Wayne Leslie McKee, Jr.
On April 13, 2015 Millieway went to meet his big brother Tim Bauman. 
Wayne Leslie was born in Billings on May 13, 1958 to Lorelei Stejer and Wayne L. McKee. He graduated from Powell County High School in 1976. Wayne Leslie joined the Navy to see the world from 1976 until 1981. 
He married his high school sweetheart, Chris, in 1977. His son, Mikel, was born in 1981. Wayne Leslie graduated from the Montana College of Mineral Science and Technology with a degree in Science and Technology on May 12, 1990.
 Wayne Leslie called the Deer Lodge Valley home except for the period in the Navy. He enjoyed many trips to the top of Mount Powell. Being in the mountains gave him a sense of calm and serenity.
Wayne Leslie was the Adjutant/Quartermaster for the local Veterans of Foreign Wars after his father passed away.
When the granddaughters were born, he discovered a world beyond his greatest joy.
Wayne Leslie was preceded in death by his infant son, Marc Anthony and his father. His survivors include his wife of 38 years, Chris; son and daughter, Mikel and Annie McKee; granddaughters Kaylee, Lilly and Penelope McKee in Casper, Wyo.; mother Lorelei Hughley of Deer Lodge; in-laws Leo and Jody Frank of Butte; brothers William (George) and Eileen McKee of Centennial, Colo., James and Liz McKee of Deer Lodge, Todd and Angela Frank of Butte, John Scott Frank of Butte; sisters Susan and Jim Parvas of Sacramento, Calif., Elizabeth and Ole Berg of Deer Lodge, Debbi and Jess Cornwell of Provo, Utah; numerous great-aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews.
Cards and donations can be sent to his wife, Chris, at 600 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Deer Lodge, MT 59722, Veterans of Foreign Wars or PAWHS.

Death Notice: William Jones
William Jones passed away April 27, 2015. A full obituary will appear at a later date. Services will be at the Riverfront Chapel in Garrison at 11:30 a.m., Friday, May 1.

Jerry Pierre Krutar
Jerry Pierre Krutar died Tuesday, April 14 at his home in Berthoud, Colo. He was 62 years old.
Jerry is survived by his daughter Meisha (Tom Loder), son Graham, granddaughter Samantha, and by her mother, Jennifer Cusanelli. He is also survived by his brother Jon (Diane) Krutar of Ovando, his sister Janice (Faye) Pittman of Bend, Ore., his neice Deanna (Ron) Erkenbrecher, Eric (Merridith) Krutar and their children, Chad Krutar, and by Todd (Jackie) Pittman and their children, and by his friend, Marilyn Miller.
Jerry was born February 23, 1953 in Deer Lodge, to Roy C. and Betty M. Krutar who preceded him in death. He graduated from the Rocky Mountain School of Art with a degree in Graphic Design and owned his own business for over 40 years.
Jerry was a man exceptionally wealthy in love and friendship. He was a gentle, genuine, whole-hearted man, most at peace in nature. He was an extraordinary outdoorsman, an avid hunter and fisherman. He was a man who saw the beauty in everything and everyone.

Robert Steinberger
On April 8, 2015, Robert Steinberger, aged 93, went to meet his savior in person, surrounded by his family.  
Bob was a member of the greatest generation, flying 25 combat missions over Europe in World War II.  He never felt he had done anything heroic; he always felt he just did what he had to do.  
Returning from the European theatre, he attended Montana State College courtesy of the G. I. Bill, earning a degree in Electrical Engineering in 1949.  He worked for Bonneville Power Co. in Portland, Ore., for several years after graduation.  He returned to Deer Lodge and worked for Baehr Electric until 1964 and then was employed by the Flathead Irrigation Project in Polson, as a power distribution Engineer until his retirement. He was a Professional Engineer, an active member of the Ham Radio Group Races, and an avid outdoorsman. He served on the Deer Lodge City Council in the 1960s. Bob and Marie donated the land the Powell County Hospital was built on.  He attended and gave testimony in Helena during the clean air and clean water standard hearings.  In addition, he was a member of the local VFW honor guard during his retirement, serving at more than 150 veterans’ funerals.   
 He married Marie Hoff in 1948.  They returned to Deer Lodge at the time of his retirement to spend their remaining years in the town of their youth.  We prefer to think of him on a permanent fly fishing adventure now that his earthly cares are over.
 His parents, John Valentine Steinberger and Anna Persons Steinberger as well as brothers William Steinberger and John Steinberger, and his wife Marie preceded him in death.  He is survived by his four daughters, Stephanie, Mia, April and Wendy, as well as three grandsons, two great-granddaughters, one great-grandson, and many nieces and nephews.  
Memorials may be made to the First Baptist Church, 140 Sam Beck Rd, Deer Lodge, MT  59722 or the charity of your choice.

Tina Louise Cook
In the early morning hours of April first, 2015, the most beautiful woman in the world went to be with Jesus. 
The oldest of four children,Tina was born on March 7, 1958 in San Diego, Calif. In her early teens she moved with her family to Hardin, where she attended high school, participating in choir competitions and starring in several school theatre productions including the roles of Helen Keller and Cinderella. After graduating in ‘76, Tina and her family moved to Deer Lodge, where she worked in the registrars office. On May 18, 1980, Mt. St. Helens erupted, sending ash clouds into the air hundreds of miles away. That same day a young man, seeing the storm clouds on the horizon, offered his jacket to Tina as they sat watching a local softball game. A year and a half later, on November 28, 1981, Tina married that same young man, Kevin D. Cook, in his parents’ living room. 
Kevin and Tina set up residency in Missoula, where they proceeded to produce and raise eight children. Tina chose to stay at home to raise and educate their children, devoting endless hours to cooking, cleaning, teaching, mentoring, dancing, singing, and most of all unconditionally loving her children, and eventually, her grandchildren. Reading aloud, singing around the dinner table, studying the Bible, and kitchen dancing were just a few of the things she and her children loved doing together. 
In 2013 Tina realized a life-long dream when her daughter, Kimberly, took her on a three week tour of France and Italy. 
Beautiful, patient, kind, sensitive, an excellent listener, strong, courageous, tender, funny, loving, humble...Tina was all of these things. Although she often felt inconsequential in the grand scheme of the world, she underestimated the impact her life had and continues to have on the communities her children have inhabited, from Kona, Hawaii to Missoula, to Harpenden, England. She will be missed by many who love her and look forward to being reunited with her again one day. She is survived by her husband of 32 years, Kevin Cook, her children, Samantha, Danielle (Cook) Yoder and John Yoder, Patrick, Kimberly, David, Katherine, Elizabeth, Joshua, and her granddaughters Avalon, Eden, and Isis.
A memorial service was held on Tuesday, April 7, at 1 p.m. at Clark Fork City Church (Stephen R. Valentine Community Center), located at 2811 Latimer Street, Missoula.

Death notice: JoAnn Arthur
Our precious JoAnn Arthur, 79, passed away at the Deer Lodge Care and Rehabilitation Center on the evening of March 24, 2015. A graveside service will be announced at a later date.