Timothy Harrison McGrew, 69, a retired project superintendent for MidState Construction, died Thursday, March 21, 2013, in Billings.

He was born April 29, 1943, in Oakland, Calif., the son of Francis Harrison McGrew and Inez Marie McGrew. He graduated from Analy High School in Sebastopol, Calif., in 1962.

He had been a member of the Carpenters Union for more than 30 years and retired from MidState Construction in 1996.

Survivors include his wife, Joyce Marie McGrew (Sterns) of Billings; daughters, Cheri Albiani of Modesto, Calif., and Kimberly McGrew of Bozeman; stepdaughters, Diane Wilson and Debbie Price of Santa Rosa, Calif.; two grandchildren; and three stepgrandchildren.

Arrangements were by Cremation & Funeral Gallery.

Don Knudsen, 85, of Billings, who built custom homes, managed investment properties and worked many years for Consolidated Freightways, died March 20, 2013, of stroke-related complications.

He was born in Hager City, Wis., on Nov. 22, 1927, one of seven children of John and Angie Knudsen. He married Donna Poncelet on April 17, 1949.

Mr. Knudsen served as a military policeman in the Army Air Corps during World War II and was honorably discharged on June 1, 1947. His older brother, Russell, gave his life for his country on Aug. 8, 1944, in France.

Mr. Knudsen brought his family to Billings in 1963, where he retired in 1987 from Consolidated Freightways after 47 years. Leading up to retirement, he built speculative and custom homes and managed and maintained personal investment properties.

He spent winters in Kona, Hawaii, and had earned a pilot’s license. He was an avid racquetball competitor for many years, medaling in several national Senior Olympics tournaments.

Continue reading: Donald E. Knudsen

Ludmilla Angelina Lillian Geiger Kneuper Palmersheim, 99, who had worked at Bob Porter’s Elmo Club and for the Credit Bureau of Billings, died March 18, 2013.

She was born March 4, 1914, in Odense, N.D., to John and Anna (Jochim) Geiger, the seventh of 10 children. At age 6 she moved with her family to Montana. She grew up in Bridger and graduated from Bridger High School in 1933.

She played basketball with the Bridger Scouts for four years and was captain of the team for two years. She was a member of the YMCA for 54 years and swam until she was 92.

She worked at Geiger Air Base in Spokane, Wash., during World War II, then married Erhard “Toddy” Kneuper on July 25, 1950, in St. Mary of the Mountains Catholic Church in Virginia City, Nev. They lived in Mr. Kneuper’s hometown of New Braunfels, Texas, until he was killed in a highway accident on Sept. 11, 1951. She then came back to Montana to be with her parents and family.

She was a waitress at Bob Porter’s Elmo Club and helped the Western Heritage Center with an exhibit about the Elmo Club. She worked for the Credit Bureau of Billings for 21 years.

Continue reading: Ludmilla Palmersheim

Patricia Jean Dennis, 73, of Billings, who loved old movies and music, died Friday, March 22, 2013, at RiverStone Hospice Home.

She was born in Washington, D.C., on June 30, 1939, the daughter of Vernon and Grace Howard.

Survivors include a son, Matthew Good; a daughter, Tamara Good; a grandson; two great-grandchildren; and a sister, Dianne Headlee.

At her request, no services were planned. Arrangements were by Cremation & Funeral Gallery.

Memorials may be made to RiverStone Hospice, 123 S. 27th St, Billings MT 59101 or Help for Homeless Pets, 2910 Hannon Road, Billings, MT 59101.

Harold Fanando “Trey” Owens III, 27, of Billings, died March 19, 2013, after a 10-year fight with cancer.

He was born May 15, 1985. He graduated from Billings Senior High School in 2004, attended Montana State University Billings and worked as a patient service technician at AWARE Inc. from 2006 to 2010.

He pursued music and writing and enjoyed coffee and conversation at Off the Leaf.

Survivors include his mother and stepfather, Deb and Jim Raden; father, Harold “Fred” Owens Jr.; a sister, Samantha Jo Owens; stepsisters, Violet Scott and Elizabeth Fadness, all of Billings; and grandparents, Harold F. and Beverly Owens of Absarokee, Dean and Kay Spiegelberg of Fountain Hills, Ariz., and William A. and Ingrid Martin of Laredo Ranch, Calif.

