Axelsonfuneralhome.com to offer condolences to the family or to read the full obituary.

    Dorothea Berthoud, 94, of West Plains, Mo., formerly of Georgetown Lake and Philipsburg, died on April 29. Funeral Service is 11 a.m., Saturday, May 17, at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1100 Sawmill Road, Philipsburg, MT 59858. A graveside service will follow at the Philipsburg Cemetery.
    Visit longfellowfinneganriddle.com to offer condolences to the family or share a memory of Dorothea.

    Heaven gained a loving husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather on April 17. Gordon Henry Pierson passed away peacefully with family at his side holding the strong hands that touched so many lives over his 81 years of life.
    Gordon (Gordy) Pierson was born Oct. 6, 1943, to Gordon William (Bud) and Josephine (Jo) Tamcke Pierson in Deer Lodge. Gordy was the oldest of six children and revered by all of them. Growing up, he always had a job and worked until he was 12 years old mowing lawns and the Valley Ranch until he was 16. He then worked for the USFS as a fire lookout at Blizzard Mountain tower baking pies and watching over the mountains and trails, which he loved so much.
    Gordon graduated from Powell County High School in 1961 and started work for the Anaconda Company at the Smelter in Anaconda. He worked “on the hill” for 1 year then went to work for Cominco American in the Gimlet and Luke mines at Avon, and the Brock Creek Mine at Garrison. In 1964 Gordy joined the Montana Army National Guard, spending 40 years proudly serving his country, retiring as a highly respected 1st Sergeant. In 1970, Gordy started at Montana State Prison doing what would end up being his passion as a meat cutter and butcher. He did this for three years before deciding to work full time at P & S meats with his father, Bud. Gordy provided the best cuts of meat and slaughter services in Montana until 1989. He then went to work for Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks as a fisheries technician where he met his close friend Wayne Hadley. He retired from FWP in 2004 and became head of maintenance at the Old Montana Prison Museum using his vast knowledge and skills to make the museum functional and historically appealing for all to enjoy. He retired from the museum in 2019 to stay at home and take care of his wife, Myra. Gordy spent his whole life hunting, fishing and camping with Charlie, his boys and numerous other family and friends. He recently received the Lifetime Achievement Award for 40 years of teaching Hunters Education to local children and adults. Gordy always had an English Bulldog by his side as his partner in crime.
    Gordon married the love of his life Myra Jane Erickson on January 4, 1969. Over 56 years, they raised three larger-than-life boys, Gordy, Travis and Brant, and all their friends.
    Gordy is survived by his loving wife, Myra Pierson; oldest son, Gordon Jr. (Sherrie) Pierson; youngest son, Brant (Heidi) Pierson; granddaughters, Skyla and llayna Pierson; grandsons, Andrew (Madison) Pierson, Branden Pierson; great grandson, Caizin Pierson; his baby sister, Sena Knight; nephew, Dennis (Courtney) Lietzow; niece, Nicole (Taylor, Juna and Temple) Ashby; adopted brothers, Wayne Irwin and Mike Rennfield; and brother-in-law, Dave Jette.
    Gordon is preceded in death by his middle son, Travis Pierson; parents, Gordon William and Josephine Pierson; brothers, Bobby Joe, Edward, William Pierson and Charlie Smollack; sister, Debra Jette; and niece, Casi Jo Lietzow.
    A military graveside service will be held at noon, Saturday, May 10, at Hillcrest Cemetery in Deer Lodge, 343 Conley Lake Rd, Deer Lodge, followed by a celebration of life to include pictures, storytelling, food and drink at the Deer Lodge Elks Lodge, 230 Main St, Deer Lodge. Gordon requested that donations be made to the Prison Museum or Veterans Food Pantry in lieu of flowers. Please bring pictures and stories to share.
    Visit axelsonfuneralhome.com to share a memory or leave a condolence.