Obituaries

May 14, 2019

Robert Paul Thiesen was born on Feb. 22, 1921, on a farm in southern Minnesota, the son of Paul and Christine Thiesen. He was the second of five children. He graduated from high school in Lakefield, Minnesota, in 1939, near the end of the Great Depression. After graduation, he spent one year assisting on the farm. He trapped muskrats,...

May 14, 2019

Richie Allen Klein died tragically in a motorcycle accident on Sunday, May 12, 2019.

Rich was born on July 20, 1965, in Billings, where he lived his whole life. He was born to Carol and Dick Klein. In his early years, he managed several bars and restaurants. It all began with his first job at the bar...

May 8, 2019

Dennis Francis Bruski, at the age of 74, succumbed to the disease of COPD, and went to be with our Heavenly Father on Friday, May 3, 2019, at his home in Billings.

He was raised on the family farm in Wibaux, along with older brother, Virgil, and younger sister, Marcene. Dennis was especially close with Marcene throughout...

May 6, 2019

John Francis Crawford passed away at home on April 29, 2019, at the age of 74. He was born on July 13, 1944, to John and Marion Crawford.

John enjoyed spending summers at his uncle's ranch in Reed Point at a young age. He graduated from Billings Senior High School in 1962 with high honors in English...

May 2, 2019

Ruth Louise Olsen died peacefully in her sleep at Bella Terra nursing home, where she had been living for several years. Ruth was born on Oct. 8, 1929, in St. Louis, Missouri, to Anna Fischer and Charles Olsen. Ruth spent her life caring for Catholic priests in the Billings area. She lived and worked at the St. Patrick's rectory...

May 2, 2019

Edna McGrail Staebler passed away at the age of 89 on May 1, 2019.

Edna was born on March 24, 1930, in Roundup, to Walter and Estella (Daly) McGrail. In September 1949, she married Raymond Staebler. From their union, five children were born: Kathleen (Stan) Melville, Raymond "Rusty," Leslie, Michael and Julie Kuper.

She worked...

May 1, 2019

Husband, father, father- in-law, grandpa, papa, great-grandpa, uncle and friend, Myles J. Thomas "Jack" passed away Friday, April 26, 2019, at the age of 88. He was surrounded by his loving family.

Jack was born on Sept. 22, 1930, to Myles and Virginia Campbell Thomas. He graduated from Helena High School in 1948, and then he started...

Apr 29, 2019

Agnes W. Model, 93, passed away Sunday, April 14, 2019, at Hansen Cottage in Billings. She was born on Sept. 21, 1925, to Lottie and John Walkowski in Plentywood. After graduating from Plentywood High School, she moved to Billings, where she graduated Billings Business College.

She worked as a secretary for the oil exploration companies of Conoco...

Apr 29, 2019

Roy was born on June 23, 1944, and left this world on April 12, 2019, at the age of 74. He lived most of his life in Billings and died in Aurora, Colorado, after being airlifted down to treat brain bleeding after having a stroke.

He was predeceased by his mother Echo, father Clarence, wife Marcella, sister...

Apr 27, 2019

Arlys Ilene Wagner passed away at home on April 27, 2019. Arlys was born on July 30, 1932, in Rothsay, Minnesota. She was the fourth of seven children born to Julian and Effie (Halbakken) Monson. Her childhood on their farm included helping her father till fields by plow horse, making lefse and krumkake with her mother and speaking Norwegian...

Apr 24, 2019

Glenn Edward Skaalure, a resident of Billings Morning Star retirement facility, passed away Tuesday, April 16, 2019, at a Billings hospital.

Glenn was born on Jan. 2, 1928, in Big Sandy. His parents, Chris and Ethel (Reed) Skaalure, were early-day homesteaders in the Big Sandy area.

Glenn was educated in Big Sandy, graduating from Big...

Apr 24, 2019

Lawrence "Larry" O. Chouinard, 89, of Billings, died peacefully on Saturday, April 20, 2019.

Larry was born on Oct. 2, 1929, to Lawrence and Genevieve Chouinard in Anoka, Minnesota. Larry grew up in the Anoka area. He enjoyed hunting, fishing and golfing. He attended St. John's University in Collegeville, Minnesota. Larry went on to serve in the...

Apr 19, 2019

Merle Wayne Hustad, age 50, of Billings, born on May 9, 1968, in Wolf Point, passed away on Tuesday, April 16, 2019, in Billings.

Merle was a union Boilermaker for 22 years. He loved to be in the mountains, hunting, camping and fishing. He was a very talented craftsman with leatherwork.

He is survived by...

Apr 19, 2019

Cletus E. Grine, Jr., 53, of Billings, formerly of Tiffin, Ohio, passed away peacefully at 1:05 p.m. Saturday, April 13, 2019, at Advance Health Care Hospital in Montana, surrounded by his caregivers.

He was born on Dec. 25, 1965, in Tiffin, to Cletus and Martha (Hakes) Grine.

Survivors include his sister, Anna (Vernice) Shoemaker of...

Apr 17, 2019

Edean Berglund passed away on April 11, 2019, in Billings. She was born on June 4, 1951, in Havre.

She grew up on the family farm west of Big Sandy with her parents Dorothy and Alf Berglund and sister Barbara. Edean lovingly teased Barb as being "the good sister" and then smiled. Regardless of where Edean lived...

Apr 16, 2019

Ramona May Raincloud Breshears, 81, of Billings, passed away peacefully on the early morning of Friday, April 12, 2019, at the loving home of her daughter, Roberta Breshears Frigon. Ramona was born in Whitehall, on Nov. 20, 1937, to Phyllis and Edward Raincloud. Ramona became deaf due to German Measles at the age of 17 months old. She attended...

Apr 15, 2019

Nancy (Maciel) Worstell, 48, of Billings passed away on April 14, 2019, at her home, surrounded by her family. Nancy loved and admired butterflies, and now her own life has been transformed into something more beautiful and free from illness.

Nancy was born on May 20, 1970, in Billings, to Sal and Sally Maciel, one of three...

Apr 14, 2019

John Michael O'Brien, 69, died Thursday, April 11, 2019. Standing at 6-foot-5 and blessed with the "O'Brien talking gene," he was a larger-than-life presence among his family and friends. John loved to tell stories, to invent and create, and to pursue his multiple collections and hobbies. A big kid himself, he had a special place in his heart for...

Apr 11, 2019

Our remarkable Dad, Grandpa and Great-Grandpa William Howard "Bill" Eaton passed from this earth to his heavenly home on April 6, 2019. His beloved wife Betty and our beloved mom had passed just 28 days earlier on March 9, 2019, leaving him heartbroken without his best friend at his side. They were blessed to celebrate their 69th wedding anniversary...

Apr 10, 2019

Jeanice H. Cousins slipped peacefully into eternity at RiverStone Hospice Home on April 8, 2019, after a brief illness. She was born May 23, 1925, to Lawrence and Mary Hodgkins, into a family of seven children, along the rocky coast of Maine. She is survived by her youngest brother, Jimmy. She often regaled us with antics recalled from her...