Russell L. Andy Anderson
“went home to be with the Lord” on the evening of March 30, 2007, after a short stay at Brendan House in Kalispell.
He was born Dec. 19, 1921, in McLeod, N.D., the son of Charles and Jenny (Erickson) Anderson.
Andy, just a toddler when his mother died, was raised by relatives. By age 10, he was driving teams of work horses on his Uncle Oscar’s farm. He loved hearing the sound of the work horses’ hooves on the wooden floors of the barn at the end of the work day-which was every day.
During World War II, Andy, a U.S. Marine corporal, met the love of his life, Gwen Robinson, in Poulsbo, Wash., while escorting workers at the torpedo plant. He later served in the Pacific Islands as a heavy-equipment operator. After the was discharged, Andy and Gwen were married and settled in Ferndale, where they raised their family and still reside.
Andy was employed in various timber-related jobs all of his adult life. He worked at Fergie’s mill in Ferndale, operated a bulldozer for clearing in preparation for the Hungry Horse Dam, and then became a sawyer, logging “down the Swan,” taking his bride to live in a tiny trailer in a logging camp.
In 1955, Andy lost his leg in a logging accident. He spent more than 25 years working for Royal Logging, maintaining the tires for the log trucks.
After retirement, Andy gave up his love for snowcatting. He and Gwen became “snowbirds” pulling their trailer to Arizona each winter. Never losing an interest in using a chain saw, Andy’s hobby was cutting firewood. During the year he was 80, he cut, split, stacked and delivered more than 110 cord of firewood.
His hard work ethic followed throughout his life. He was always willing and available to help others, including haying, fencing and driving a hammer. Whether at work or at play, Andy always had a smile on his face and a twinkle in his eyes. Forever an optimist, Andy never met a stranger.
He war preceded in death by his parents; a daughter, Lynn LaVonne, age 16 months; sisters Ella and Alma; and brothers, Ellick, Percy and Walter.
He is survived by his wife of 61 years, Gwen, ant the family home in Ferndale; daughter Rene Sudan, and husband Bill of Ferndale; son Brian, and wife, Terri, of Ferndale; sister, Alice Daniels of Bigfork; special cousin, Ed Erickson, and wife, Marlys, of Milner, N.D.; five grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.
Memorial services were held at 1p.m. Wednesday, April 4, 2007, at Swan Chapel in Swan Lake.
Memorials can be made to the Gideons or to a local memorial of your choice.
Constance “Connie” Victoria Kay
died peacefully at her home in Swan Lake Mt. April 1, 2007 with her family by her side after a year and a half battle with lung cancer. She was born on June 29th 1947 to Decla Smith Kay and Ron Benn Kay in Denver, Colorado.
Connie lived a full and varied life. She grew up with horses and was a champion barrel racer. Connie graduated from Golden high school in 1965.
After high school she lived in Aspen and San Francisco. She lived and traveled in Europe for a year where she married Campbell Dalglish with whom she had her daughter Sierra Camille Kay born in Boulder Colorado in 1971.
She moved to the Oregon Coast after she was divorced. There she worked as a florist and pursued her career as an artist. She made many beautiful watercolors and did one of her most beautiful custom tile jobs of images of the native flora and fauna for a restaurant.
In the early 80s she moved to Whitefish MT. where she made some of the most lasting and important friendships of her life. She adored hiking the mountains of Glacier.
She moved to Santa Fe New Mexico where she had a successful tile business and gallery with her sister, Ronda Kay. Connie s creative custom tile work and murals have
been installed in homes, businesses and gardens all over the world from a public garden in Milan, Italy to a McDonalds restaurant in Singapore. Her work ranged from beautiful landscapes, to life sized day of the dead skeletons and has been published in most all of the major interior design magazines including Architectural Digest, and House Beautiful Her daughter, who is also an talented artist and her sister are continuing the Counterpoint Tile Studio and her inspiration will always be felt.
Connie always dreamed of having property in Montana. She purchased her home in Swan Lake in 1999, but because of her tile business and her mothers failing health she didn’t move back to Montana until 2005. We all wish she had more time to live this dream.
Connie was at home in nature. It was not that long ago that she was known to take a 16 mile hike by herself in the mountains of Montana or Colorado.
Connie was an incredible artist and a beautiful and unique person that left an unforgettable impression on everyone she met. She was very spiritual but also had a wicked sense of humor so it was very appropriate that she died on Palm Sunday and April Fools Day.
Connie is survived by her daughter Sierra Kay , sister Ronda Kay and her grandson Bixby Boss, whom she loved dearly. In the last months of her life she enjoyed playing and cooking with him and seeing him perform at plays at the Big Fork Theater.
One of her favorite things to do was to look for the first signs of spring. We invite all who knew Connie to of join us on April 14, at 11:30 at her beautiful home and property where we will look for celebrate her life. We will be hiking to Bond Falls at 1:00 so if you wish to join the walk where appropriate shoes.
Stop at the Swan Lake Trading Post for directions to Connie’s House
Instead of flowers Connie would have liked to have donations sent to Friends of the Wild Swan who work hard to protect the land that she so loved.
Friends of the Wild Swan, PO Box 5103, Swan Lake, MT. 59911
Clara L. Needham, 79,
passed away on Thursday, April 5, 2007 at Lake View Care Center in Bigfork. Clara was born on Aug. 17, 1927 in Penrose, Colo., to Ludwig and Clara Idas Nothwang. She is survived by her husband Tom Needham of Somers; daughters Caren Jones of Idaho and Renee Mitchell of Virginia; stepdaughters Kimberlie Chenoweth of Colorado, Jamie Needham of California, Laurel Havlik of California, Linda Turner of California and brother Louis Northwang of California. A gathering of family, friends and neighbors will be held at the Needham home in the early summer. Buffalo Hill Funeral Home and Crematory are caring for the family.