Services will be at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, March 30, at Harvest Church, 1413 Rosebud Lane in Lockwood. Following services, friends and family are welcome to gather at Off the Leaf, 819 Grand Ave., at 4 p.m. to share music, poetry, and stories. Interment will be at 11 a.m. April 1 at the Evangelical Church, 34 N. Woodard Ave. in Absarokee. Dahl Funeral Chapel is in charge of arrangements.

Continue reading: Trey Owens

Edwin Carl Rasmussen, 82, of Billings, who had been owner and operator of Dick Jones Trucking, died Monday, March 25, 2013.

He was born in Anoka, Minn., on March 4, 1931, the son of Donald and Selma Rasmussen. He had four brothers, including one, George, who is still alive. He also had three stepsiblings, Carl, Harold and Violet.

He served for three years in the 11th Airborne Division. He married Delphia “Dolly” Houston on Dec. 21, 1987, at Hope United Methodist Church in Billings.

He owned Dick Jones Trucking in the last few years of his career.

Survivors include his wife; four children from a previous marriage, Jo Lee Baxter, Linda Dahl, Kathy Verplancke and Michael Rasmussen; Dolly’s children, Charlene Houston, Jeff Houston, Randy Houston and Valerie Hoffman; 23 grandchildren; and 16 great-grandchildren.

Continue reading: Edwin Carl Rasmussen

Dolores Mae Menagh, 86, of Billings, a retired secretary with the Crowley Law Firm, died Saturday, March 9, 2013, at her home.

She was born Feb. 7, 1927, to Fred and Marian Herzog in Lincoln, Neb. She had three siblings.

On June 24, 1949, she married Darel Wayne Menagh in Las Vegas. She retired in 1992 as a secretary with the Crowley Law Firm.

She had received care from Billings Clinic and RiverStone Hospice.

Survivors include a daughter, Holly Cuellar of Billings; three grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren.

Continue reading: Dolores Mae Menagh

Clara Siewert Giesick, 90, who farmed for many years with her husband, died Sunday, March 10, 2013, at her home at Aspen Meadows.

She was the third of six children of Edward and Pauline Redman Siewert, born July 26, 1922, in Antelope, N.D. She and her family moved to Montana in 1934, first settling in the Laurel area, then near Elysian School, where she attended grade school.

They then moved to Lake Elmo Road where they operated a dairy farm and also farmed. She graduated from Billings Senior High School.

She and her family were members of Pilgrim Congregational Church. During World War II, the church put names of GI’s on the bulletin board and the girls would pick one and write letters overseas. She picked Adam Giesick, and they married in Billings on Aug. 7, 1945.

In the early 1950s they bought the farm of Mr. Giesick’s father in Shepherd and farmed there for 26 years. They then sold that farm and purchased a larger farm in Forsyth. After six years there, Mr. Giesick died.

Continue reading: Clara Pauline Siewert Giesick

Denyta Rae McFarren, 63, of Billings, a store manager for McDonald’s, died Monday, March 11, 2013, at Billings Clinic after a brief illness.

She was born July 3, 1949, in Billings, the daughter of Manley and Olga Gauger and the youngest of five children. She attended Billings Senior High School. On Jan. 7, 1967, she married Donald McFarren.

She started at McDonald’s as a part-time hostess, working her way up to store manager.

Survivors include her husband; sons, Tony McFarren and Luke McFarren; three grandchildren; a sister, Darlene Sparrow; and a brother, Dwayne Gauger.

At her request, no services were planned. Arrangements were by Cremation & Funeral Gallery.

George Henry Stribley, 95, a longtime Gates Rubber Co. employee who played golf until he was 91, died Sunday evening, March 3, 2013, at St. Vincent Healthcare after a brief illness.

He was born to Bert Lee and Nellie Dugan in Ardmore, S.D., on April 17, 1917, the youngest of four children. At age 5, he moved to Billings with his father and siblings.

His lifelong passion for golf began with caddying at Hilands Golf Club. He attended Fratt Memorial School and graduated from Billings High School in 1935. Mr. Stribley worked at the Laurel refinery until he was drafted into the Army in 1941.

He was a sergeant in the 41st Division and served in the Pacific Theater. He received an honorable discharge in 1944 due to malaria and returned to the United States. He briefly attended college in Chicago, but returned to Montana when the malaria reoccurred.

He married Charlotte McCahill on July 14, 1951, and he built a home adjacent to his father’s where they lived for nearly 57 years.

Continue reading: George H. Stribley