Edward “Chub” Gill Sr.
Edward “Chub” Gill Sr., 1917-2019.
Edward “Chub” Gill Sr. passed away at the age of 101 on April 26, 2019. His loving son, Ed and his daughter-in-law Kathy were by his side.
Chub was born November 4, 1917 in Deer Lodge to Don Gill and Alice Byerly Gill.  He attended Deer Lodge public schools, graduating from Powell County High School in 1937.  After graduation, Chub was employed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture as a principal forest guard. He supervised and communicated with isolated lookouts and enforced forest law violations. 
During WWII, Chub served as 1st Sergeant in the Army of Engineers. During his time in the service  he attended Catawba College in Salisbury, N.C. During active duty Chub was stationed in the South Pacific on the island of Luzon in the Philippines. He was qualified as an expert rifleman and decorations included a bronze service star and victory medal. After being honorably discharged from the army in 1946 he began working for the Registrar of Motor Vehicles in Deer Lodge, as deputy registrar. Chub’s next job was regional director for Region 4 of the American Association of Motor Vehicles where he worked until he retired at age 69, in 1986.
On August 28, 1948, Chub married Helen Elizabeth Greany at St. Peter’s Catholic Church in Anaconda. Their only child, Edward Gill Jr. was born in 1958.
Chub was very active in his Deer Lodge community, serving on the school board and the museum board. During the winter months Chub enjoyed riding through town on his snowplow helping to clear off the sidewalks for many of the business owners.  He was an avid sports fan, especially football and he had season tickets to the Montana Grizzlies basketball and football games. Summer days were spent at his Hauser Lake home where he enjoyed water skiing, boating, working on the dock and entertaining family and friends.
Chub loved his family and his life in Montana. He was known for his politeness and was an impeccable dresser. He could be easily spotted wearing his signature red cardigan sweater as he roamed the halls at the Touchmark Senior Living Facility where he resided the last eight years. Chub will be greatly missed by many and be forever in our hearts.
Chub was preceded in death by his parents; loving wife, Helen; his sisters Dorothy (Bess) and Elizabeth, brothers Don, Ralph (Bud) Charles (Pete) and Richard.
Survivors are son, Edward Gill Jr. (Kathy) of Shoreline, Wash.; grandsons, Matthew (Keisha) of Washington D.C., and Marcus of Seattle.
A special thank you to the Touchmark staff, VA care team, St. Peter’s Hospice, Amanda Sather and Betty Dalin for the wonderful care given to Chub in his final days. Also an important thank you to his nephew Mark White for his continued love and support for both Helen and Chub over the years and his unending work on their Lake House.
A funeral mass with military honors will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, July 27 at Immaculate Conception Church in Deer Lodge.  A luncheon at St. Mary’s Center to follow services. Arrangements are by Jewel Funeral Home.
Memorials may be sent to Immaculate Conception Church, 605 Clark Street, Deer Lodge MT, 59722 or donor’s choice.

Lois Johanna (Eliason) Jones
Lois Johanna (Eliason) JonesLois Johanna (Eliason) Jones, 80, of Deer Lodge, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, May 14, 2019.
Lois was born on April 26, 1939, in Deer Lodge to Charles and Gladys Eliason. She was a caring sister, wonderful mother, and loving grandmother. Her deep faith, outgoing personality, competitive nature, and unmistakable laugh will be greatly missed. No game night will be the same without her.  
Lois was a graduate of Powell County High School and went on to serve in the Air Force before raising her family. Later in life she volunteered at the Woman’s Club and Senior Center. She had many friends in the community.
She is preceded in death by her father Charles Eliason and her mother Gladys Nielsen Eliason; her brother Richard Eliason and her sisters Alma Corrigan, Ruth Sutherland, and Dorothy Benson; and her daughter Billie Jones.  
She is survived by her sisters Helen Ring and Sharon Applegate; brothers-in-law Joe Applegate and Fred Benson; her children Cindra Jones, Steven Jones, Vickie Harvey and son-in-law Jerry Harvey; her five grandchildren, Jennifer, Alex, Amanda, Amber, and Jerry Jr.; her five great-grandchildren, Genie, Xzaviyor, Ocyrus, Alexis, and Kaitlyn.
A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. on May 31, 2019, at the Community of Christ Church (Corner of 5th and California) in Deer Lodge. Memorial contributions may be made to the Powell County Senior Center or the Community of Christ Church.

