Herbert Francis Shelley

Herbert Francis Shelley, age 94, of Bigfork, Montana passed away on Thursday, August 5, 2004 at Kalispell Regional Medical Center in Kalispell, Montana. He was born December 24, 1909 in Pine River, Minnesota to Stephen Francis and Mary

Elizabeth (Herder) Shelley.

Herbert was raised in Watford City, North Dakota and received his early education there as well. Before moving to Montana he herded cattle in North Dakota. His family lived in Polson, and he attended Lower Valley Hodgson School. He loved the outdoors, fishing and hunting and hiking, and picking huckleberries. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1943 and served in the Asia-Pacific regions. He received nine America Area Ribbon. He was discharged in 1945. On Sept. 7, 1949 he was united in marriage to Roberta M. Bartel in Helena, Montana.

As a young man, he worked at the Allan Peak Lookout in the Cabinet Mountains as a Lookout. He also worked as a Logger for J. Neils logging and later worked scaling logs for Montana Saw and later for J.D. Wickham for over 20 years. Then later he worked for Bill Kaiser piling brush until his retirement. He was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day-Saints in Bigfork.

He is preceded in death by his parents, four brothers, Harvey and Raymond Shelley and two were infants, three sisters, Mertie Pelkey, Bertie Rose Houtchen and Ethel Sager, six grandsons and one great-grandson.

He is survived by his wife Roberta "Bobbie" Shelley of Bigfork, four sons, Herbert Shelley, Jr. of Bigfork, Steve Shelley of Columbia Falls, Joe Shelley and wife Barb of Thorn Bay, Ala., Don McIntyre of Kalispell, two daughters, Lilly Wainwright of Kalispell, and Patricia Chubb of Columbia Falls, 20 grandchildren, 23 great-grandchildren and five great-great grandchildren.

Funeral Services were held on August 10, 2004 at the Church of Latter Day Saints on Whitefish Stage Road in Kalispell, Mont. Burial will be at Glacier Memorial Gardens. Memorial gifts may be sent to Montana Council, BSA, (for the purchase of Melita Island) c/o Tagen Vine, 111 River Butte Drive, Columbia Falls, MT 59912. Arrangements are under the direction of Johnson Mortuary & Crematory.