Maxine Freeman

Maxine Evelyn Freeman, 79, passed away peacefully in her sleep July 31, 2008, while under hospice care in Kalispell. She was born on July 5, 1929, to Max and Evelyn Walters in Havre and lived in Chinook. At age 5 she moved to the Flathead Valley and lived on the family farm while attending her grade school years at Birch Grove School. During her high school years at Flathead High School, Maxine worked at Norm's serving ice cream and popular drinks of the time.

She was the mother of four children, Judee and husband Hal Channell of Sonora, Calif.; Rance Fish and wife Peggy of Columbia Falls; Eddy Fish of Kalispell; and Kenny Fish and wife Snooks of Portland. She was a grandmother of six and great-grandmother of four.

Always involved in her kids' activities, Maxine became a great den mother, baseball coach and hunter safety instructor (she made one of her sons take the course twice) as well as a second mom for a number of her nieces and nephews. It was said, "You never felt more welcome or comfortable in a home as you did in Maxine's." No one was ever turned away or left hungry.

She left Columbia Falls during the Libby Dam construction and worked at the Mint Bar as a union bartender. She later moved to Sonora, Calif., and Rearden, Wash.

In the early 1980s, she moved back to the family farm where she remained until her passing. Her love of staying active and working in the dirt transformed her yard into a showplace of flower gardens and a vegetable garden that was enjoyed by all.

She touched many lives and will be missed by all.

Otto Larsen

Otto Dean Larsen, 69, of Columbia Falls passed away Monday, July 28, 2008 at the Montana Veterans' Home in Columbia Falls.

He was born the youngest of four children on May 17, 1939 in Green River, Wyo., to Jack Otto and Florence Louise (Powers) Larsen.

Otto's mother died when he was 4 and his father died when he was 13, and he was raised by his step-mother Ione (Cain) Larsen. He graduated from Green River High School in 1957; he then entered the U.S. Army and served as a chemist from 1958-1961 with the Army Chemical Corps in Germany.

After his time in the Army, he attended Rocky Mountain College where he meet his future wife, Rayna Marie Ball; they were married on March 16, 1964 in Huntley. To this union were born two sons, Gerald Keith in 1965 and Matthew Dean in 1966. From 1968 to 1970, Otto attended the University of Montana and received his Bachelor of Science Degree in Chemistry. In 1970, Otto moved his family to the suburbs of Detroit, Mich., to pursue his graduate education. Upon receiving his Masters Degree in Analytical Chemistry at Wayne State University in Detroit, Otto was offered a position as an Environmental Research Scientist working in Stationary Air Emissions Control with Chrysler Motor Company, where he worked until his retirement on New Year's Eve, 1999.

He was very involved with his family in the United Methodist Church. He helped run his sons' hockey league and later in Boy Scouts served as their Scoutmaster for 10 years and ran the Cub Scout Pinewood Derby for the Detroit Area Council for years - even after his sons were out on their own. After his retirement, Otto and his wife moved back to Montana as he only called himself a temporary resident (30 years) of Michigan. They settled in Columbia Falls, and they enjoyed a well-earned retirement traveling around the world.

Otto was preceded in death by his parents and step-mother; brother, Gerald; sister, Mary Alice Johnston; step-brothers Bennett and Day Evans; and step-sister Myrtle Edwards.

Otto is survived by his wife, Rayna, of Columbia Falls; son Gerald and wife, Sharon, of Ferndale, Mich.; son, Matthew and wife, Tamara, of Columbia Falls; four grandchildren, AT3 Robert Larsen, U.S. Navy of Virginia Beach, Va., Joshua and Amber Larsen of Ferndale, Mich., and Samantha Larsen of Columbia Falls; sister, Edith Woodring of Grand Junction, Colo.; step-brother Myrle (Loretta) Evans of Green River, Wyo.; and many nieces and nephews.

There was a visitation on Sunday, Aug. 3 at the Columbia Mortuary in Columbia Falls. A funeral service was held Monday, Aug. 4 at the Columbia Falls United Methodist Church with Rev. David Merkel officiated. Burial followed at Woodlawn Cemetery in Columbia Falls with military graveside honors by the United Veterans of the Flathead and the Montana National Guard.

Memorial donations may be made in Otto's name to Columbia Falls United Methodist Church, Hospice, Montana Veterans' Home or Boy Scouts of America.

Jacob VanLeuven

Jacob (Jake) Michael VanLeuven, 18, left this world far too soon, on July 31, 2008.

He was born Nov. 8, 1989 in Webster City, Iowa, to Mike and Robin VanLeuven. As a young boy he lived in Iowa with his family and they moved to Columbia Falls in 1996. While in grade school and junior high he was a star wrestler.

Jake was a dreamer, with an easy-going carefree attitude. He loved to take things apart just to see how they worked. Jake loved music and he loved to read. He had a heart for animals and kids. He could always bring smiles and laughter to his family and friends. Even though his family teased Jake for being "accident prone" and a tad clumsy they all loved him deeply.

He was preceded in death by his mother Robin VanLeuven, his maternal grandparents Melvin and Doris Mosher, and paternal grandparents, Jeddie and Margaret VanLeuven.

He has sadly left behind his father, Mike VanLeuven; sister, Kalena VanLeuven and her fianc'e, Cody Sterna; aunts and uncles, Jody and John Herbold, Lee Meyers and Judy VanLeuven, Karen VanLeuven, and Dave and Laura Seelye; cousins, Jed Laroque, Sierra and Madison Herbold, Ashley Seelye, and Alison Becke; numerous great-aunts and uncles, and more friends then you can name.

Jake will be missed greatly by all who loved and knew him. God Bless you Jake, run with the Angels.

Memorial services were held at Fellowship Alliance Church in Columbia Falls on Wednesday Aug. 6.

Jake's family suggests memorials go to the Shriners Hospital for Crippled and Burned Children, N. 820 Summit Blvd, Spokane, WA 99201.