Obituaries

Mar 23, 2019

Tony D. Silva, 70, of Billings, formerly of Gallup, New Mexico, passed away unexpectedly on March 23, 2019, at Billings Clinic. Tony was born in Gallup on June 5, 1948, to Joe and Julia (Herrera) Silva. He grew up in Gallup and worked for the City of Gallup in the Sanitation Department for many years.

Tony was...

Mar 21, 2019

The only child of a Swedish mother and Canadian father, William A. "Bill" Mavity passed away peacefully in the morning on March 19, 2019.

He was born to Alexander Finlayson and Kathryn (Swanson) Mavity on Jan. 19, 1925, in Great Falls. He lived most of his life in Montana. While he was a young boy, they moved...

Mar 19, 2019

Longtime Gillette, Wyoming resident John A. Hart, 79, passed on March 19, 2019, in Billings, surrounded by his loved ones.

John was born on Jan. 24, 1940, in Marmarth, North Dakota, to Amos and Ellen Hart, the fifth of six children. He graduated from Upton High School, where he met and fell in love with Mary Anne...

Mar 18, 2019

David M. Doss, 67, of Billings, passed away unexpectedly at his home on March 4, 2019. He was the youngest child born to Scott and Marge Doss, in Seminole, Texas, on June 4, 1951. He was raised in the Billings area and graduated from Billings Central High School in 1969. He was proud to have been a member of...

Mar 16, 2019

On their 39th anniversary, March 8, 2019, with her devoted husband by her side, Kathy passed away peacefully, surrounded by her loving family.

Kathy was born on June 1, 1951, in Crookston, MN, to Jerome and Bonna Stroot. After proudly graduating nursing school in 1971, Kathy started her lifelong career as a caring, compassionate, hardworking LPN, retiring...

Mar 13, 2019

Francis J. Kelley, 82, of Billings, died March 6, 2019, in Billings.

Frank was born Dec. 23, 1936, in Blackstone, Rhode Island. He was the only child of Francis "Fran" Kelley and Sylvia Kelley from Woonsocket, Rhode Island.

Frank had a love of airplanes and flight starting in his childhood days. He enlisted in the...

Mar 13, 2019

The "Best Ever" wife, mother, grandma and great-grandma Betty Jean Eaton moved to her heavenly home with her family at her side on March 9, 2019. Betty was born to Elizabeth and Leonard Yost on July 6, 1930, in a farmhouse on the outskirts of Billings. When Betty was 13, the family, which included her siblings, Marilyn, Joan and...

Mar 12, 2019

Linda Yakel, age 75, of Billings, left us to be with Jesus on March 2, 2019.

Linda was born on June 7, 1943, in Bremerton, Washington, the daughter of Edwin and Vivian Langfitt.

She was married on Oct. 19, 1984, to her husband of 34 years, Tom Yakel.

All of those who loved...

Mar 12, 2019

Shaylynn Renee Rehling, 26, passed away on March 6, 2019. Shaylynn was born on a beautiful, sunny day in Billings on Dec. 21, 1992. She graduated from Billings Skyview in 2013. Shaylynn participated in Special Olympics, bowling and gymnastics, in which she received many blue ribbons. She loved to dance, sing and play with her laptop. She also loved...

Mar 11, 2019

Magdalene F. Jacobs passed away on March 7, 2019, of pancreatic cancer, surrounded by her loving family. Maggie was born on Oct. 29, 1927, in Aberdeen, South Dakota, to Joseph and Magdalene (Keller) Diebert. She lived in Aberdeen and Glad Valley, South Dakota, prior to moving with her family to Billings in 1937. She worked as a Bell Telephone...

Mar 8, 2019

Dorothy Swandal LaRango died with her family at her side on March 6, 2019, at the age of 96.

She was born on Oct. 16, 1922, in Wilsall, to John and Lola Mae Swandal. She grew up in the Shields Valley on a ranch with her four siblings and a tight-knit extended family of uncles, aunts, and...

Mar 8, 2019

"I was born November 17,1938, in the small cotton town of Rosebud, TX. My birth was at home because there was no room in the hospital. One of my aunts was at my birth.

"Later my family moved to Fort Worth ,TX, where I grew up and graduated from high school. Boy Scouts was an important part...

Mar 4, 2019

Barbara G. Cornelius, age 96, passed away peacefully on March 2, 2019, at Hansen Cottage (St. John's Lutheran Ministries) in Billings, surrounded by her family and caregivers. Barbara was born on June 28, 1922, in Durango, Colorado, to Ray and Edna Goodman. She was the youngest of three children. She graduated from high school in Durango, and attended college...

Mar 3, 2019

Bertha "Bee" Mary Bailey was born at the family home on Jan. 13, 1931, in the Lawrenceville section of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She was the ninth child out of 11 born to Thomas and Bertha Thornton (Grosz). She is predeceased by her parents and all of her siblings, Richard, Howard, Robert, Edward, Thomas, Charles and John Thornton, and sisters, Bess...

Feb 28, 2019

Melva Ann Bloomquist, 58, of Billings, passed away peacefully on Feb. 22, 2019.

Melva was born on March 17, 1960, in Sheridan, Wyoming, the daughter of Therrill and Bonnie Averett.

Funeral services will be at 8:30 a.m. Friday, March 1, at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, 2929 Belvedere Drive in Billings, with...

Feb 28, 2019

Dallas W. Van Delinder, 89, of Billings, passed away on Feb. 25, 2019, at Highgate Senior Living, where he had made his home for the past seven months. Dallas was born on the family farm near Richey on Feb. 8, 1930, the son of George and Dretta (White) Van Delinder.

When Dallas was 7 years old, the...

Feb 23, 2019

Kevin Patrick Mahoney passed away unexpectedly in his sleep Jan. 23, 2019, of a heart attack.

Kevin was born to Don "Pat" Mahoney and Marilyn Ryan Mahoney in Billings, Feb. 8, 1963. From early on, Kevin's love for life was evident. As a toddler with curly hair and bright green eyes, he already possessed the infectious smile...

Feb 21, 2019

Muriel Mitchell, 90, of Billings passed away on Feb. 17, 2019, while under Hospice Care in Helena.

Muriel was born on July 11, 1928, in Billings, to Edmund and Margaret (Wilson) Benesh. She graduated from Billings Senior High School. After high school, she worked at Snook Art, where she would meet her future husband.

She...

Feb 20, 2019

David "Dave" Schaenen, 90, passed away on Feb. 3, 2019, in Scottsdale, Arizona. Dave was born on Jan. 17, 1929, in Morristown, New Jersey. He was the second of three children born to Nelson and Rose Schaenen, grew up in Basking Ridge, New Jersey, and graduated from Bernard High School. He earned a bachelor's degree in Animal Husbandry from...

Feb 17, 2019

Jewel "Julie" (Mattson) Halverson passed away at her home on Feb. 9, 2019.

She was born on a ranch in Grove Creek Valley near Fishtail on May 14, 1932, the youngest child of Martin A. Mattson and Ida Blegen Mattson. Her older brother and sister were in high school when she was born, so she was basically...