June 24th, 2015

Leo Gustuv Janney
Leo Gustuv Janney passed away Friday, May 31. He is survived by his son, Christopher, daughter-in-law Justine and three grandsons; Leo, Michael and James. There will be a memorial service at the Immaculate Conception Church, 605 Clark St., Deer Lodge, MT 59722 on Friday, July 3, at 11 a.m. with interment and reception to follow.
Leo Janney was born in Deer Lodge on January 30, 1934 to Bertha and William Janney.  With three older siblings, Doris, Ed and Bill, and two younger siblings, John and Norma, Leo was part of a big family.  After attending Powell High School, he went to Carroll College in Helena, but after a year, decided to volunteer for the Korean War draft.
The armistice was signed while he was in boot camp.  Anyone who knew Leo knew how affable and charming he was, and he got in pretty well with the C.O.  When it came time for marching orders, the C.O. called out, “Janney,  you know how to type?”, “Yes sir!”, Leo replied.  So it was off to the U.S. Airbase in Wurzburg, Germany, where Leo was the assistant to the airbase’s doctor.  He took every opportunity to jump a plane to Spain, Italy, Switzerland, Austria, and pretty much any spot he could get the time off to visit in Europe.
When he returned from Europe to the States, he enrolled in Marquette University over in Milwaukee, Wis.  He was enrolled as a pre-med student, but after his sophomore year, Marquette changed the requirements for pre-med, so he changed to a chemistry major, mainly because he had most of the requirements. He was in Aspen, Colo. teaching skiing during the day and waiting tables at night when he got his diploma mailed to him.  With his new diploma, he got a job as a chemist for a sugar company in Denver, but soon got tired of it and bicycled on a Reighley three speed to New York City to see a college friend.  They took a drive away car to Florida.  People used to trust people to drive their cars away for them when they moved to a new place.  Florida didn’t have much appeal, so he and a friend bought motorcycles and headed for California.
His dad came to visit while living and working in Los Angeles, and told him to take the time to do something fun.  Go back to Aspen and ski.  “You could have knocked me over with a feather,” Leo said.  This was the last thing he expected his dad to say.  So he was once again off to Aspen to do what he loved, ski.
Leo met Trudi Peet on this round in Aspen.  Soon they were dating, then soon they were married and in May of 1968, they had a son, Christopher.  They moved from Aspen, down the valley to a ranch near Carbondale and called it St. Finnbar Farm.  Leo and Trudi built a first class horse facility and raised their son there.
Things don’t always work out, and so Leo and Trudi split up in 1973.  Leo came back out to Los Angeles and found work as a delivery truck driver.  He worked hard and made some good choices.  He saved and took his son, Christopher on great adventures whenever he came out to visit.  He had a love for road trips and so did Christopher.  They would travel to see family and friends as well as ski whenever they could.  From Mt. Hood, Ore. to Taos, N. M., Little Cottonwood Canyon, Utah, Mammoth, Calif., and Bozeman, they skied and had adventures.
Leo returned to the church while looking for catechism for his son.  In 1979, he met with Father Skiffington and Msgr. Parnassus of St. Victor’s Church.  They encouraged Leo to be an example for his son as Christopher moved toward baptism and first communion.  It was this same church and faith Leo needed so much when two years later his entire savings was gone due to bad investment.  He dug deep into his faith, coming to St. Victor’s Church for daily mass.  Father Skiffington and Msgr. Parnassus got Leo a job driving the elderly for the Society of St. Vincent de Paul.  He worked for St. Vincent de Paul for a few years before taking up waiting tables again.  “Then the best thing I could ever hope for happened.  My son came to live with me.”  Now supporting two on waiting tables, Leo looked for something more permanent, and found it in the I.R.S.  He started working the counter in the West Los Angeles office.  Having a normal schedule allowed him to attend daily mass once more, and he did.
At the age of 66, Leo was still getting up at 4:30 a.m. to make the bus to downtown Los Angeles, where he would attend mass, then work, still with the I.R.S.  He became a father-in-law to Justine (LaBrucherie) Janney, then he became a grandfather to Leo John Janney.  He changed his schedule to work 10 hours Monday through Thursday, so he had Friday’s free to take his grandson on adventures.  The Leos (Leo the older and Leo the younger), would take the trains everywhere, because that’s what his grandson wanted to do.  Two years later, he became grandfather to twins, Michael and James.  Now he would rotate his Fridays between the three, because it always had to be fair.
Leo was 79 when the first stroke forced him to retire from the I.R.S.  The stroke debilitated his left side and affected his cognitive abilities.  The loss of mobility and mind for a man who has been so independent, physical and sharp-witted was quite a challenge.  Nonetheless, he offered any and all suffering up to God with prayer and meditation.  His second stroke came less than a year later and his health declined with it.  On May 31, 2015, Leo passed away, but not before Christopher, Justine and the boys Leo, Michael and James got to tell him one more time how much he was loved, and give him hugs.

Marjorie Ellen Meagher
Marjorie Ellen Meagher, 78, of Deer Lodge passed away peacefully Thursday, the 18 of June. 
Born March 14, 1937 to Jerry and Dora Sheehan in Billings, Marjorie moved to Deer Lodge in 1960 where she met the love of her life, Pat Meagher. This is where they raised their three children, Debbie, Joe and Gordie. 
Along with their three children, they were also blessed with six grandchildren, Monica, Patty and Michael Bartlett and Joey, Connor & Jaiden Meagher. Along with the six grandchildren, Margie was blessed with eight great-grandchildren that she loved very much. 
Margie’s family was everything to her and she cherished every minute she spent with them. Whether it was watching sporting events that the family was involved in or backyard BBQ’s - Margie always made sure she never missed a family event no matter where it was. 
Margie was employed at Powell County Memorial Hospital for almost 30 years where she was the Dietary Manager. She took pride in her job and this shined through in her cooking. You never heard anybody complain about a meal Margie cooked or baked. She was one hell of a cook. 
Her hobbies included baking, crocheting, knitting and ceramics. Every time a baby was born into her family or extended family, you could be assured that baby would be welcomed into the world with a cozy, soft afghan knitted with love by Grandma Marge - from her first grandchild to the last great-grandchild. 
Margie was a force to be reckoned with. She had a fiery spirit and lived life to the fullest. If you ever had the pleasure of meeting her, you would surely never forget her. She left an imprint on everyone’s heart. 
Margie was welcomed with open arms at heaven’s gate by her loving husband, Pat Meagher; her son, Gordon Meagher; her parents Jerry and Dora Sheehan and her brother and sister-in-law Dean and Lola Sheehan. 
She is survived by her daughter, Debbie Bartlett-Sammons (Jake); son, Joe Meagher; her grandchildren Monica, Patty, Michael (Angie), Joey (Jessica), Connor and Jaiden and her great-grandchildren Caleb, Hunter, Logan, Dylan, Kandace, J.J., Brandon and Olivia; her numerous nieces and nephews; and all of her friends that loved her just as much as her family.
Mass of Christian burial will be June 30, at 11 a.m. at the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Deer Lodge. Memorials-Donors choice.