Obituaries

Sep 13, 2021

Richard ‘Dick’ Simmons

Dick Simmons valued family, education and travel. He enriched the lives of thousands of students as a teacher of American History for 34 years at Billings Senior High School, becoming an icon as an educator. He stressed the importance of understanding the historical facts plus the underlying ideals. He exemplified this lifelong...

Sep 12, 2021

Betty Huschka

Betty Huschka, loving mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, passed away peacefully, surrounded by family and friends, on Sept. 12, 2021, at the age of 92.

Betty was born on Dec. 13, 1928, in Belfield, North Dakota, to Frank Ouellette and Barbara (Wagner) Ouellette. She married Joe Huschka on May 18, 1948. Together,...

Sep 12, 2021

Kayleigh Jade Weiland

Kayleigh Jade Weiland, 22, of Billings, was taken from us suddenly in the early hours of Sept. 12, 2021. She was born on June 3, 1999, in Billings, to James Weiland and Erika Willkom Beddow. She graduated from Skyview High School in 2017, where she maintained a 4.0 GPA for all four...

Sep 10, 2021

Angela Kay Coulter was born on August 28, 1975. She was a beautiful blonde, blue eyed baby that has through the years brought so much love and fun to many. Angie and her siblings agree – many of the best times were spent on the Coulter Ranch at Roy, MT – riding horses, helping Grandma with chores, feeding the...

Sep 9, 2021

Ryan Andrew Perez

Ryan Andrew Perez, age 34, of Billings, Montana, and Aurora, Colorado, passed away on Sept. 9, 2021, from Sudden Cardiac Death Syndrome.

Ryan was born June 21, 1987 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and grew up in Billings, Montana. He attended Arrowhead Elementary School, Will James Middle School, and graduated from...

Sep 9, 2021

Theodore Vincent Lechner

Theodore Vincent “Ted” Lechner, 83, of Billings, passed away on his birthday, Thursday, Sept. 9, 2021, after a short encounter with pancreatic cancer. Ted was a kind, compassionate, soft-spoken yet strong man, who deeply loved his family. His heart was big enough to welcome and help all children in need of guidance...

Sep 7, 2021

Craig Allen Knutson, 45, of Billings went to be with his Lord and Savior Tuesday, September 7, 2021. The son of Jerry and Rebecca Knutson, Craig was born June 21, 1976 in Billings, MT. As a child, he accepted Jesus Christ as his personal Savior while attending Clydehurst Christian Camp. Craig graduated from Shiloh Christian Academy in 1995. After...

Sep 7, 2021

Roger Bernhardt

On Sept. 7, 2021, Roger Bernhardt was called to heaven to serve the Lord, after a long battle with COPD.

Roger was born on June 8, 1955, to Dolores and Eugene Bernhardt. Roger graduated West High School in 1973 and worked for Pierce Packing. During this time, Roger married high school...

Sep 5, 2021

Loretta Jorgenson

Loretta Jorgenson passed peacefully during the night on Sept. 5, 2021.

Loretta was born on March 16, 1924, to Stanley and Marie Ober in Cincinnati, Ohio. She was the eldest of six and enjoyed a close, loving relationship with her five siblings and extended family throughout her life. Raised during the...

Sep 5, 2021

God hath not promised skies always blue, flower strewn pathways all our lives through, God hath not promised sun without rain, joy without sorrow, peace without pain, but God has promised strength for the day, rest for the labor, light for the way, grace for the trials, help from above, unfailing sympathy, undying love. – Annie Johnson Flint

Sep 3, 2021

Matthew Ray Harkins passed away peacefully on Sept. 3, 2021, with his wife Shelby by his side. Matthew was born in Dallas, TX. on Feb. 3, 1981, and grew up in Salt Lake City, UT. He graduated from Brighton High School in 1999, and attended Paul Mitchell School of Cosmetology in Portland, OR. Matthew later moved to Montana, where...

Sep 3, 2021

David Russell Wilson

David Russell Wilson, 83, passed away peacefully on Friday, Sept. 3, 2021, surrounded by his family, from complications from multiple myeloma, a rare blood cancer.

Dave was born in Missoula on June 14, 1938, the son of Thomas and Mildred Wilson. After graduating from Billings Senior High in 1958, he...

Aug 30, 2021

Keith L. Kinkade

Keith LeRoy Kinkade passed away peacefully at the RiverStone Hospice in Billings, in the early evening of Aug. 30, 2021, at the age of 80. He was born April 21, 1941, in Tacoma, Washington. After he graduated high school, he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps. After his service as a...

Aug 29, 2021

Lydia A. McDermott

My beloved mother, Lydia A. McDermott, passed away in the early morning hours on Aug. 29, 2021, at Avantara Billings, due to Covid-19. She was 86 years old.

Lydia was born in Jamieson, Alberta, and was raised on the family farm in Cranford with her two sisters. Her older sister...

Aug 28, 2021

Betty Jane Nessan

Betty Jane Nessan, age 86, died on Aug. 28, 2021 of natural causes.

On March 20, 1935, she was born on the family farm west of Billings to Jacob and Lydia Lackman. She attended Shiloh Elementary School and graduated from Billings Senior High school in 1952. In 1953, she married...

Aug 25, 2021

Dorothy Gustin

Dorothy Gustin peacefully passed away on Aug. 25, 2021.

Dorothy was born May 15, 1929, in Flasher, North Dakota, to Ervie and Cecilia Keith. She attended school and graduated from Flasher High School. During this time, she worked on the family farm and often said she’d rather work alongside her dad...

Aug 23, 2021

Marge Mott, beloved mother, grandmother, aunt, and friend, passed away peacefully in her home surrounded by loving family on Aug. 23, 2021.

Marge spent all of her 92 years living in Montana, making lifelong friends, sharing kindness with everyone she met, and telling thousands of great stories over many thousands of cups of coffee. In the years...

Aug 23, 2021

James Wood Weaver

Dec. 10, 1949 — Aug. 23, 2021

James “Jim” Wood Weaver, loving husband, father, grandfather, brother and friend, passed away on Monday, Aug. 23, 2021, after a yearlong battle with valley fever and complications from a series of strokes.

Born on Dec. 10, 1949, Jim was an extraordinary, self-made entrepreneur...

Aug 23, 2021

Dorman Hurick, 95 of Billings, passed away Monday, August 23, 2021 at West Park Village.

Cremation has taken place and there will be a private graveside service at Calvary Cemetery.

His wife Jackie preceded him in death, October 31, 2005.

Survivors include his daughter Kim Willis, son-in-law Loren Willis, grandson Cameron Willis and...

Aug 22, 2021

Paul Edward Fischer passed away Aug. 22, 2021, while under Hospice care at Tendernest in Billings.

Paul was born in Bakersfield, California, in 1927, the fourth of Martin and Eva Voth Fischer’s 10 children. Paul was raised Mennonite in Oklahoma, where his family farmed. While a teller at Community Bank in Hugoton, Kansas, Paul joined the Army...