Obituaries

RONAN — On the afternoon of Feb. 29, 2020, the retired Rev. VaunDalee DeLong, 76, peacefully passed away at St.Luke’s Hospital. VaunDalee was born VaunDalee Evelyn Rhodes in Valley City, North Dakota, in 1943. She married Douglas Dean DeLong and had two children, Matthew Douglas and Dinah Lynn. VaunDalee attended Dickinson State University in North Dakota and graduated from seminary at The Pacific School of Religion and was a pastor first in the Oil-Field Parish of Sunburst, Kevin, and Shelby, Montana. Next, she served as pastor for Mission (St. Ignatius), Ronan, and Charlo Churches. Following this, VaunDalee became the pastor for the congregation of Van Orsdel Methodis...

POLSON — Ruth Baxter, age 98, passed away on Feb. 22, 2020. Ruth lived an amazing life. Born in the hospital in Miles City, Ruth grew up on the family ranch near Biddle, Montana, learning the value of hard work. She earned hired-hand wages, helping her father with haying. She and younger brothers, Keit...

  RONAN — Helen E. (Sell) Roullier, 93, was called home to her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on Sunday, March 15, 2020, at Polson Health and Rehabilitation. She was born on July 9, 1926, in Chicago, Illinois, the oldest of three daughters, to William and Alice Sell of eastern Montana.  T...

EDMONDS, WASHINGTON — Betty Jo Bridenstine, 92 years old, passed away from natural causes on Feb. 21, 2020, in Edmonds, Washington. She was preceded in death by her parents, Walter Edward Staves and Rose Gladys Curran-Staves, and her late husband, K. M. Bridenstine.   Betty Jo was born and rais...

RONAN — Randy Keeble passed away on Thursday, Feb. 27, 2020, at his home in Ronan, after a long fight with cancer. In his passing we have lost a loving father, grandfather, husband, and a pillar of the Mission Valley community. Randy was born Frank Randolph Keeble on Feb. 7, 1947, to Frank and Virgi...

ST. IGNATIUS — Dorathy Maxine Salomon Roseleip, 89, passed away in Billings on Feb. 20, 2020. Services are planned in St. Ignatius and will be announced. Foster Funeral Home & Crematory is assisting the family with arrangements.  

ST. IGNATIUS — Wilma J. Manore, 91, was born on Sept. 7, 1928, and died on Feb. 16, 2020. Wilma was born in Plum City, Wisconsin, to Eric Hedin and June (Campbell) Hedin (Tomlinson) and was one of six children (Orval, Wilma, Leslie, Bernard “Bud”, Virginia, and Roger). She graduated from...

POLSON — Our beautiful Mother and Grandmother, Jacqueline Jean DePoe Schwarz Griffith passed away on Feb. 17, 2020. Jean was born in Port Angeles, Washington, to Geraldine Dupuis and Reginald DePoe on Oct. 1, 1929. She was a member of the Salish Kootenai Tribes. She graduated from Polson High School...

POLSON — Eleanor S. Ekland, long time resident of Polson, passed away on Feb. 15 at the age of 94. Eleanor was born in Glendive, Montana to Pete and Edna Pederson on April 22, 1925. She graduated from Dawson County High School and obtained an Associate of Arts degree from Dawson County Junior Colleg...

RONAN — Keith R. Baker, 69, passed away peacefully Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2020, at his home. He was born in Chicago, Illinois, in August of 1950 to Jack S. Forrester and Marie M. Zimmerman Forrester.   At the age of 17, he was appointed to the Naval Academy at Annapolis, but decided it was not for h...