Sharon Burghduff

Sharon L. Burghduff, 60, went to be with her Lord on Saturday, May 17, 2008, with her family by her side.

Sharon was born to Jake and Dorothy Nelson on Sept. 14, 1947. She lived her childhood in Columbia Falls. She graduated from high school then attended beauty school.

She married George Johnsrud in September 1967. Two children were born out of that union, Raymond and Jason. They later divorced. She married Jerry Burghduff on Sept. 12, 1980. They were married until his passing in 2004.

For years Sharon worked as a waitress at Mountain Shadows and Pines Cafe until she started doing hair again. Sharon had a beauty shop in her basement, A Cut Above, for 21 years. She quit doing hair in 2004 due to her health.

She loved to go camping and fishing with Jerry, her family, and her dogs, Brandy and Buffy. She loved the outdoors and the mountains.

Sharon was an awesome cook. She always had a meal and dessert ready. Everything was made from scratch. Her coldwater buns were considered the best. She loved family get-togethers and holidays, just so she could cook.

Sharon enjoyed doing ceramics, working in her flower beds and the garden at her apartment.

She loved her grandkids, Bailee Johnsrud, and Cody and Casey Burghduff. She enjoyed spending time with them. Little Bailee was a very bright spot in her life.

In the last few years, Sharon had accepted the Lord into her life. She was baptized into the Assembly of God Church.

Sharon is survived by her son, Jason Johnsrud and granddaughter, Bailee; Deb Winter; Duane and Tammy Burghduff and grandsons, Cody and Casey Burghduff; her special dog, Mandy; her mother, Dorothy Nelson of Kalispell; her sister, Jackie and husband, Don of Michigan; her sister, Jill Nelson of Whitefish; her brother, Gary Nelson and friend, Jeff Drummond of Whitefish; and her life-long friend, Bonnie Long. She also had lots of special cousins, nieces, nephews and friends who have helped to brighten her days and help with her care toward the end of her life.

She will be missed by everyone.

Cremation has taken place. A service will be held Friday, May 23 at 1 p.m. at the Assembly of God Church in Columbia Falls. At Sharon's request, donations may be sent to the American Lung Association, 825 Helena Ave., Helena, MT 59601.

Arrangements are with Columbia Mortuary in Columbia Falls.

Betty Duff (Hoerner)

The family of Betty Lucille Duff (Hoerner) is saddened to announce the death of their mother on Mother's Day, Sunday May 11, 2008. Betty passed away peacefully in her sleep. Her long battle with respiratory illnesses and pain are finally over and she now sits in comfort and joy next to the Heavenly Father with those who preceded her in death, her son Michael, her sister Carol, and her mother and father Genevieve and Frank Hoerner.

Betty was born Sept. 9, 1945 in Whitefish. She was married at 17 and over the next five years had four children. Eventually moving to Spokane, Wash., she found her gifted talent as a hairdresser and for 40 years was a confidant, advisor and friend to all of her customers and co-workers. She was so dearly loved by all of them and will be deeply missed.

She was an extraordinary woman who gave thoughtlessly of herself — always putting her children first above all. She lived life to the fullest with a positive attitude and outlook on life.

She is survived by her sons, Steve Duff, Guy (Tara) Duff; daughter, Tammy Duff; sister, Marilyn (Ray) Graham; niece, Kim (Rick) Moore; nephew, Bill Ross; seven grandchildren, Riley, Alyssa, Taylor, Gavin, Kayla, Genevieve and Gage; numerous relatives from the Duff and Hoerner families; and countless friends.

There will be a celebration of life for Betty on Saturday June 7 at the Granville Grange, 9401 163rd Ave. NE, Granite Falls, Wash., from noon to 8 p.m. Memory sharing is from 2 to 3 p.m.

Roy Wendt

Roy Eugene Wendt, 81, a life-long resident of the Flathead Valley, passed away at the home of his daughter in Rigby, Idaho on May 19, 2008 from cancer. Roy is survived by his wife Jean, sister Patricia (Wendt) Giroux, and brothers John Wendt and Roger Wendt.

Roy was born in Kalispell to Gustav Carl Wendt Jr. and Minnie (Isch) Wendt on Nov. 26, 1926. He grew to manhood on the family farm in Creston. He graduated from Kalispell High School and began his college education at the University of Montana in Missoula. Later, Roy transferred to Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, where he received a B.A. in Agronomy along with secondary and elementary teaching certificates. It was in Provo where he met his bride to be. After teaching for a number of years, Roy continued his education at Western Montana College of Education in Dillon, where he received a Masters Degree in Educational Administration.

Roy was drafted into the Army and served his country in Korea. He was assigned to the Southwest Signal Corps in San Luis Obispo, Calif., where he graduated as a high-speed radio operator. While in Korea, he was assigned to the 507th Signal Corps.