Death Notice: ​Stanley M. Fadness
Stanley M. Fadness, Drummond, died on May 19 in Deer Lodge, 10 days before his 94th birthday. A funeral service is planned for Friday at 11 a.m. at St. Michael’s Church in Drummond with burial to follow.

Jerry Moore
Jerry Moore was born on December 1, 1942 in the Pioneer/Gold Creek area of Montana. Jerry sadly passed away from natural causes at the age of 76 years old on May 1, 2019 in Deer Lodge, surrounded by family and friends.  
As a young man Jerry moved to Deer Lodge and was employed as an underground phosphate miner and later as an employee at the Powell County Courthouse. Jerry was a true Montana man and loved the great outdoors.  Some of Jerry’s greatest joys were hunting and fly fishing.  He also enjoyed football and was an avid 49er’s fan. Jerry was known for his generosity, loved to tease people, and had a great laugh.  Jerry married Peggy Hodge and had three children: Tammy, Penny, and Jenny. The couple later divorced.
Jerry’s closest living relatives are his three daughters: Tammy, Penny, Jenny (Joe). Jerry has four grandchildren: Drake, Logan (Gabriela), Leah, and Landon; as well as two great-grandchildren: Gracee and Madison. Jerry is also survived by his brother Larry (Madonna) and close friends Joe and Shelly. Jerry was preceded in death by his parents: Andy and Jennie, his brothers: Ray and Lee, and his sisters: Bonnie, Winnie, and Bertie.  
Family and friends will be celebrating Jerry’s life and scattering his ashes at a later date. 
Jerry will be deeply missed and remembered always. 

​Robert J. (Bob) Newman
Robert J. (Bob) Newman, May 29, 1937 - May 8, 2019.
Robert J. Newman peacefully left this world   to be with his lord on May 8 at the Madison Valley Manor in Ennis. Bob was born May 29, 1937 in the Deer Lodge Valley to Dick and Rowena Newman. The oldest of five children, Bob spent his younger years romping the hills surrounding Emery Mine and along Cottonwood Cr. He attended schools in Deer Lodge, graduating from Powell County High School in 1957. Bob married his first wife Carla Salmonsen later that year and from that union, three daughters were born. They were later divorced. In 1974, Bob married Mary Lou Rowe who survives. From that marriage, Bob gained five boys and another daughter.
Throughout his life Bob worked hard to provide for his large family, working in the logging industry, at the Roundhouse for the Milwaukee Railroad and LP until his retirement. Bob spent his spare time snowmobiling, skiing and sailing with his large brode. He also spent a good amount of his time helping local ranchers with their farm equipment. This is where his love in restoring old tractors grew. Papa Bob could also be found tromping the hills of his childhood when the opportunity presented itself, which usually involved an overnight stay at the Emery cabin with a couple of grandkids in tow.
Bob was able to achieve two of his lifetime goals during his time on this earth. First was a pilgrimage to then Yugoslavia, where war broke out while there and later going through the locks in Panama.
Bob was a religious man who attended St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Deer Lodge and was a member of the Knights of Columbus.
He is preceded in death by his parents, brothers Ed and Dick Newman, sister Geraldine Newman, and most recently, his nephew Craig Newman.
Survivors include: sister Patty Walston, daughters Margie (Gordon) Edsall, Gerri (Harvey) Newman and Jean Thoma. He is also survived by stepchildren: Rick (Irene) Rowe, Brenda (Adrian) Keene, Ron (Susan) Rowe, Randy (Robin) Rowe, Ray (Laurie) Rowe and Roger Rowe. Numerous grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and cousins.
Dad was a simple man and his wish was to leave this world in a simple manner. A memorial and luncheon to honor Bob   will take place May 16, 2019 at the Community of Christ Church Annex at 11 a.m. One of dads last wishes was for everyone to gather, share a story or two and eat lots of ham and potato salad.

