June Hunter Hileman

June Hunter Hileman, 82, died at home on Feb. 20, 2006.

She was born on June 10, 1923 at the Bobtail ranch home of her parents, Lloyd Travis and Blanche Blakely Hunter.

She grew up at the ranch and in Libby, attending Libby Public Schools and graduating from Libby High School with the class of 1941. She attended Kelsey-Baird Business School in Spokane.

She worked one summer for the U.S. Forest Service in the supervisor's office and in the fall started working in the J. Neils Lumber Company office.

She married Robert L. Hileman of Whitefish in the Washington Cathedral in Washington, D.C., on April 18, 1945 and returned to work for J. Neils while her husband, then a lieutenant in the U.S. Navy, was deployed to the Pacific Theater for a second tour of duty.

After the war, the Hilemans bought a home in Libby where they raised their four children. When all children were in school, June began a 45-year career with The Western News, working for publishers Paul Verdon, Mark McMahon and Roger Morris.

She was preceded in death by her husband Sparky, son Tev and sisters Sally Peckenham and Margery Brown.

Survivors include daughter and son-in-law Leslie and Bob Fletcher of Thompson Falls; Tom Hileman of Libby; Todd Hileman and his wife Karen of West Glacier; sister Daisy and her husband Ted Crater of Colt's Neck, N.J.; 4 grandchildren, Lindsey and Brian Fletcher; Somer and her husband Brad Treat; Ben Hileman and fiancée Christin Foley and numerous nieces and nephews.

It was at her request that no services be held. Memorials may be made to St. Luke's Episcopal Church or to St. John's Hospice. Arrangements are by Nelson & Vial Funeral Home in Libby.

Thomas L. Sweeney

Thomas L. Sweeney , 83, Kalispell Native and World War II veteran, passed away Jan. 31, 2006, in Spokane, Wash.

He is survived by his wife, Ruth; his five children Fred, Susan, Melinda, Ann, and Mike; 12 grandchildren, 1 great granddaughter; his sister Katherine, his sister-in-law Reta and numerous nephew and nieces. Tom was the son of Merle and Roy Sweeney, lifelong resident of the west valley area of Kalispell.

He was an accomplished backcountry explorer and naturalist. He shared his life-long passion for Glacier Park with his children and grandchildren.

He was in the Senior ROTC at Montana State College in Bozeman when World War II started and entered the Army as a second lieutenant in April 1943. His infantry unit sailed from Boston to England in 1944 and he served in the European Theater with the 76th Infantry Division until the end of the war. While there, he earned a Combat Infantry Badge and a Bronze Star.

When he returned to the States he married Ruth Nunn Dunham from South Carolina and returned to Montana to finish college. Graduating with a degree in engineering, he worked constructing power lines across the Northwest. He worked for Anaconda Aluminum Company in Columbia Falls from 1956 to 1965, he then moved to Bellingham for a year to work at Intalco Aluminum. In 1966, he moved his family to Spokane, Wash., and worked at Kaiser Aluminum until he retired, at which time he became a licensed land surveyor.

He knew Glacier Park like the back of his hand and led many backcountry excursions to show others its wonders. Tom was a member of the Over the Hill Gang and Nature Conservancy. He gave everyone the benefit of the doubt and was a positive influence for young people he was involved with. He loved to learn and to teach, studied all his life, and was a resource for all kinds of information and insight.

Stanley Arthur Taylor

Stanley Arthur Taylor, 76, passed away on Monday, Feb. 11, 2006, at Franciscan Hospice House in University Place, Wash. He was born on July 29, 1929 in Kalispell, the son of Jacob Ross and Amy (Cornell) Taylor.

Stanley received his early education in Kalispell. At an early age he worked on the Hungry Horse Dam and in the forest doing logging.

Stanley joined the Army during the Korean Conflict and served his country for two years. While stationed at Niagara Falls, N. Y., he met and married Mary McCully on July 4, 1953.

After his service, the couple moved back to the Flathead Valley where Stanley worked as a mechanic at numerous businesses all over the valley. He worked for the Columbia Falls Aluminum Plant until his retirement in 1990. Stanley was an active member of the Christian Science Church which was a very important part of his life. He enjoyed restoring cars and would put his hand to anything that needed fixing up.

Stanley was preceded in death by his wife, parents and one brother. He is survived by his three children; Alan Taylor and wife Deana of Kalispell; Les Taylor and wife Karen of Columbia Falls and Elaine Hageman and husband Jerry of Auburn, Wash.; six grandchildren, one great grandson; two brothers; Forrest and Paul Taylor and many nieces and nephews.

Funeral services for Stanley were held on Feb. 17, 2006, at the Johnson Mortuary Chapel. Burial followed at the Glacier Memorial Gardens.

Johnson Mortuary and Crematory is caring for Stanley's family.