John Garrity
John L. Garrity, 86, died Dec. 1, 2009, at The Springs at Whitefish.
He was born Sept. 27, 1923, in Moorhead, Minn., one of five children, to Judge James Garrity and Rita M. Garrity. He was raised in Moorhead, where he attended Moorhead State College.
John joined the Great Northern Railroad as a locomotive fireman on the Dakota Division in August 1942 and continued working until called into military service with the 714th Operating Railroad Battalion. After three years military service, he returned to the Great Northern as a fireman until January 1952, when he was appointed assistant to the master mechanic at Willmar, Minn.
In November 1954, John was appointed traveling engineer at Hillyard, Minn., where he served until being transferred to Shelby in January 1955 and then to Cut Bank in March 1955. In January 1957, he was transferred to Whitefish, where he remained until his retirement in 1981 as traveling engineer.
John married Victoria (Tya) Cyr on July 12, 1952, and later adopted her two sons, James and George. John and Tya enjoyed 52 years of marriage, until her passing in October 2004.
After moving to Whitefish in 1957, John became involved in his community and St. Charles Borromeo Church. He was a lifetime member of the Knights of Columbus. He served on the Whitefish City Council in the 1980s and was Santa Claus in downtown Whitefish for many years, taking his last sleigh ride on the Whitefish Lake Golf Course in December 2002.
John fancied himself a friend of those down on their luck and would often anonymously present new shoes or a new coat to people in need. He was also a neighbor who would watch your home while you were away and clean sidewalks of snow for blocks in every direction.
John was very fortunate in life. He was able to travel the world, meet the Pope and kiss the Blarney Stone in Ireland. He was one of a kind. Some thought John was full of "blarney," but you always knew where you stood with him, love him or not.
He was preceded in death by his wife Tya; both parents; two brothers; and two sisters.
He leaves behind his son James Garrity and wife Patricia, of Fresno, Calif.; granddaughter Victoria Garrity, of Fresno, Calif.; son George Garrity and wife Linda, of Whitefish; sister-in-law Esther Garrity; many nieces and nephews in Minnesota and in California; and best friend Al Hedrick, who has been with John through thick and thin.
The family suggests memorials may be sent to the Whitefish Golden Agers, the North Valley Food Bank in Whitefish, or a charity of choice.
Services took place Dec. 7, 2009, at St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church in Whitefish. Private interment took place in Whitefish Cemetery.
Mabel Ottenbreit
Mabel L. Ottenbreit passed away in Kalispell on Nov. 29, 2009.
She was born to Marinus and Nellie Sather Ibsen on Jan. 17, 1925, on the family farm in Dagmar.
During World War II, Mabel worked for the Quarter Master Supply Depot, Civil Service, in Seattle, Wash. She later transferred to The Presidio, in San Francisco, Calif. She also was employed by Pacific Transport.
Mabel married Math F. Ottenbreit on Oct. 29, 1948. They lived in Eureka, Calif., where they both worked. They returned to Montana and settled in Whitefish where their son was born.
Mabel and Math farmed near Dagmar until 1981, spending summers there. During that time, they also maintained a home in Whitefish. Mabel and Math built a home on Whitefish Lake in 1972, and they spent their retirement there.
Mabel enjoyed music, dancing and led an active life. She cherished her family.
She was preceeded in death by her parents, her husband and her brother Vernon Ibsen.
Survivors include her son Steven Ottenbreit and wife Paula, along with granddaughters Jennica, Erika and Teresa Ottenbreit, all of the Seattle, Wash., area; and her sister Helen Ottenbreit, of Billings.
A memorial service is being planned and will be announced at a later date.
Sheridan Knutson
Sheridan V. Knutson, 63, died Dec. 1, 2009, at his home in Columbia Falls of a very short illness.
Sheridan was born on Nov. 21, 1946, in Oakland, Calif., to Vern and Verna Knutson. He graduated from Flathead High School and served for six years in the National Guard.
In his later years, he attended the University of Montana, where he played in the jazz band and was a big fan of the Grizzlies. Sheridan was a lover of jazz music and brass instruments.
He recently discovered his interest in gardening, growing strawberries, peppers and potatoes. He loved being in the great outdoors, watching the sunset, picking huckleberries and camping with his grandchildren. From day one of being a grandpa, he was known to his grandkids as Papa Duck because of his Donald Duck voice.
