OBITUARY LISTINGS
Recent Obituaries
Local Obituaries for Chester, Shelby, Cut Bank, Conrad, MT & Surrounding Areas
Bill Hagen
Sep 23, 2024
William “Bill” M. Hagen was born on November 8, 1943 in Conrad to Clarence and Helen (Mainard) Hagen. He passed on Monday, September 23, 2024. Memorial services will be held Sunday, October 6, at 12:30pm at the Cut Bank First Presbyterian Church.
In Bill’s own words, “I moved to different farms ending up in Cut Bank in 1951, graduating in...
Betty Joan Kanning
Sep 20, 2024
Betty Joan Kanning (Jystad), 81, a homemaker from Shelby, died of natural causes on Friday, September 20th, 2024, at her home in Shelby, surrounded by family.
Her memorial service will be held on Saturday, October 5th, 2024, 2:00 pm, at the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses in Shelby, MT.
She is survived by her four children: Roger Kanning, Adam (Corrine) Kanning, Angela...
Tom Durnell
Sep 18, 2024
Tom Durnell, 66, passed away on September 18, 2024. Tom was born on July 18, 1958 to Red and Martha Durnell of Dupuyer. He graduated from Valier High School in 1977. He was the proud owner of Durnell’s Custom Woodcraft and later opened and remodeled the TNT Tavern in Conrad in 2018. Tom was a skilled craftsman and took great...
Florence Elaine Johnson
Sep 15, 2024
Angels watched over Florence Elaine (Thorsen) Johnson as she went to be home with her Savior on Sunday, September 15, 2024, at Northern Pines Rehabilitation and Nursing Home in Cut Bank, Montana.
Florence was born on April 25, 1927, to Theodore and Inga (Skoyen) Thorsen in Hale, WI. She enjoyed school and was salutatorian of her graduating class. After school Florence...
Dalton Earl Dahlke
Sep 15, 2024
Dalton Earl Dahlke, 92, passed on September 15, 2024 at Benefis Healthcare. Dalton was born July 11, 1932 at home in Clearbrook, MN to Carl and Mabel Dahlke. Dalton attended Ruffy Brook School until the 8th grade; his mother attended this same country school. He served in the Armed Forces from 1952 – 1954. Dalton moved to Montana in 1955....
Helen Elliott
2024
Helen Hales Elliott passed away Friday, September 13th after a short illness, surrounded by family. Helen was born in 1928 to Lura and Orville Hales, and she lived nearly her entire life in Conrad, most of it in the house that was her mother’s. After her father tragically died when she was 9 years old, she grew up quickly, graduating...
William Wayne Dafoe
Sep 11, 2024
William Wayne Dafoe, Affectionately known as Bill, 46, of Chester, died Wednesday September 11, 2024 peacefully at the family ranch after a battle with brain cancer.
A funeral service will be held on Wednesday, September 18, at the Whitlash Community Presbyterian Church. A graveside service will follow at the Whitlash Cemetery.
Bill, the son of Bob and Toni Dafoe, was born January...
Orinne Patricia Werhan
Sep 10, 2024
Orinne Patricia Barsness Werhan passed away peacefully September 10, 2024. Orinne was born to Odin and Ruth Barsness April 15, 1939 the fourth child of five children, in Starbuck, Minnesota. Graduating from Starbuck High School she moved to the Minneapolis St. Paul area where she met Gerald “Jerry” Everett Werhan at a piano bar. They were married April 22, 1967....
Sebastian Biegler
Sep 2, 2024
Sebastian “Bud” Biegler, 88, of Cut Bank, Montana, passed away on September 2, 2024. Born on September 29, 1935, in Strausburg, North Dakota, he was a man of many roles: a loving husband, father, grandfather, and great grandfather.
When he was young, Bud’s father Peter purchased a new farm near the community of Edgeley, North Dakota. Bud was one of 6...
Shawn Paul Harmon
Sep 1, 2024
Shawn Paul Harmon passed on Sunday, September 1, 2024.
