Grace Roberts Connis, 93, who loved to sew and quilt, died Tuesday, Sept. 18, 2012.
She was born to Robert and Lillian Roberts on June 29, 1919, in Marcus, Iowa. She graduated from Marcus High School and then worked at a fur company and taught dance classes in Sioux City, Iowa.
She worked as a secretary in civil service at Hill Air Force Base in Utah during World War II and met Donald Connis. They married in September 1943.
Mr. Connis died in 1992. Mrs. Connis had received care from Edith Bridgewater and from Rocky Mountain Hospice.
Survivors include three children, Donald of Monterey, Calif., Richard of Woodinville, Wash., and Candy Holzer of Billings; four grandchildren; a great-grandchild; and a brother, Robert Roberts of California.
Services were Sept. 22 at Michelotti-Sawyers Mortuary, with burial in Mountview Cemetery.
Memorials can be sent to Rocky Mountain Hospice or Meals on Wheels.

Laurence Maurice Marx, 91, a farmer and gardener until the last few weeks of his life, died Sept. 23, 2012, in Billings.

He was born to Mary (Wattier) and Jacob Marx in Mildred on Aug. 18, 1921. During World War II, he worked for the Army Corps of Engineers in Yukitak, Alaska, building structures from 1942-1943. Upon returning, he married Anna Lee Diefenderfer of Belgrade, and they had eight children.

They worked on farms around Belgrade and moved to Wilsall in 1951, where he purchased their own place, farming and ranching beneath the peaks of the Crazy Mountains. Here, his registered Herford business complemented his farming operations.

In 1974, the couple divorced, and the Wilsall home was sold. Mr. Marx moved to Billings and married Shirley Vandegenachte in 1976. She died in 1992.

During retirement, he tended backyard gardens, canned vegetables and made wine, giving final instructions for a batch of strawberry-rhubarb wine on the day of his death.

Continue reading: Laurence Maurice Marx

Margaret Catherine (Conwell) Heyd, 89, who had been a school teacher, died in the early morning hours of Sept. 1, 2012, due to Alzheimer’s complications.

She was born in Red Lodge on April 7, 1923, to Edward P. and Callista (Shay) Conwell. She graduated from Carbon County High School in 1941 and earned a teaching certificate from Montana State Normal College in Dillon in 1943.

Her first teaching assignment took her to Ismay. She also taught in Malta and Great Falls.

She married Leo R. Heyd on June 23, 1952 at St. Agnes Catholic Church in Red Lodge. They moved to Billings in 1953 where they built their home and became members of Holy Rosary Catholic church. In June 2012, they celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary.

Mrs. Heyd sang in the church choir and assisted with many church projects through the years. She had received care from St. John’s Lutheran Nursing Home Garden Court and from Dr. Brian Schnitzer.

Continue reading: Margaret Catherine Heyd

Ralph Frank “Jake” Menke, who raised sheep near Hardin, died at home on Monday, Aug. 27, 2012.
A son of Adrian Frank and Virginia Ann (Wick) Menke, he was raised on the family ranch at Elk Mountain, Wyo. He graduated from Hanna High School and then the University of Wyoming with a degree in petroleum engineering. For the next 12 years, he worked for Exxon Corp. exploring for oil.
In 1974, Mr. Menke moved his family to the North Valley near Hardin and began farming. He raised sheep, worked the sheep sales at Public Auction Yards and served as secretary for Valley Center Drain District.
Survivors include a daughter, Tamara Anne; a son, Mark Adrian; two granddaughters; a brother, Frances Menke; three sisters, Pauline Goode, Sherri Fausset and Gerri Kruzik; and his partner of 20 years, Francine Svaren.
At his request, no services were planned. Arrangements were by Cremation & Funeral Gallery.

Thelma Juhl, 88, who was active in clubs and service groups, died at 8:30 p.m. Aug. 30, 2012.

She was born in Los Angeles on March 7, 1924, and moved to the Pompeys Pillar area soon after. She was the second of two children born to Audie and Frances Sherrodd and grew up on a farm on the Huntley Project near Nibbe. Her great-great-great-great uncle was William Clark the explorer.

After she graduated from high school, she attended Billings Business College to become a secretary and clerk. She married Ira Juhl on June 2, 1946. The couple followed Mr. Juhl’s job to a several airports in Montana before finally settling in Billings in 1953.

She had been state president of the Extension Homemakers Organization as well as the president of the local O.A.K.S. where she and Mr. Juhl danced. She was also on the board of the Pompeys Pillar Association.

She and her husband traveled extensively before his death 1½ years ago after nearly 65 years of marriage. She had received care from Billings Clinic and comfort from the Rev. Eric Hutch.

