​Katherine Elizabeth McKee (Beth)
Katherine Elizabeth McKee (Beth), 84 passed away on Saturday, November 18, 2017.  
She was born on April 12, 1933 in Bozeman, to James and Ada (Wheat) Pardew. She was the eldest of three girls. During World War II, the family moved to Seattle, Wash. where her mother was a welder in the United States Navy ship yards. After the war the family moved back to Bozeman where Beth attended schools and graduated from Bozeman High School in 1952. She worked at the telephone office before her graduation and for some time after.
Beth married and daughter Mona was born in 1954. Beth later remarried Robert (Bob) McOmber, and gave birth to James, Garyann, and Katherine (Kim). After living on the Montana highline working for Montana Power, the family settled in Butte.  Bob preceded her in death after an electrical incident.  Following his death, Beth moved her three younger children to Deer Lodge to be near her family.  This is where she met her husband Ben McKee.  They combined their families in 1977, and married on New Year’s Eve.  Beth spent many years as the head cook at Scharf’s Restaurant where she later retired.  Her first passion was her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, she also loved to sew and knit. She loved to hunt and facet sapphires and garnets. Beth and Ben worked side by side making beautiful quilts and jewelry. She donated many quilts that she and her husband made to local auctions and benefits and of course to her children and grandchildren.  
Beth is survived by her husband Ben McKee and her children, Mona Jacobson (Rod), Jim McOmber (Debbie), Garyann Tamburello (Rod), and Kim Cassese (Joe), her step children, Kevin McKee (Shelley), Angie McKee (Sam) and David McKee (Billie Jo), Mike Meagher, Susie Meagher, and her youngest sister Pam Meagher Ingraham (Dale).  Beth and Ben’s grandchildren, Coby McOmber, Carrie Lease, Christopher McOmber, Jason Romine, Jessica Hickey, Katrina Kruzich, Camie Kendall, Ben Hoppe, Amy Nichols, Amanda McDonald, Sydnee McKee, and Marissa McKee and 23 great-grandchildren and a great-great-grandson on the way.  She is preceded in death by her mother and step-father Ada and Hank Meagher, sisters Barbara Small and Virgie Horswill, grandson Josh McOmber, and step-grandson Matt Jacobson. 
We would like to thank Frontier Hospice for all their wonderful care. And a special thank you to Tammy Davis for all her love, attention, and wonderful care.
There will be a celebration of Beth’s life luncheon at the Broken Arrow on December 20, 2017 starting at 1 p.m.
No flowers please, make donations to the local food bank or donor’s choice.

Lois Kjose Palmer
Lois Kjose Palmer, January 25, 1933 - November 22, 2017.
Mom was born January 25, 1933 to Lloyd and Helen Kjose. The oldest of five children, she was born in Ridgeway, Iowa at the home of her grandparents Henry and Matilda Halvorson. She attended grade school in Decorah, Iowa and later when the family moved to Montana she attended school in Valier, graduating from Cut Bank High School.
Mom met and married Sherwin E. Palmer while he was on leave from serving in the Army just before the Korean War began in 1950. She married dad on January 25, 1951. The temperature in Cut Bank, the day of their wedding, was -11 degrees with a crisp wind blowing at 21 mph. It was foggy and snowing outside, the wind chill factor was a balmy -36.9 degrees. Mom’s aunt Anna had attended the wedding and mom and dad had agreed to give her a ride back to her home in Valier. Now dad’s little Dodge car didn’t have a great heater if it had one at all. So, they *&%$ *@  nearly froze to death on the way to Valier. Aunt Anna was so concerned about their safety that she ran into the house and found her buffalo skin robe. She wrapped it around both of them and sent them prayerfully back to Cut Bank. They celebrated their wedding by honking the horn as they drove down main street towards home. It was close to  midnight  and there wasn’t a soul anywhere around. They had 65 wonderful years before he passed away in July of 2016. Their marriage was blessed with five wonderful children.
Mom began her working career at the wee age of 13 babysitting for families in Cut Bank. At that time mom lived in Santa Rita, and walked into town and back home day or night. When she told me this story she suddenly realized how dangerous it was even back then for a single young woman to be walking alone at night. She said it never crossed her mind then, and no, she wouldn’t let us do it today.
She held many jobs, working as a bookkeeper for E.O. Boyle Accounting and even worked with her oldest daughter teaching her the tools of the trade the summer she left for college. What a bright young gal Linda was, deciding to put her fingers and toes away and become a fifth grade school teacher instead of an accountant.
Mom worked for Dye, Tavery and Judge Insurance Agency, The City of Cut Bank in the Accounting Department, The Glacier County nursing home and Palmer Implement, Inc. before  
retiring to her home to ride herd over her husband, children and many grandchildren.
She belonged to many local organizations, including The Sons of Norway, V.F.W. Auxiliary Post #6409, The Soroptimists Club of Cut Bank, The Order of Eastern Star in Cut Bank and later Conrad, and a duel member in Floral Chapter #46 Deer Lodge, where three of her children held memberships.
Mom was an active member of her church, teaching Sunday School at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church and later serving as an usher with her sister Mary Lou Erdmann and her daughter Helen Duffey, at Prairie Peace Lutheran Church in Cut Bank. She enjoyed playing pinochle with her card club, and visiting with her friends and neighbors. Her hobbies included rug making, crocheting towels for family and friends, knitting and playing games with her children. She enjoyed the many trips she took to the Caribbean.   Her biggest joy was square dancing with dad and their partners Lyle and Clarice Carr.
Mom was a loving mother, sister, aunt, great aunt and grandmother. She had five children and is survived by Linda of Condon, Diane and Bob Rader of Butte, Helen and family of Cut Bank, Bozeman and Helena, son David of Helena, sister Mary Lou Erdmann of Cut Bank, brother Ted and Betty Kjose and N. Roland Kjose of Kelso, Wash. She was preceded in death by her son Steven Richard, her husband “Sherm” and brother Hubert.
Mom has 12 grandchildren, 34 great-grandchildren and four great-great-grandchildren. (No, that is not a mistake). Let’s face it, mom was great.  
Mom is and will be greatly missed. We love you mom and can’t wait until we are with you again. Lois’s memorial service will be held Saturday  December 2, 2017 at 11 a.m.  at Prairie Peace Lutheran Church, Cut Bank, Montana. Interment will be held at a later date.

