Herbert Shelley
Herbert Francis Shelley, 94, of Bigfork passed away Aug. 5, 2004, at Kalispell Regional Medical Center in Kalispell. He was born Dec, 24, 1909, in Pine River, Minn., to Stephen Francis and Mary Elizabeth (Herder) Shelley.
Herbert was raised in Watford City, N.D., where he received his early education. 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, 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 Ribbons, nine Bronze Stars, the Asiatic-Pacific Area Ribbon, and the Philippine Area Ribbon. He was discharged in 1945.
On Sept. 7, 1949, he was united in marriage to Roberta M. Bartel in Helena.
As a young man, he worked as a lookout at the Allan Peak Lookout in the Cabinet Mountains. He also worked as a logger for J. Neils logging, scaling logs for Montana Saw, for J.D. Wickham for more than 20 years, and 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 was preceded in death by his parents; four brothers, Harvey and Raymond Shelley and two who 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, Alaska, and 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 Aug. 10 at The Church of Latter Day Saints on Whitefish Stage Road in Kalispell. Burial followed at Glacier Memorial Gardens.
Memorial gifts (for the purchase of Melita Island) may be sent to Montana Council, Boy Scouts of America, c/o Tagen Vine, 111 River Butte Drive, Columbia Falls MT 59912.