Agnes Lamb
With her family surrounding her, Agnes Lamb, a longtime Whitefish resident, went to be with the Lord on Jan. 29, 2010.
Agnes Christine Aune was born May 21, 1917, about 20 miles north of Saco to Andrew and Signe Aune. She attended a one-room school at Corral Coulee near her home. Following school, she worked for neighbors and later moved to Malta, where she worked at the hospital until developing rheumatoid arthritis.
She married Manuel Lamb in 1938, and they farmed and operated a dairy on the Milk River north of Saco until 1950.
They and their family of four came to Whitefish in 1950, where they farmed, raising dairy cattle. During that time, Manuel also worked for the railroad. Agnes worked at the North Valley Food Bank in Whitefish since it began, serving there for 27 years.
Agnes blessed many people by working as a housekeeper, baby-sitter and Sunday school teacher and caring for many in their final days. Agnes and Manuel were lifelong members of the Assembly of God Church in Whitefish, working endlessly for and in the church. She loved life and enjoyed having fun and will be greatly missed by many.
She is preceded in death by her husband Manuel, son Clayton, sisters Elsie, Alma, Pauline, Edna and Inga and brother Art.
She is survived by her son Eugene (Gene) Lamb and wife Mary, of Whitefish; daughters Mildred Groshong and husband Jim, of Spokane, and Dorothy Anderson, of Whitefish; sister Mabel Palm, of Saco; 20 grandchildren; 43 great grandchildren; and six great great grandchildren.
Funeral services take place Friday, Feb. 5, at 2 p.m. at the Whitefish Assembly of God Church, 1549 Karrow Avenue, with interment following at Glacier Memorial Gardens.
Jacqueline Cornelius
Jacqueline Evelyn Smithey Cornelius, 83, much loved mother, Nana and friend, “went to be with her Savior Jesus Christ” on Jan. 5, 2010. She died peacefully in her sleep at home from cancer.
Known as Jackie, she spent her lifetime thinking of others. She was born April 3, 1926, in El Paso, Texas, to Paul and Emerald Kinne O’Toole Smithey. She attended the University of Washington.
Jackie married Eugene Lance in 1945, and they moved to Columbia Falls, where their daughters Judy, Laurie and Mary were born. Jackie worked at Plum Creek and retired from the Montana Veterans Home.
She married Harry Armstrong after moving to Whitefish. She bought the East Side Grocery. Harry’s Music and Games and the Montessori School were based there. Remodeling the building into apartments, Jackie designed and built much of them herself. While “snow birding” 19 winters in Mesa, Ariz., she married Howard Cornelius. He preceded her in death in 2003.
Jackie became site manager for the Whitefish Golden Agers, retiring in 2007. People say, “What a great friend Jackie was.”
She is survived by her brother Paul Smithey and wife Virginia, of Florida; daughters Judy Bennett and husband Irwin, of Kalispell, Laurie Thramer and husband Dwayne, of Columbia Falls, and Mary Gallo and husband Marc, of Seattle; and grandchildren Beth and Marilyn Bennett, and Brian and Greg Thramer.
A celebration of her life will be held at the Golden Agers on Jackie’s birthday, April 3, 2010.
The family suggests memorial donations be made to the Montana Veterans Home.
Joan Woods
Joan C. Woods, 73, released her earthly bonds to join her Heavenly Father on Jan. 31, 2010, surrounded by family and friends at home.
Joan was born in Osceola, Wis., on Aug. 31, 1936, to Roy and Effie Olson. Her family moved to Whitefish in 1948. She and her sisters, Jane, June and Jean, The Olson Girls, thrived in Whitefish as they helped build the family home on Waverly Place from the ground up, enjoyed Whitefish Lake, skiing on Big Mountain and making treasured memories with their friends.
Joan graduated from Whitefish High School in 1954 and continued to meet with her classmates each month at the Pin & Cue for lunch and stories up until just a few months ago. She worked at Anaconda Aluminum Co. until 1960, then moved to Kalispell to work at First National Bank. She was there for 15 years, becoming the first woman officer.
In 1958, Joan joined Jim Woods in marriage. They raised three children, teaching them the power of faith, love, compassion and compromise, and the value of family and friends.
A social butterfly, avid bowler, member of the Lady Elks and a member of Beta Sigma Phi for 51 years, Joan loved traveling to Europe and Mexico, cruises and whitewater rafting through the Grand Canyon.
Joan was preceded in death by her husband, an infant daughter, her parents and in-laws Marion and Hildred Woods.
She is survived by her son Wayne Woods and his children Bo John and Krysta; daughter Whitney Leibenguth, her husband Guy and children Tiffany, Robbi and Kali; and daughter Wendy Gorman and her children Johnnie, Jessika and Ty Gorman, and Gunner and Grace Grisak; sisters Jane Friske, June Kuchenski and Jim, and Jean Petersen and John; sister-in-law Stephanie Dye; and numerous nieces and nephews. Mom lived life.
A gathering in her memory will take place on Saturday, Feb. 6, 2010, at the Village Greens Golf Course Community Center from noon to 3 p.m.
In lieu of cards or flowers, donations may be sent to Home Options Hospice, 175 Commons Loop, Suite 100, Kalispell MT 59901.