​Anna Richardson
Anna Richardson went to be with the Lord and her beloved Chuck, on November 25, 2017.  Anna was born on January 20, 1927 to John and Annie (Jensen) Traverso in Deer Lodge.  She graduated from Powell County High School in 1944, where she especially enjoyed singing in the choir, played in the band and was part of a vocal trio.
After high school, she worked at the post office and the registrars office until she married Charles “Chuck” Richardson on April 17, 1948 in Deer Lodge.  Chuck worked for the Milwaukee Railroad and was transferred to Three Forks shortly after they were married. There they built their home with their own hands and raised their family. 
Anna is survived by her three children, Sharon (Dale) Dykema; Ron (Marla) Richardson; and Roger (Lonnie) Richardson; grandchildren Richard (Jenny) Dykema; Daron Dykema; Deanna Dykema; Bonnie (Stephen) Schultz; Jamie Richardson; Tasha (Brandon) Kohlwes; LaDean (Landon) Krogstad;  great-grandchildren Reid, Tate, and Lena Dykema; Sidney Schultz; Kendall and Harper Kohlwes; and Fletcher Krogstad.
She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Chuck, her brother Jack Traverso and sister-in-law Helen Traverso, her sister Margaret Pearson and brother-in-law Clem Pearson. 
She was a member of the Assembly of God Church.  
Services will be held Thursday, November 30 at 1 p.m. at the Christian Center Church in Three Forks. 
Arrangements are in care of K & L Mortuaries in Three Forks.