He was an industrious worker. He earned funds for college by working on the family farm, at Hungry Horse Dam during construction and for the Bureau of Land Management. In 1958 Roy began his career in education at Kila, where he taught for one year before garnering a job at Martin City. While at Martin City, Roy augmented his teaching salary by working for the Forest Service during the summers. After a number of productive years in Martin City, Roy transferred to Columbia Falls where he taught fifth grade. When the position opened, Roy became the elementary principal at Columbia Falls in 1969. While serving as in that capacity, Roy spent a number of years as assistant superintendent of schools, and then as principal of Canyon Schools. For 18 of these education years, he was in charge of the United States Government Seismological Station located near Hungry Horse.

Roy spent many years serving the youth of the Flathead valley through the Boy Scouts of America. He was a scoutmaster for many years and then donated his time to the Flathead District as fundraising chairman. Roy was honored with the coveted Silver Beaver Award for his many years of dedicated service. Roy was also a Kiwanian and served as president of the chapter in Columbia Falls.

He was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and served in many positions including missionary, scoutmaster, high councilor, branch president, bishop, Stake president, area welfare director (for Montana and part of Wyoming), teacher and home teacher.

Roy fulfilled eight church missions, five of them with his wife. His first mission call to the Central Atlantic States Mission came when he was 23. Two Kalispell Stake missions were served before Roy retired. After retirement he and his wife began serving missions together, beginning with a service mission for the Kalispell Stake. They then served in the South Pacific where Roy was the area welfare director; professor at the University of Xi-an, China Foreign Language University under the direction of Brigham Young University's Kennedy Center for International Studies; Institute and Seminary Director in Bohol Philippines; and finally, the Family and Church History Mission located at the Genealogical Library in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Roy married his sweetheart, Jean Davis, 52 years ago. They are the proud parents of 12 children: Laurie, Daniel, Kraig, Tharon, Nathan, Benjamin, Ellen, Rachel, Scott, Juanita, Heidi and Matthew. They are grandparents of 55, and great-grandparents of nine.

Roy was an avid reader. He loved to be outdoors. Fishing was his favorite sport but he also loved hiking and hunting. Roy was a riveting story teller and teacher of history. He enjoyed sports and timeless music. Roy was a world traveler. He crisscrossed his beloved United States and also visited Africa, Europe, Canada, Mexico, Israel, Korea, China, Mongolia, Australia, New Zealand and many islands of the South Pacific including Western Samoa, Tonga, Fiji and Tahiti.

Services will be held on Saturday, May 24 at 2 p.m. at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Columbia Falls. A luncheon for all will be held at the church following internment at Fairview Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial donations to the following organizations: 1, To support youth in Columbia Falls: Boy Scouts of America, Troop 41 or Troop 18, c/o Kelly Ferguson, 608 Highway 2 E., Columbia Falls, MT 59912; and 2, To help alleviate poverty in third world countries: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Perpetual Education Fund, c/o Bishop Michael Webb, P.O. Box 386, Columbia Falls, MT 59912.

Columbia Mortuary in Columbia Falls is in charge of the arrangements.

Dr. Jerry Barnhart

Dr. Jerel S. Jerry Barnhart, 58, of Forked River, N.J., died Feb. 3, 2008, at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Penn.

Jerry was born in Columbia Falls. He obtained both a B.A. and a Masters degree in Education from the University of Montana and worked as a school psychologist in Great Falls for 13 years. While in Great Falls, Jerry helped start the Big Brother/Big Sister program and was its first director and board chairperson.

After suddenly becoming deaf, Jerry moved east and attended Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C., a school primarily for deaf and deaf issues, obtaining his PhD in 1991. He has been a school psychologist in New Jersey since 1991. He worked for the Neptune Board of Education, Neptune, N.J., in their K-12 schools. Jerry also worked for the Marie H. Katzenbach School for the Deaf in Trenton, N.J. He was actively involved in deaf-related programs while in New Jersey, helping to start a local chapter of the Association of Late-Deaf Adults. He has also served on the governors advisory council for the Department of Deaf and Hard of Hearing. Jerry has written numerous articles and given presentations on deaf and hard of hearing topics.

He was predeceased by two brothers, James and Joseph, and his parents, Curtis and Helen Barnhart. Jerry his survived by his wife, Christine; sister and brother-in-law, Joyce and Ben Olson of Missoula; sistersin-law Sharon McDade and Cynthia Piana; father-in-law James F. Piana of New Jersey; and numerous aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews and friends.

A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, May 31, at St. Richards Catholic Church, 1210 9th St. W. in Columbia Falls. A repast will follow at the church. Everyone is invited to attend to remember Jerry and celebrate his life.