Obituaries

POLSON — Adele Louise Walenciak, 78, of Polson, passed away on May 18, 2013, due to pulmonary fibrosis. She was born Aug. 7, 1934, in Long Beach California to Hazel Vera Shields Leonard and James Robert Leonard. She graduated high school at Santa Ana High and attended the University of Montana. She was an accounting manager for the Pacifica Hospital and later a construction company. After retirement she spent time researching genealogy and belonged to Temecula Valley Genealogy Club. During this research she found several patriots and became a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution. She was a founding member of the Kuilix Chapter in the Mission Valley. She also spent her...

POLSON — Paul Brueggeman, 62, of Polson passed away on Monday, May 6, 2013, at Kalispell Regional Medical Center of multiple complications due to his decades-long struggle with diabetes. He was born in Polson on May 12, 1950, to Arthur and Melanie Brueggeman. Paul spent the majority of his life in P...

RONAN — Lonnie Harris Smith, 71, of Ronan, passed away at St. Luke Community Hospital on May 7, 2013 in Ronan, Montana. Lonnie was born to Rob Roy and Fran Smith, in Des Moines, Iowa, on August 10, 1941. He grew up in Box Elder, Mont. Lonnie graduated from Northern Montana College in 1964 with a bac...

RONAN — Dan was born in Portland, Ore., on Jan. 29, 1942, to Harry and Violet Emerson. He passed away in Sun City, Ariz., on May 1, 2013, of natural causes. He is survived by his wife of 51 years, Kathryn; and three children Teresa (Dave) Lynch, Jeanne (Mike) Dennison, Wade (Joanne) Emerson; six grandc...

POLSON — Duane Thomas Johnson, 79, of Polson, passed away Saturday, April 27, 2013, at Kalispell Regional Hospital, of natural causes. He was surrounded by the love of his life, his wife Alice, his children, family and friends.  Duane was born March 12, 1934, in Regent, N.D. to Wayne and Della ...

ST. IGNATIUS — Mary Virginia Smith, age 91, passed away Monday, April 22 as a result of a motor vehicle accident on Highway 93 near St. Ignatius. No services are planned. Grogan Funeral Home has been entrusted to handle the arrangements for the family.  

BIG ARM —William Fredrick Knuppel, Jr., age 93, of Big Arm, passed away on April 21, 2013, at his home with his loving family by his side. His loving wife Mildred survives him. Memorial services will be held at Grogan Funeral Home on Friday, April 26, at 11 a.m. 

RONAN — Gerry Croft, 83, of Ronan, passed away from natural causes on Sunday, April 14, at her home. She was born Dec. 11, 1929 to Norris and Clara Bidgood in Woodlake, Neb. The family moved to Delta, Utah where she graduated from High School and met her husband of 66 years, Wally Croft. In 1956 they m...

ST. IGNATIUS – On April 15, the Great Spirit called upon Dalon Wendell Jones, 62, to put his moccasins on, grab his guitar and journey into the heavens to sing and play music. Dalon was born in St. Ignatius, July 6, 1950. He will be deeply missed by his wife of 40 years Anita; his son Ryan of St. Ig...

RONAN — Dorothy Dennis loved people. Born Feb. 25, 1917 to Frank and Emma Hine, Dorothy was the youngest of eight children. Raised on a farm, she learned the values of hard work and family.  She married Charlie Dennis Nov. 24, 1934, spending 60 years together before Charlie’s passing in 1...