Margaret Frances McLean Copenhaver
On November 8, 2017, at the beautiful age of 98, Margaret Frances McLean Copenhaver peacefully passed away at home surrounded by family.  Margaret, daughter of William McLean and Mayme Superneau McLean, was born on August 2, 1919 in Granite. She attended school in Phillipsburg until she was a freshman in high school.  Her family then moved to Missoula where she graduated from Missoula County High School.  After high school, she worked at The Mercantile in Missoula until the Second World War broke out.  She then went to Seattle where she worked for the Navy for the duration of the war.
Margaret enjoyed skiing, hiking, and mountain climbing with the Mountaineers.  They used to ride the train up to Blanchard Flats (Clearwater) and hike up the “hill” that is now on the game range and ski down.  After doing this all afternoon, they rode the train back to Missoula. 
She met Howard, the love of her life, at a dance in Helmville in 1939.  Howard joined the Navy in 1940 and was off to the Pacific theater.  They married on March 15, 1944.  After the war, they came to the ranch in Ovando.  They, I cannot mention mom or dad by themselves as they were a team, outfitted and ranched for almost 60 years.  Margaret was absolutely devoted to her husband and family.  Her sense of duty was foremost in everything that she did.  I don’t believe that there was ever anything put off until tomorrow that could be done today.  
For 75 years Margaret was a huge part of the community. Whether it was square dancing, pinochle parties, or dinners and auctions to raise money for various causes, she was there. One of Margaret’s favorite treats was ice cream and any kid that stopped at her house after school or basketball was treated to a frozen treat. There is not a time that she did not have some type of frozen deliciousness waiting. 
 She was preceded in death by her husband Howard and grandson Peter.  She is survived by her son Steve (Donna) Copenhaver and daughter Sue (John) Lapka; grandchildren Todd (Amber) Copenhaver, Rich Copenhaver, Beth Copenhaver, David (Cara) Copenhaver, Andrea (Steve) Lynch, Patricia (Jimmy) Watson, Sarah (Mike) Melnick, Tim (Mary) Lapka, Chris Lapka, Bridget Lapka, Rory (Jessica) Lapka, Anthony (Melissa) Lapka, Sr. Emmanuel (Ruth), Rebecca Lapka, Ben (Nadia) Lapka, Brian Lapka, and Daniel Lapka, along with 49 great-grandchildren.
Requiem mass will be November 18, 2017, at 10:30 a.m. at the Ovando Gym, Ovando.  Burial will be in Ovando Cemetery.  A lunch will follow at the Ovando Gym hosted by the Sew and So Club, after which will be a time to share the wonderful memories of her life.  Rosary will be said Friday, November 17, at 7 p.m. in the Ovando Gym.  Memorials may be sent to the Sew and So Club, c/o Karalee Slaght, Ovando, MT 59854.

​Jean McKee
Jean McKee passed away Friday, October 27 at the age of 85. Jean was born May 31, 1932 to Johnathan and Velma (Earhart) Loeffler in Conrad. She was the second to the youngest child of 10 children. She had many hard years working on the farm and attending school at the same time. 
After high school, mom went on to be a Nurses Aid working in many hospitals throughout her career. She met dad (Francis McKee) as a patient at the Teton Memorial Hospital, in Choteau. They were married June 18, 1954 in Conrad, and was married 28 years when dad passed away. 
In 1966 we moved to Deer Lodge, where she worked at Powell County Memorial Hospital until her retirement in 1997 with 31 years of service. Mom loved nursing and she was good at it. 
Mom’s other joy was following all of the Powell County Warden sports, (boys and girls), where one year she made the Warden fan of the year award. 
Preceding her in death were Francis McKee (husband), Elaine McKee-Bernard (daughter), Johnathan and Velma Loeffler (parents), George and Sarah McKee (father and mother in-law) and nine siblings. Living children Margie (Glenn) Phillips, Omaha, Nebr. and Daniel (Sheila) McKee Deer Lodge. Grandchildren, Jalene Bernard, Lyndsay and Jodi Phillips, Ashley (Brian) Phillips-Gonzales, Emmanuel and Mychael McKee and step-grandaughter Shekina Hill. Great-grandchildren Devin, Dustin, Jenna, Camdon, Kendelle, Divina and Ava. Numerous nieces and nephews.

Mrs. Jean Ingeberg
​After a long and full life, mom passed away peacefully in her sleep on October 27.
She was born the middle of six children on November 10, 1925 to August and Josephine Kraemer. She was raised on the family farm near Calio, N. D.  
Growing up, she loved to attend the many country dances where she met her future husband, Bob Ingeberg. They were married on September 14, 1948. In 1952, they moved to Deer Lodge where they owned and operated  the Deer Lodge Jewelry for over 40 years.  They were married for 49 years and raised three children - Debbie, Bonnie and Rob.  
Jean was a member of the Immaculate Conception Parish and did much volunteer work and belonged to several clubs.  
She is preceded in death by her husband Bob, son Rob, parents, two sisters and one brother.
She is survived by her daughters Debbie Seward (Ray) of Anaconda, Bonnie Billquist (Jerry) of Boerne, Tex.; seven grandchildren; Dan Billquist (Jodi), Rob Billquist (Amanda), Will Seward, Wes Seward (Kelsey), Valerie Rogers (Wayne), Wade Seward, Katie Seward and seven great-grandchildren, sisters Dolores Hertl of Devils Lake, N. D. and Carol Vrendenberg of Minneapolis, Minn.
Services will be held on Friday, November 10, at the Immaculate Conception Church at 11 a.m.  A reception will follow at the parish hall.
A memorial will be held later in the spring.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to Powell County Senior Center or the Rialto Theatre.

