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Helena Pannell Blend, 88
Helena Pannell Blend, 88, of Bigfork, died Friday, Dec. 10, 2004, in Phoenix.
Helena was born in Choteau on Jan. 1, 1916. She grew up on her parents', Mary E. and John E. Sullivan, sheep ranch near Pendroy. She loved to ride horses everyday while on the ranch. She attended the Ursuline Academy in Great Falls during high school and graduated from the University of Calif., on Dec. 18, 2004.
He was born at home on a ranch outside of Holt, Mont., on Nov. 30, 1909, to German parents.
Eric left home at the age of 16, jumping trains as he worked his way west. He worked at the Allan Ranch in Ripon, Calif.; his sister, Martha Holm, of Olympia, Wash.; and his brothers, Edward of Cut Bank, Arthur of Spokane, and Richard of Kalispell.
He was preceded in death by his wife of 49 years, Thelma, in 1995; and his son, Thomas, in 2003.
At his request no services will be held.
Arrangements are under the direction of The Paul Mortuary in Pacific Grove, California in 1938 where she met Herb Cambell, her first husband. They were married in Reno, Nev., in 1939, and divorced in 1944. They had one child, Jerry.
Florence worked for the War Department and the Southern Pacific Railroad during World War II in Tracy, Colo., courthouse and prison, Deer Lodge municipal building, Utah State University Union Building, Ronan grade school, Brendan House and many buildings in the Flathead Valley. He was a contractor who worked in Wyoming, New Mexico and Colorado.
During the summers of 1970 and 1971, Jack and his crew rebuilt four miles of stone walls and guardrails, a dozen culvert arches and the large mosaic veneer at the tunnel turn on the Going-to-the-Sun Road in Glacier National Park.
He and Bev owned and operated the Sitting Duck in Massachusetts battleship during World War II. He was honorably discharged on Jan. 15, 1946.
After serving in the military, Gordon worked for several sawmills until he and his brother Fred began their own lumber mill, Broeder Brothers Lumber Co. He retired from the lumber business in 1974.
Gordon was a member of the Bethany Lutheran Church, the Masons Lodge of Bigfork, The Scottish Rites, Flathead Shriners and the Shriners Band, Elks, Eagles, Hoo Hoo's (lumbermen's organization), VFW, Creston Grange and the Creston Volunteer Fire Department.
He served on the Bethany Lutheran Church Council and the Creston School Board. He was a 4-H leader, Babe Ruth baseball coach and women's softball coach.
He loved golfing, hunting, fishing, gardening, taking family trips in the camper, playing cards, reading, music, winter in Arizona with his wife Hazel, and spending time with his family and friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents; one sister, Arlene Wellman; and one brother, Fred Broeder Jr.
He is survived by his wife, Hazel, of Kalispell; daughter, Carol and her husband, Richard Seddon, of Kalispell; son, Gary and his wife, Karen Broeder, of Billings; daughter, Barbara and her husband, Nathan Byrd, of Kalispell; daughter, Sandra and husband, Bill Hall, of Bozeman; twins, Dale and his wife, Janis Broeder, of Kalispell, and Diane and her husband, Chip Todd, of Butte; son, David and his wife, Jude Broeder, of Kalispell; 15 grandchildren; four step-grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Visitation will be from 3-8 p.m. Monday, Dec. 27, at Buffalo Hill Funeral Home. Funeral services will be at 1 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 28, at Bethany Lutheran Church in Bigfork. Burial will follow the services in Bethany Lutheran Cemetery.
Gordon was a kind and gentle person with a great sense of humor. He was a loving and devoted husband, father and grandfather. "We will miss you so much but your spirit will live on in all of us."
The family requests memorials in Gordon's name be given to the Bethany Lutheran Church or the Spokane Children's Hospital.
Buffalo Hill Funeral Home is caring for the family.
