August 27th, 2014

Juanita Browne
Juanita Browne of Deer Lodge passed away on Thursday, August 21, 2014.  She was born October 5, 1933 and spent most of her childhood in Twin Bridges and Dillon.  Orphaned as an infant, but adopted by Jim and Vivian Womack at the age of 15, they would forever be her mom and dad!
After graduating from Beaverhead County High School, Dillon, she went on to Western Montana College in Dillon and earned her Associate of Teaching degree.  One of her first teaching positions brought her to Ringling, a small railroad community in central Montana.
It was in Ringling where she met the love of her life, Bill Browne.  They were married May 24, 1957.  In August of 1958 their first son, Don, was born.  Those first few years they moved around with Bill as his job with the Milwaukee Railroad required him to travel.  The small family lived in a little box car converted into a house.
As the family grew with two more boys, Dale and Dan (Boone), they decided it was time to settle down.  They planted their roots in Deer Lodge.  The boys grew up in Deer Lodge as Bill continued to work for the railroad.  Juanita did some school teaching and took care of the boys.  She was a talented artist and seamstress, and later in life, after the boys had grown, she worked doing alterations, painting and drawing.
After Bill retired they loved to keep in touch with their railroad family and looked forward to the annual Milwaukee picnics every year.  She loved the Lord and St. John’s Lutheran Church in Deer Lodge, her and Bill were active members, she loved the congregation and taking part in the church activities.
Juanita was blessed with five grandchildren and she was proud of them and their accomplishments; she always wanted to know how they were doing in school/college.  Their education was important to her.
Juanita will be dearly missed, but we know our Savior wrapped his arms around her and she was very happily reunited with Bill and Don.
Juanita was preceded in death by her husband, Bill, who passed away in 2010; son, Don, daughter-in-law, Gretchen, and her adopted father, Jim Womack.
She is survived by her sons, Dale, and Dan (Kim) of Salmon, Idaho; grandchildren, Cody, Tanner, Emily, Dan, and David and her adoptive mother, Vivian Womack of Dillon.
At Juanita’s request she was cremated and no services are planned.  
Memorial donations may be made to St. John’s Lutheran Church in Deer Lodge.

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Robert William Gangl
Robert William Gangl, born in Devil’s Lake, N. D., on August 29, 1942, passed away on May 5, 2014 in Prince George, Canada.
A Canadian by choice and a long term resident of Prince George, looking for a piece of the northern wilderness, he immigrated to Canada in 1969 with his wife Betty (Chaffin) and two children.
Robert started the first fox farm in northern B.C., and operated a small manufacturing business until retiring in 2006.  Prior to moving to Canada he made his home in Montana, Oklahoma and North Dakota.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Betty, in 2013, his parents, Joe and Mary (Neussendorfer) Gangl; brothers, Wilfred and Frank Gangl.
He is survived by his son, Rob (Deb), and daughter, Kris (Gord), and five grandchildren, all of Canada; sisters, Helen (Fritz) Roberts and Julia (Robert) Hutchison; sister-in-law, Sharon Gangl, all of Deer Lodge, and brother, Albert (Dorothy) Gangl of Kingfisher, Okla.
Robert is also survived by numerous nieces, nephews and cousins in the United States.  He may have moved to Canada, but he was never forgotten.