A Remembrance Service will be held at Starr School on Thursday, Sept 5, at 7:00 pm. Funeral services will be held Friday, Sept 6, at 10:00 am at Four Winds Assembly of God Church in Browning.
Tony Lunda
Aug 29, 2024
Sigurd Anton Lunda Jr (Tony) passed away Thursday August 29th, 2024. Tony was born in Dunkirk, MT to Johanna and Sigurd Lunda Sr on July 21st 1935. His family moved briefly to Minnesota before settling in Shelby. Tony graduated from Shelby High School in 1953 and went on to Kinman Business University in Spokane, WA where he obtained a degree...
Walter Leon Richey
Aug 29, 2024
Walter Leon Richey, affectionately known as Loni, passed away on August 29, 2024, at the age of 62 in Shelby, Montana. Born on March 16, 1962, in Sacramento, California, Walter's cheerful and uplifting spirit touched all who knew him.
Throughout his life, Walter was known for his personable nature and his ability to make friends easily. His caring attitude and willingness...
Nolan Fladstol
Aug 22, 2024
Nolan Fladstol was a caring husband, father, grandfather, brother, and friend. He left this world suddenly on August 22, 2024.
He was born to Maurice and Opal Fladstol on January 9, 1951. After graduating from college with a degree in Ag Business, he worked in Great Falls where he met his wife, Cheryl. They moved to the Berge family farm in...
Mary Lu Wentworth
Aug 21, 2024
Mary Lu Wentworth, age 91, passed away peacefully on August 21, 2024, in Conrad, MT, after a brief illness. She was born two months premature on her grandparents’ farm to Clyde and Ethel (Stokes) Gaines. Weighing only three pounds at birth, she was kept alive by sleeping in a shoebox in her Grandmother Stokes’ warming oven. She had two brothers,...
Alvin E. Bartsch
Aug 20, 2024
Alvin Emil Bartsch, 76, passed on Tuesday, August 20, 2024 at his home near Brady, MT.
Alvin was born in Great Falls on October 3, 1947 to Elmer and Lucille Bartsch. He graduated from Brady High School and went to school at Moody Bible Institute in Chicago, IL. Alvin went on to achieve an associate degree from Montana Bible College in...
Richard L. Brownell
Aug 15, 2024
Richard (Dick) Leroy Brownell, 82, long-time Pendroy farmer and rancher, died August 15, 2024, from injuries sustained from a fall while working on the family farm.
A memorial will be held at a later date.
Richard was born May 18, 1942, to Robert and Viola Brownell in Conrad, MT. While growing up on the family farm near Pendroy, he attended Pendroy school...
Debra Pugh
Aug 14, 2024
Debra (Debbie) Ann Rossmiller Pugh was born March 2, 1955 to Duard and Deloris Rossmiller in Great Falls, MT. Her dad's family farmed on the Bootlegger trail East of Brady, her dad and his father Elmer got into the oil business later. Her family moved to Oilmont, MT where she attended elementary and middle school, she then graduated from Sunburst High...
Lucas Fowler
Aug 9, 2024
Luke was born to Matt and Donna Fowler on June 30, 1996. It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Lucas Paul Fowler, who tragically lost his life in an accident on August 9, 2024.
Luke lived life with a passion and enjoyed doing what he wanted, when he wanted. Always on his own “Luke time”, his presence...
Linda Lou Fassett
Aug 6, 2024
Linda L. Fassett, 80, of Cut Bank, MT, passed away peacefully on August 6, 2024, her 80th birthday. She was born on August 6, 1944, to Hiram and Charlotte Baney in Glasgow, MT, where she was one of 13 children.
Linda met the love of her life, Allen Fassett, in Glasgow. The two married on March 25, 1961, and soon after,...
Verena Mae Farrell
Aug 5, 2024
Verena Mae Farrell (78) , a cherished wife, mother, daughter, sister, grandmother and aunt to many, passed away peacefully on August 5th surrounded by family at Northern Pines Nursing Home in Cut Bank, Montana. She was born on February 1, 1946 to Chester Glenn and Mary Ellen Miller of Cut Bank, MT.
She married Charles Farrell on September 1, 1966 in...