Lila Claire Finch Douglas
Lila Claire Finch Douglas went home to her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, in the early hours of Monday April 29, 2019. Lila was born August 13, 1930 to Ozroe D. Finch and Helen Beryl George Finch in Ismay, Montana. She grew up in a large, loving, and hardworking family on their ranch in the Pine Hills, east of Miles City. She attended the country school in Knowlton then finished grade school, junior high, and high school in Miles City. In high school she met Albert Douglas, a young cowboy from Ekalaka, Montana. They fell in love, got married in 1948, and stayed in love for almost 69 years, until Albert’s death in 2017. Albert and Lila worked on ranches in Carter, Powder River, Prairie, Teton, Granite, and Powell counties. During those years they raised five children; Larry and David born in Miles City, Reimer born in Spearfish, South Dakota, and Robert and Beverly born in Choteau, Montana.
In 1972 Albert and Lila moved to La Grande, Oregon and worked there in ranching and agriculture for 20 years. In 1992 they returned to their beloved Montana as caretakers on a beautiful ranch in the Bitterroot valley. Then, in 2013 when they were in their early 80s, they retired to their final earthly home in Churchill, Montana. Lila was a strong, wise, and very gentle wife and mother. She loved music and had a beautiful, harmonizing voice which she used often to praise her Lord. Mom loved her family and very many friends. She had a kind and encouraging influence on many more people than she realized. Besides her husband she was preceded in death by her parents; sister, Olive Rogers; brothers, Dennis, Earl, Joe, and Lloyd Finch; and an infant great-grandson. Lila is survived by her sister, Bertie Clowers; brother Miles Finch; as well as her five children and their spouses; 16 grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren with more on the way.
A special thank you to our friends at Compassus Hospice who so faithfully and lovingly cared for Mom in her last months of life. And to many others in our community who gave of themselves to love and bless Lila.
A memorial service was held at Manhattan Christian Reformed Church on Saturday May 4, 2019 at 11 with burial preceding at Meadowview Cemetery at 10.
“Many women have done excellently but you surpass them all. Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.” Proverbs 31:30
Arrangements are in the care of Dokken-Nelson Funeral Service.   www.dokkennelson.com

​Thomas P. Enger
​Thomas P. Enger, 1938-2019. 
Thomas P. Enger passed away on April 16, 2019. He was born April 21, 1938, to Rose (Neilson) and Oscar Enger in Deer Lodge. Tom married his college sweetheart, Jacquelin, in 1960 and together they raised their son Colin.
Tom received his B.A. and M.A. from Montana State University and completed his post graduate work at Stanford.   In 1965 he joined the Economics Department at St. Olaf College. He was an engaged and beloved member of the St. Olaf community, instrumental in enhancing the Economics Program and renovating Holland Hall. Tom’s specialties were Money and Banking and International Trade. He was a popular teacher with a unique lecturing style which his colleagues often compared to a Southern Baptist Preacher with a wry sense of humor. Tom   and family enjoyed memorable sabbaticals in Switzerland and Norway.   
In 1982 he became an Advisor to the Central Bank in Saudi Arabia. Lasting until the early 1990s, the post proved to be challenging and at times even dangerous.   
Tom shared the last chapter in his life with his second wife, Susana. They settled in Carlsbad, Calif., where they enjoyed fine dining, friends and family and extensive travel. 
Tom is survived by his wife Susana, son Colin, nephews Tom and Gregg and niece Teri.  

