Obituaries

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 and attended one year of schooling at the University of Kansas. Jean married Norris L. Schwarz in Polson and together they had three children: Sherry, Bill, and Michael. Norris later passed away from throat cancer. She then met Charles Griffith and after 43 years together, Charlie and Jean were married on Nov. 28, 2011. Charlie preceded her in death. Jean worked in several places ...

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...

POLSON — Joseph Francis “Pinhead” Squeque, age 82, passed away on Jan. 17, 2020, at Kalispell Regional Medical Center. He was born on Feb. 3, 1937, in St. Ignatius, the son of Louison Squeque (Finley) and Josephine (Caye) Lefthand and Alex Lefthand. He attended school through the eighth ...

POLSON — Helen Sue Bailey was born on May 27, 1967, and passed away on Jan. 31, 2020, at the age of 52. She is survived by her husband Todd, of 29 years, and their sons, David (Jonta) and Josh (Shania). Helen also had three beloved grandchildren, Dean, Truden and Paisley.   Although a less than...

POLSON — Greggory Andrew Bancroft, age 25, of Polson and the Flathead Valley, passed away unexpectedly Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2020. Greggory was born April 9, 1994 to Leah Hancock and Andrew Bancroft in Kalispell, Montana. He graduated from Flathead High School in 2013. Gregg loved fishing, hunting,...

BIG ARM — Clayton LeRoy Howard, age 81, passed away On Thursday, Jan. 23, 2020, at St. Joseph Medical Center in Polson. He was born on Aug. 2, 1938, in Newport, North Carolina, the son of Moses Clayton and Jessie Lee (Simmons) Howard. He attended schools in Newport and graduated from Newport Consoli...

RONAN — David William Wilkening, born Jan. 14, 1958, passed away at home in Ronan, on the 23rd of December 2019 at the age of 61. David was the second of five children, and the first son, born to Ruth Linder Wilkening and Walter Deseniss Wilkening. He grew up in Libertyville, Illinois, and completed...

RONAN — Sharon L. Anderson, age 77, passed away on Saturday, Jan. 25, 2020 at Polson Health and Rehab.  Memorial services for Sharon are pending. An obituary will follow.  Arrangements are under the direction of Shrider – Thompson Funeral Home.   

POLSON — Hector Speckert, 88, passed away peacefully surrounded by his family, on Jan. 7, 2020, at the Polson Health and Rehabilitation Center. He was born on June 3, 1931, to Otto and Frassie Speckert in Marysville, California.  He grew up in Marysville where his family raised peaches and almo...