Longtime Kalispell resident, Maurice R. Johnson, age 81,

passed away on Thursday, February 8, 2007 at his daughter’s home in Boise, Idaho. Maurice was born June 17, 1925 in Redwood County Minnesota to Alfred H. and Esther (Hanson) Johnson.

He was raised on his grandpa’s farm and attended local schools, graduating from Belview High School.

He received his private pilot’s license when he was 19 and enjoyed flying until he was 78. Maurice served in the U.S. Army during WWII in the Judge Advocate General’s Office in occupied Japan. In September 1948 he married Dayett Phinney. The family moved to a farm at Swan River where they raised sheep, chickens and wheat. The family later lived at Hungry Horse and Columbia Falls.

Maurice worked for the State Forestry and in 1954 was employed by the U.S. Forest Service in Bigfork. In 1960, he took a full time position as dispatcher and office manager, for ten years at Hungry Horse. He retired from the USFS in 1978 as Fuel Management Officer on the Spotted Bear District. Dayett passed on in 1984 and in 1986 Maurice married Myrtle Johnson.

As an active community member, he was on the Swan River School board, Vice President and President of the Community Hall at Swan River. He served with the Montana Search and Rescue, the Hungry Horse PTA; was a member of the Montana Pilots Association, the Columbia Falls United Methodist Church and served on the committee to build the new church. He chaperoned the Columbia Falls HS Band to Europe and enjoyed square dancing, round dancing, and recently Saturday afternoon dances at the Eagles. He also enjoyed travel, restoring old cars, gold mining and writing letters to the editor.

Maurice was preceded in death by his two wives, Dayett and Myrtle, a brother Myron, a sister Lois, and a nephew Ronald.

He is survived by his four children, Maureen Wiltrout and husband Gary of Boise, ID; Diane Hilmo and husband Dusty of Clinton, MT; Connie Forbes and husband Mark of Helena, MT and Dayton Johnson and wife Katherine of Columbia Falls, MT; a step-daughter Brenda Curtiss and husband Bob of Kalispell, MT; eight grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren and a brother Truman Johnson and wife Jung of Eagan, MN.

Memorial services for Maurice will be held on Saturday, February 17, 2007 at 11:00 A.M. at Johnson Mortuary Chapel. The family suggests that any memorial contributions be sent to the Kalispell Senior Center and Meals on Wheels, 160 Kelly Road, Kalispell, MT 59901. Both were valued for their help and friendship.

Gwendolyn ‘Gwen’ Hammer, age 80,

died Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2007 at Immanuel Lutheran Home in Kalispell, Montana, with her family at her side. She was born on August 31, 1926 in Murray, Utah to David Merrill and Zella Monetah (Zabriskie) Hand.

Gwen married Glen LaMar Hammer in Draper, Utah in 1943. Gwen and family lived in many states, moving to the Flathead Valley in 1964 and calling it home since. She was a wonderful homemaker who utilized her many creative skills, sewing, knitting, painting, crafting, etc. All fondly recall fresh baked bread or cookies from her kitchen! She filled many church callings over the years as counselor in the Relief Society, pianist, teacher, music chairman for the Ward and singing in choirs. She found it especially pleasing to participate in a women’s choir that traveled and ministered through song to others.

She was also a volunteer for hospice, taught ceramic and sewing classes, she enjoyed singing, playing piano, oil painting, reading historical novels, knitting, making crafts and swimming.

She was preceded in death by her husband Glen, her parents, a brother Lee M. Hand and a son in law, Carl Norton.

She is survived by her four children, Robert Hammer and wife Kathy of Seattle, WA, Wayne Hammer and wife Kay, Keith Hammer and Virginia Norton, all of Kalispell, MT; also her sister Delfa Andrus and husband Ray of Murray, UT; and a sister in law Odette Hand of Sterling, VA; as well as many grandchildren, and great-grandchildren all of whom she cherished.

Funeral services will be held on Monday, February 19, 2007 at 1:00 P.M. at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints on Whitefish Stage Road in Kalispell, MT. Burial will follow at the Lonepine Cemetery in Bigfork, MT. The family suggests that any memorial contributions be sent to Home Options Hospice, 175 Commons Loop Suite 100, Kalispell, MT 59901 or to the Mountain Brook Memorial Scholarship Fund, % Linda Benson, 275 Van Sant Road, Kalispell, MT 59901.