James Lee Hiltz “Jim”
James Lee Hiltz “Jim,”  age 69, of Elliston, passed away at his home peacefully on August 22, 2014 after a two and half year battle with cancer.
Jim was born to Ruby and Chris Hiltz on December 11, 1944 in Deer Lodge. He attended school in Garrison and Deer Lodge. Jim joined the Army on January 9, 1964 and was enlisted until January 21, 1966.  He married, Sue Thomas, his childhood sweetheart, on December 8, 1973 in Avon. 
Jim worked at the Stillwater Mine in Absarokee, from 1987-1994, a job where he met a lot of great guys he enjoyed working with.  Jim was a carpenter and spent the last 20 years of his life in construction with his son, Dan.  His favorite activities included hunting, fishing, horseshoes and camping and his favorite days were spent antler hunting on the Cobb Ranch with his sons and friends.  Jim attended St. Theodore’s Catholic Church of Avon and St. Helena’s Cathedral of Helena.  He had a strong faith which was very comforting in his life’s trials and important part of his life.   Jim was a member of the Elliston Cemetery Committee, Men’s Monday night golf in Elliston, the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, and the NRA.
Jim is survived by his wife, Sue Hiltz of Elliston; his children, Alan Antila of Bellingham, Wash., Rich Antila and Gabby Isaacson of Green River, Wyo., Wayne and Nila Antila of Bellingham, Wash., Shawn and Kendra Antila of Lebanon, Ore., Dan and Luanne Antila of Elliston; his former daughter-in-laws, Christy Antila and Paula Antila; his siblings, Chris and Lee Hiltz, Ed Sanderson, Chuck and Opal Sanderson; grandchildren,  Zack, Katlyn, Tanner, Tiffany, Preston, Tim, Seth, Slade, Kaycee, Shane, Kenzie, Kayla, Brandon and Bo; his great-grandchildren, Krypton and Camdon; and brother-in-laws, Bill and Marilyn Thomas, Bob and Sherry Thomas, Bruce and Cheryl Thomas, nieces, nephews, cousins, and close friends.
He was preceded in death by his father, Chris Hiltz; mother, Ruby Sanderson; step-father, Woody Sanderson; sister, Jean Sanderson; and son, Wylie Antila.
Jim left us too soon; he was the “rock” of the family.  He was said to be a legend when it came to hunting.  He will be missed more than words can say. 
A vigil service and celebration of Jim’s life will be held at 6 p.m., Wednesday, August 27, 2014 at Anderson Stevenson Wilke Funeral Home, 3750 N. Montana Ave, Helena, Montana 59602. A funeral Mass will be celebrated at the Cathedral of St. Helena, 530 N. Ewing, Helena, at 12 p.m. on Thursday, August 28, 2014.  Burial will take place at the Elliston Cemetery, Elliston, MT 59728  immediately following the funeral Mass with a potluck reception to follow at the Elliston Gymnasium.  In lieu of flowers please make memorials in Jim’s name to a charity of your choice.  Please visit www.aswfuneralhome.com to offer the family a condolence or to share a memory of Jim.

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Verna Joyce Mooney Kennedy
September 1, 1922, Verna Joyce Mooney was one of 13 children born to Pete and Hazel Mooney.  Their children were born at home in Rock Lake, N.D., which was a small farm town on the prairie located 10 miles from the Canadian border in the northeastern part of the state.
Joyce attended school in Rock Lake and helped support her family by working during the “Great Depression” years.
Joyce met and later married her husband, Ivan G. Kennedy, in Rock Lake.  They were blessed with three boys, Jerry, Barry and Ronald.
In 1953, Ivan moved to Montana for work.  He found employment at the Anaconda Copper Company working at the “Smelter” in Anaconda.  He then sent for Joyce and their three small sons.  The family settled in and made their home in Deer Lodge.
Joyce didn’t have any hobbies.  Her life was taking care of her husband and raising their three boys.  Through the years her home was filled with laughter, talking and eating because her home was a place for all the boys and their friends to congregate.  No one was unwelcome in their home.  It was noted that she would bake a cake every day to feed them, but save one piece for dad!  As the years went by later, she always said she missed all the kids, their laughter, and the noise.
Joyce had a wonderful sense of humor, which was prevalent until the end of her life.  She never liked anyone making a fuss over her.
Joyce was preceded in death by her husband, Ivan.
She is survived by her three sons: Jerry (Jackie) Kennedy, Barry Kennedy and Ron Kennedy; grandchildren, Stephanie Rief, Roberta (Ben) Cestnik, Matthew Kennedy, Heather (Jeremy) Orban; great-grandchildren, Julius and Rylie Kennedy, Lakotah Erickson, Cheyanne Erickson, Riley Cestnik and Shelbee Rief.
Graveside services will be at 2 p.m. Friday, August 29, at Hillcrest Cemetery.
Special thank you to Frontier Hospice, Gwen Brott and nurses Michelle, Rebecca and Susan.  A very special thanks to caregivers Pam Bromley, Jane Collins and Kathy Green.
Memorials may be made to the Deer Lodge Humane Society, St. Jude’s Hospital, or of the donor’s choice.

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