​Brett Naylor Kronenberger
Brett Naylor Kronenberger, 52.
Dr. Brett Naylor Kronenberger died peacefully at home, surrounded by family, on October 27, 2017. She had waged a fierce four-month fight against NUT midline carcinoma with bravery and consummate grace. Brett was salt of the earth, a woman in full, a truth-teller, a doer, a risk-taker, and a healer. 
She loved children, hiking, young adult literature, spending time with family and friends, dancing, exercising, learning, being outdoors, yoga, skiing, hosting exchange students, traveling, and saying ‘’yes.” Brett was an ardent dance mom, soccer mom, Montessori mom, Bulldog mom, Griz mom, and go-to mom. 
Brett was born in 1965 in Odessa, Tex. to Don and June Naylor. She completed her B.A. with honors in history at University of Texas at Austin in 1987. She undertook a year-long American Heart Association pre-doctoral research fellowship, then graduated from Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Tex. in 1992. 
She married Don Kronenberger in April of 1992 in Houston. The couple had their first son, Louis, during Brett’s internal medicine residency at the Texas Medical Center in Houston. Seeking proximity to the Rocky Mountains and the comforts of smaller town life, Brett established a medical practice in Butte in 1995. Daughter Claire was born in Butte in 1996, and son Oscar in 1998. 
Brett’s career as a healer in Butte included a special interest in women’s health and wellness both in and out of the clinic, establishing a multi-disciplinary Center for Women’s Health, facilitating health education programs, and volunteering as a yoga and aerobics instructor. She received the YMCA’s Red Triangle Award (1998) and Hester Davis and Peggy Sarsfield Program Leadership Award (2002). 
Brett was a member of Mercury Street Medical from 1995 to 2005. In 2005, Brett became a pioneering Chief Hospitalist with Sound Physicians, where she was recognized as an inaugural Senior Partner in 2016. In that same year, she received further board certification in Internal Medicine with Focused Practice in Hospital Medicine. 
Brett was a Fellow of the American College of Physicians (ACP). In 2016, the Montana Chapter of the ACP bestowed on Brett its highest award, the Laureate Award. Brett served on the Governor’s Council of the Montana Chapter of ACP since 2003, where one of her most satisfying efforts was meeting with President Barack Obama in Bozeman in 2009 to support passage of the Affordable Care Act to care for more Montanans. As recently as May, 2017, Brett met with Senators Tester and Daines in Washington, DC, representing ACP, seeking to maintain access to affordable healthcare for Montanans. 
Brett served two terms as president of the medical staff of St. James Healthcare and served on the hospital’s Board of Directors from 2005 to 2008. She served the non-profit quality improvement organization Mountain-Pacific Quality Health from 1998 to 2015, where she served on its board from 2005 to 2014 and as president from 2012 through 2014. Brett served on the Board of Trustees of the Montana Medical Association from 2003 to 2011, serving as its president in 2010. 
Brett had recently joined the medical staff of Deer Lodge Medical Center and was immensely enjoying her work there until her professional practice was interrupted by illness. 
Brett was preceded in death by her remarkable mother, June Franklin Naylor, a past President-General of the Daughters of the Republic of Texas and a dedicated social activist in Odessa, Tex. Brett was also preceded in death by cousin Dee Franklin of Houston, Tex. She is survived by her husband Don Kronenberger of Butte; her sons Louis and Oscar and daughter Claire, all of Butte; her father Dr. Donald Oscar Naylor (Corrine) of Odessa, Tex.; her sister Valerie Riefenstahl (Ed) of Grapevine, Tex., her brother Dr. Mark Naylor (Carla) of Waco, Tex., and her brother James of Big Spring, Tex.; her Uncle Homer Franklin (Helen) of Houston, Tex.; Cousin Liz Kirk (Steve) of Little Rock, Ark.; and numerous nieces, nephews, and other relatives. 
Even in the last and hardest days of Brett’s fight against cancer, she told her family, “Each morning that I wake to see the sun, I know that it and every day is a gift.” 
The family is tremendously grateful for the immense love and support extended by the community of Southwest Montana during Brett’s illness. 
A celebration of Brett’s life will be held at Mother Lode Theatre, 316 West Park Street, Butte, at 11 a.m. on Saturday, November 4. A reception will follow at the Treasure State Room of the Finlen Hotel, 100 East Broadway Street, Butte. All are welcome. 
In lieu of flowers the family requests memorial donations be made to the non-profit Silver Bow Montessori School, 1800 Sunset Rd., Butte, MT 59701, the Butte Education Foundation, PO Box 3821, Butte, MT 59702, or to the charity of your choice.
Axelson Alternative Cremation is privileged to serve Brett’s Family.

Death Notice: Jean Loeffler-McKee
Jean Loeffler-McKee passed away on Friday October 27, 2017. There will be a Celebration of Life at the Powell County Senior Center from 1 p.m. - 4 p.m. Saturday, November 4, 2017. In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to Powell County High School Booster Club.