Robert Staffanson
Three years ago, after Robert Staffanson penned his award-winning memoir at the ripe young age of 94, a veteran journalist reviewing the book asked, “Is Staffanson the most interesting man in Montana?”
Staffanson’s three-part tome, “Witness to Spirit: My Life With Cowboys, Mozart & Indians,” chronicled his life as a rancher’s son who underwent several different phases of reinvention.
Staffanson died Saturday, April 27, 2019 at age 97 in Bozeman. A memorial service is being planned for June 8, 2 p.m., at First Presbyterian Church in Bozeman.
Born in Sidney, Montana along the lower Yellowstone River on Nov. 11, 1921, Staffanson was the son of George and Julia Staffanson and the devoted brother of Gladys Staffanson Lutticken.
Raised on a cattle ranch near Deer Lodge, he trained in music at the University of Montana. In 1945, he wedded his hometown sweetheart from Deer Lodge, Frankie Ann Smith. They were married 71 years.
Upon college graduation, Staffanson founded The Billings Symphony, then was subsequently tapped to lead the Springfield Symphony in Massachusetts based on the recommendation of acclaimed violinist Eugene Ormandy, then conductor of the Philadelphia Orchestra.
During Staffanson’s tenure in Springfield, he became friends with many classical music giants, including Aaron Copland, Leonard Bernstein and Arthur Fiedler.
In the prime of his career, however, Staffanson gave up conducting. Not long after moving back to their beloved Montana, Bob and Ann welcomed the arrival of their daughter, Kristin Staffanson Campbell, whom they considered “the brightest light in their lives.”
Appalled by the treatment of indigenous people, Staffanson worked closely with tribal elders to found the American Indian Institute.
Staffanson held a special place in his heart for the thousands of native people he met, not only from North America but around the globe.
He is survived by his daughter, Kristin, son-in-law Michael Campbell, and grandsons Bryan Robert Campbell and Cody Michael Campbell, all of Bozeman.
Staffanson greatly loved his nieces, nephews, and treasured friends (too many to list here).   To learn more about Staffanson, read his book. To support the ideals he championed, please consider making a contribution to the American Indian Institute.
For the full obituary, please visit www.dokkennelson.com.

John T. “Jack” Lingenfelter
John T. “Jack” Lingenfelter, October 15, 1958-April 19, 2019.
Jack was the youngest son of Margaret (Gallagher) Lingenfelter and Bill Lingenfelter of the LH Ranch at Gold Creek. Jack grew up running all around the ranch with his school friends and later exploring much of the surrounding mountain ranges with them.
Concluding school in Gold Creek, he attended PCHS in Deer Lodge where he excelled in all subjects, especially Vo-Ag and was in FFA all four years, and on the swim team. As an FFA officer, he travelled extensively and went to the National FFA Convention in Washington, D.C.
He attended MSU in Bozeman to be an Ag Teacher. While off for summer breaks he worked at Grant-Kohrs Ranch. He also worked for and travelled with Bruce Thomas of Thomas Herefords doing custom fitting of show cattle across several states. Later, he helped his brother-in-law, Jim Hansen, with logging projects on the LH Ranch and then took the real estate test to work in that field, keeping up on changing property laws.
He went on to work for several logging operations in Montana and eventually headed to Alaska where he spent several years logging on various islands before coming back to Montana and going to work at the mill in Deer Lodge, later driving log truck for them. After serious injury on the log truck he finished out his work experience with Bob Rabel of Rabel Excavating in construction.
Jack was  preceeded in death by his half sister, Patricia (Patti) Hansen, of the LH Ranch. Cremation has taken place and there will be a gathering at the LH Ranch later this year to distribute his ashes to the various up-land pastures he enjoyed hiking and hunting, with the rest on the home area. We will let everyone know to be able to attend.