His family will miss eating Whoppers, drinking rootbeer floats and especially Christmas time with Papa. He will be missed every single day.
He was preceded in death by his parents.
Sheridan is survived by his sister Fay McMannamy and partner Steve Sheppard, of Kalispell; daughter Kim Role and husband Mark, of Columbia Falls; daughter Dustyne Salminen and husband Shane, of Eureka; daughter Teri Hill and husband Gene, of Whitefish; and his grandchildren Kortney, Garrett, James and Avery Role, Tanner and Colter Salminen, and Rusty, Jesse and Cody Hill.
Funeral services will take place Thursday, Dec. 10, 2009 (today), at 2 p.m. at the Buffalo Hill Funeral Home, with a military graveside service to follow at C.E. Conrad Memorial Cemetery. A celebration of his life will take place at 4 p.m. at the VFW in Kalispell.
Adam Schweitzer
Adam Schweitzer, the father of Gov. Brian Schweitzer, died Dec. 4, 2009, at the age of 89. A lifelong farmer and rancher who kept working into his 80s, Schweitzer died in Helena of natural causes.
Adam was born May 15, 1920, in Goldstone, the sixth of nine children by Ukrainian natives Michael and Francisca Schweitzer, who came to Montana as homesteaders in 1909.
He married Kathleen McKernan, of Box Elder, in September 1946, and the couple had six children — Darwin, Warren, Mike, Brian, Walter and Mary. They farmed and ranched north of Gildford near the Canadian border and later in Central Montana near Geyser.
Adam was a hardworking businessman with little formal education but a knack for organizing and for modernizing his ranching practices. German was his first language, and he learned English only after going to school. He finished the eighth grade.
Adam served in World War II, and in the 1950s helped form the Montana Beef Performance Association, which promoted better ranching techniques. He never got into politics but served as the Montana director of the National Farm Organization.
Donald Richardson
Donald Lee Richard, 95, a longtime Missoula educator and school administrator, died at Immanuael Lutheran Home in Kalispell on Nov. 25, 2009.
He was born Nov. 24, 1914, at Watford City, N.D., the fourth of six sons born to Amanda (Kent) and John C. Richardson. He claimed to have been the first baby born there after it was officially incorporated as a city and his baby picture still hangs in the city museum.
He attended grade school and high school in Watford City and married Bergith Erickson in 1935 while he was attending Dickinson State Teachers College. He was very athletic in college, playing both basketball and football and earning the name "Speedy" Richardson.
Don began teaching in Bucyrus, N.D., in fall 1936 and later moved to Killdeer, N.D., and Winnett before coming to Missoula. He had a long career of helping young people over the bumpy road of education and retired after 38 years, nine in the classroom and 29 as a principal. Most of those years were spent at Hawthorne Elementary School, and in 1966 he became the first principal at Emma Dickinson School. He retired in 1974.
Don and Bergith spent the next 25 years traveling in their motor home. They visited virtually every state and national park in the U.S. A very special place for Don was Glacier National Park, where he spent several summers working on the trails.
He was preceded in death by his wife and all of his brothers.
Surviving him are his daughters Jeanne Moe and husband Skull, of Whitefish, and Margaret Stapleton and husband Steve, of Santa Ana, Calif.; seven grandchildren; and eight great grandchildren.
A celebration of Don's life will take place in the summer of 2010.
Frank Gonzalez
Frank Gonzalez, 28, passed away Friday, Dec. 4, 2009, at Kalispell Regional Medical Center in Kalispell.
He was born May 21, 1981, in Paramount, Calif. Frank was the third son born to his loving mother, with another son born a year later.
He was always the one keeping everyone happy and laughing. All who knew Frank loved his smile and joy of life.
Frank has left this world to be with the one he loved the most, his God and Savior, Jesus Christ. He died doing what he loved, serving his Lord and God. His second home was Fresh Life Church.
He is survived by his wife Brandy and three children, Francisco, Kelli and Emmanuel, all of West Virginia; his mother Martha Gates and father Terry, of Kalispell; brothers Rick Pena, of Kalispell, Fonzie Pena, of Louisiana, and Andy Gonzalez, of Whitefish.
Memorial services were held Dec. 8, 2009, at the Fresh Life Church (the former Strand Theater).