Donald Gustafson
Donald O. Gustafson, 77, died March 19, 2010, at Kalispell Regional Medical Center.
He was born to William and Alice Gustafson in Milnor, N.D., on Oct. 15, 1932. He later moved to Shelby with his family, where he attended school and graduated from Shelby High School.
While in high school, he was very active in sports. He later served in the Air Force, where he was honorably discharged at the rank of staff sergeant.
Don was a longtime resident of Whitefish, an entrepreneur who owned and operated several businesses, including Riverside Grocery, Snak Time and Northwest Ice. He was an Eagle scout, a high school basketball referee, and a past president and of the Whitefish Winter Carnival and Prime Minister in 1977. A man who was proud of his family, Don loved to joke and will be missed by his family and many friends.
He was preceded in death by a son Gary and his parents.
He is survived by his wife of 45 years Zoe; his children Eric, of Whitefish, Tim, of Reno, Nev., and Lori, of Sacramento, Calif.; six grandchildren; and three great grandchildren.
Services will take place at a later date. Memorials may be made to a charity of the donor's choice.
Jane Friske
Jane E. Friske, 74, passed away at her home in Columbia Falls on March 13, 2010, from C.O.P.D.
She was born in Osceola, Wis., on Aug. 3, 1935, to Roy and Effie Olson. Her family moved to Whitefish in 1948. She and her sisters, Joan, June and Jean, the "Olson Girls," thrived in Whitefish as they helped build the family home on Waverly Place from the ground up.
Jane attended school in Whitefish and enjoyed making treasured memories with their friends. She continued to meet with her classmates each month at the Pin & Cue for lunch and stories through the years, along with her sisters.
In 1954, she met her lifelong love, Forrest Friske, and shared 53 years of marriage. Her joy in life was being a devoted wife and mother, always putting family first. Lives were filled with wonderful meals for both lunch and dinner — sandwiches and casseroles were not seen at the table. The home was extremely spotless, and the children were the cleanest and had the best pressed clothes in Columbia Falls.
She was preceded in death by her husband, parents and sister Joan Woods.
She is survived by her children Tanna Friske, of Columbia Falls, Tim Friske and wife Phyllis, of Columbia Falls, and Tina Berg and husband Bill, of Marion; grandchildren Justin, Josharry and Jonathon Cheff, Sarah and Nick Friske, and Erin DeLeonard and Bryan Berg; great grandchildren Connor, Sadie and Kensley Cheff, Kyler, Kadon, Keevyn and Kaber Cheff, and Kobie and Kalli DeLeonard; sisters June Kuchenski and husband Jim, and Jean Petersen and husband John; sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law June and Dale Bar, Barbara and Dick Ott, and Kenneth Friske; and many nieces and nephews.
A remembrance and celebration of Jane's life will be held at North Valley Community Center, in Columbia Falls, on Saturday, March 27, from 1-4 p.m. A private interment will be held this summer.
Memorials and donations may be sent to the Columbia Falls Food Bank, P.O. Box 1081, Columbia Falls MT 59912.
Clyde Sproul
Clyde Lewis "Gus' Sproul, 58, died March 15, 2010, at Kalispell Regional Medical Center with his family at his side.
He was born March 7, 1952, in Whitefish to Lewis "Dill" Sproul and Janet (Fly) Sproul. His childhood and early adulthood were spent at his family home on the Star Meadows Ranch.
Gus grew up working on the ranch and logging with his dad, uncle and cousins and had worked as a skidder operator his entire life. He had been employed by F.H. Stoltze Land and Lumber Co. at the time of his death.
Gus never married, but his cousins and their children were his very close family. A quiet person with a heart of gold, Gus was there for anyone at any time and will be missed by his family and friends.
He was preceded in death by his father and mother.
He is survived by his aunts and uncles, Florence and Art Hedin, of Kalispell, Leola Trexler, of Palmdale, Calif., Ellen Cleveland, of Millville, Del., and Elmer and Barbara Fly, of Naselle, Wash.; cousins, Richard Sproul and wife Julie, of Columbia Falls, Ruthie Barnes and husband Ray, of Dillon, Jenny Thompson and husband Donny, of Kalispell, Jolene Wolstad and husband David, of Somers, Ken Cleveland, of Virginia, Nancy Limbaugh, of Washington, and Sandra Cole, of California; as well as numerous second and third cousins.
Services took place March 22, 2010, at Austin Funeral Home, in Whitefish, with Pastor Tim Bartholomew officiating.
Memorials may be made to the American Diabetes Association, The American Heart Association or the American Cancer Society.
Tony Davis
Tony Paul Davis, 56, formerly of Whitefish, passed away peacefully on March 6, 2010, at Fairfax Hospital in Falls Church, Va., from complications related to open heart surgery.
Tony was born May 14, 1953, in Dallas, Texas, to parents Lola Belle and Ollie Davis.
He was previously married to Constance Davis (ne Davis' for 30 years, with whom he raised two sons in Irving, Texas.
During that time, Tony worked at Frito-Lay for 15 years, later moving to Whitefish, where he and Connie bought the Eagles Roost bed and breakfast in 1998. They enjoyed owning and operating the bed and breakfast until its sale in 2006. Tony later worked for stints at Safeway in Whitefish and Lowe's in Kalispell.
Preceding Tony in death were his parents and sister Sharon Davis.
Mourning his loss are his sons Jason Davis, of Sterling, Va., and Nathaniel Davis, of Huntington Beach, Calif.; their mother Constance Sutliff, of Columbia Falls; daughter-in-law Christina Davis; grandchildren Madeline and Luke; brothers Larry Davis, of Irving, Texas, and Tim Davis, of Cedar Hill, Texas; sister Janice Aldrich, of Adkins, Texas; and numerous cousins, nephews, extended family members, and friends.
A memorial service will take place at Irving Bible Church in Irving, Texas on April 7, 2010, for 1 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the American Heart Association. To express condolences, visit online at www.carepages.com/carepages/PapasHeart.
David Moats
David Moats, 81, passed away March 19, 2010, at Missouri River Care and Rehab Center in Great Falls.
David was born Jan. 11, 1929, in Ottertail, Minn., to Stanley and Mabel (Herr) Moats. He was raised in Minnesota, where he attended school.
He moved to the Flathead Valley 50-plus years ago where he owned a construction company. He built many of the homes in the Happy Valley area.
Dave loved to hunt and fish, and he and his wife Greyling loved to socialize with his and her friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents and his wife.
He is survived by his children Randy Moats and wife Alisa, of Great Falls, Ricky Moats, of Miles City, and Connie Fluegel and husband John, of Texas; grandchildren Daryl, Alana, Toni and James; and three great grandchildren.
A celebration of Dave's life took place March 24, 2010, at Buffalo Hill Funeral Home. Burial followed at Glacier Memorial Gardens.
William St. James
William F. (Bill) St. James, 85, a former resident of Whitefish, died March 12, 2010, at Sun City, Ariz.
He was born June 24, 1924, at St. Louis, Mo. He and his first wife Harriett came to Whitefish in 1951, where he worked as a brakeman for the Great Northern Railroad until retiring and moving to Surprise, Ariz., in 1987.
He was preceded in death by his wife Harriett and his daughter Pamela Ann.
Surviviors include his life partner Shirley Gallo, of Surprise, Ariz., and daughter Marla Ungaro, of Redmond, Wash.
Private interment took place at Glacier Memorial Gardens.