​Mary Lou Miller
Mary Lou Miller, beloved wife, mother, friend, grandmother and great-grandmother passed away on April 22, 2019 after a brief fight with cancer.  She was born August 3, 1941 in Ennis.  She spent her early years on a ranch between Virginia City and Ennis.  She later moved to Deer Lodge where she graduated from Powell County High School.  She married James D. Miller and together they raised their family and were active in the Deer Lodge community for over 60 years.
Mary Lou was known for her many talents.  She was a beautiful seamstress, creating many treasured items for family and friends.  She was also a wonderful baker.  Everyone who came to visit knew where the cookie can was and it was always full.  When her children were older she took her love of cooking to the Deer Lodge school district kitchen where for many years every child that went to school never missed her famous chili and cinnamon roll day.  She retired from the school district in 1999 and continued to volunteer for many years in the junior high school home economics department, helping many children learn life skills through sewing and cooking.
Mary Lou was very active in the Deer Lodge community.  She volunteered at the “New to You” thrift store and belonged to the Deer Lodge Woman’s Club.  She was a dual member of the Order of Eastern Star chapters Margaret Cumming #57 in Drummond and Floral Chapter #46 in Deer Lodge.   She was also active in Daughters of the Nile chapters Sapphira #79 in Helena and Tirizah #3 in Butte.  She treasured her many Star and Nile friends and family.  
She and Jim made a point to be a part of their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildrens’ many adventures and activities.  Many Montana highway miles were logged attending school and club activities and any cheering sections always included Mary Lou showing her support.
Mary Lou was proceeded in death by her father, James Schubring, mother Virginia and step-father Paul Rainville and her great-granddaughter Carli McKenna Miller.  She is survived by her husband of 60 years Jim, son Perry (Mindy) Miller of Deer Lodge, daughter Melanie (Kevin) Lackey of Missoula and daughter Joyce (Bill) Schaff of Missoula.   Grandchildren, Cory (Jamie) Miller, Perry (Tara) Miller, Shawn Miller, Ryan Miller, Kyle (Elise) Schaff, Brent (Natalie) Schaff and Anna (David) Didier and 10 great-grandchildren.  She is also survived by brothers Joe (Carol) Rainville, Dick Rainville and Todd Rainville and many nieces and nephews.
Funeral Services were held on Saturday April 27 at 11 a.m. at the Christ Fellowship Church, 600 4th Street, Deer Lodge.  A reception followed services. The family requests memorials in Mary Lou’s name be made to the Shriners Hospital or a charity of their choice.

​Elaine Carlsen Fleck
​Elaine Carlsen Fleck, 1955-2019.
Elaine passed away Sunday, April 14, 2019 at the Deer Lodge Medical Center after a long struggle with cancer. She was born to Ralph and Sabra Carlsen on August 20, 1955. She graduated in 1974 from Powell County High School. Elaine was Recreational Director at SD#1 for 34 years and also substituted as an aide wherever they needed her. She was married and divorced from Ralph Fleck. She loved working in her yard planting flowers and also decorating her yard for the holidays. Elaine also enjoyed watching and going to the Grizzly football games. She really enjoyed the cruises she took with her mother to Alaska, South America and many trips to the Bahamas and also the trips to New York to see some plays. Elaine also loved her cat Goose. 
Elaine is survived by her significant other John Beard of 18 years, sister Dalice Campbell Rogers (Pat) of Deer Lodge; nephew Brian Cook (Michelle) of Las Vegas; Julian Johnson of Missoula, which Elaine was like a second mom to Julian; also grandnephews Jordan Cook and Noah Cook of Las Vegas, and grandnieces Violet and Faith Cook of Las Vegas and several cousins and many friends. Elaine was preceded in death by both her parents, sister Janice Carlsen, nephew Shawn Cook. 
We would like to thank the staff at Deer Lodge Medical Center and Powell County Ambulance and Compassus Hospice of Butte. Also a big thank you to Diane Evans and Diane Enger for all their help and support. 
Jewell Funeral Home is taking care of arrangements. Cremation has taken place. Elaine requested no services. Memorials, donations can be made by donor’s choice.