Continue reading: Thelma Juhl

James Jude McGarvey, 70, a union organizer and workers’ rights advocate, died at 11:46 p.m. Monday, Aug. 27, 2012.

He was born in Butte on April 17, 1942, to Mary (Shea) and James “Specs” McGarvey. He attended St. Lawrence Catholic Grade School and Butte Central High School and graduated from Carroll College with a degree in sociology.

He began his teaching career at Butte High School in the fall of 1965. Shortly after that he became a union organizer and workers’ rights advocate.

He established the Montana Federation of Teachers, an affiliate of the American Federation of Teachers and AFL-CIO. He was a vice president for more than 20 years on the national executive council of the AFT. In a 40-year career, he organized private sector and other public sector unions.

Survivors include his wife, Suzanne; children, Tim McGarvey, Seana Iverson and Jolinda Linden; seven grandchildren; and sisters, Kathleen Bull and Joann Harris.

Continue reading: James Jude McGarvey

Kenneth Innis Dow, 54, who worked 35 years for Montana Power Co. and PP&L Montana, died Friday, Aug. 31, 2012, at St. Vincent Healthcare of respiratory complications following heart surgery.

He was born in Great Falls on May 23, 1958, to Kenneth and Josephine Dow. He moved with his family to Helena when he was in the eighth grade. He graduated in 1977 from Helena Capital High School, where he excelled in football, wrestling and track.

He married Jolene on July 7, 1979, in Helena. He coached his children in everything from Little League baseball and softball to high school football and track for the Billings Central Catholic High School Rams.

In recent years, he was a technical trainer for PP&L Montana and traveled around Montana teaching apprentices.

Survivors include his wife, of Billings; sons, Kenny of Portland and Keith of Billings; a daughter, Cassi of Billings; a grandson; sisters, Kathy Bartsch, Suzanne Baker, Nancy Dow and Becky Goley; and a brother, Joe Dow.

Continue reading: Kenneth Innis Dow

Walt Sauther, 88, who had worked as a brewery representative, died Sept. 2, 2012.

He was born April 21, 1924, in Antelope, N.D., one of 13 brothers and sisters. The family moved to Billings at an early age and settled on the south side of town. His first job was as a paper boy and delivering telegrams – often singing – for Western Union.

In his early 20s, he moved to Seattle to work for the War Department and then California to work for Lockheed Aircraft Corp. before returning to Billings, where he married Betty Joan Starr.

He had built a mahogany boat and thrilled his children with a gasoline-powered go-kart. At Christmas, he built a Santa, a sleigh and reindeer on the house.

He traveled first for Fred Briggs, then Great Falls Select and finally as a brewery rep for Blitz Weinhard out of Portland, Ore. A short stint in Glendive to build his father-in-law a garage turned into an eight-year stay, working as an oil foreman for LP Anderson.

Continue reading: Walter Sauther

Tami Dalene Fallang, 54, a journeyman pipefitter, died Saturday, Sept. 1, 2012, at Billings Clinic Hospital due to respiratory complications.

She was born in Townsend on Jan. 9, 1958, to Lavada and Dale Fallang. She attended schools in Billings, Arizona and New Mexico and graduated from Gila Bend, Ariz., in 1976 as valedictorian.

Following high school she worked in Decker as an apprentice pipefitter before moving to Colstrip, where she worked on power plants No. 1 and No. 2. She became a journeyman pipe fitter during the completion of power plants No. 3 and No. 4. She finished her career in Billings working for refineries.

Survivors include a son, Austin Colt Fallang; husband, Richard Campos; mother, of Billings; sisters, Vicki of Albuquerque, N.M., and Kristi Bauer of Billings; and brothers, Mitch Fallang and Todd Fallang, both of Huntley.

To honor her wishes, a private family gathering was planned. Arrangements were by Cremation & Funeral Gallery.

Ervin R. Leuenberger, 84, a longtime Billings resident, died in his sleep on Monday, Sept. 3, 2012.

He was born to Martin and Caroline (Loendorf) Leuenberger on April 4, 1928, in Vida. He grew up working on the family farm, then served in the Navy and received an honorable discharge in 1946.

He married Evelyn Stai on April 4, 1949, and they later divorced. In 1969 he married Patricia Myers.

Mr. and Mrs. Leuenberger traveled the country from Surprise, Ariz., to Bozeman and from Billings to Ferndale, Wash. He had worked in many jobs, from being a cowboy in Arizona to working for the Atomic Energy Commission in Las Vegas, Nev. He and his wife had lived in Billings since 1979. He had received care from Rocky Mountain Hospice.

Survivors include his wife; a son, Boyd; stepchildren, Kevin, Melaine and Kim; numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren; and one great-great-granddaughter.

Continue reading: Ervin R. Leuenberger