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Mary Helen Grachek, 85
Mary Helen Grachek, 85, died of natural causes on Oct. 15, 2000, at the Brendan House in Kalispell. She was a former resident of Missoula. She was born Dec. 11, 1914, in the township of Bennington, Ill., to Rena Warren Patton. On Oct. 21, 1933, she married Joseph E. Grachek in Grandville, Ill. They were married for 58 years until his death in March of 1992. Before moving to Missoula in 1960, they lived in North Platte, Neb., Oelwein, Colo., Diane and Mike Babas of Honolulu, Hawaii, Dawn Walker and husband, Gregg Letourneau, of Kalispell, and nine stepgreat-grandchildren; brother Urbain Van Laecken and wife, Mary, of Foxfield, Calif., and sister Leota Sonne and husband, Sylvan, of Olympia, Wash. Arrangements and cremation are under the direction of the Malletta Family of Funeral Homes, Sunset Chapel. By request, no services are planned. Memorials may be made to the charity of the donor's choice.
James J. Ellman, 77
James J. Ellman, 77, reached the end of his journey, as the sun broke through the clouds at the Lakeview Care Center in Bigfork, Feb. 3, 2001.
He was born Nov. 30, 1923, to John And Barbara Ellman in Brainerd, Minn. One of 12 children, he grew up in a family rich in spirit and full of love. He attended school at Hinsdale and Charlo.
Anxious to become independent, he left school early to work as a welder on the construction of auxiliary aircraft carriers for the U.S. Army in the shipyards at Tacoma, Wash. Life as a welder was temporarily interrupted while he served the U.S. Army from 1943 to 1946. He was assigned to the 269th Field Artillery Battalion in the European Theatre of Operations and earned three citations while participating in the Normandy, Northern France, Ardennes, Rhineland and Central Europe Campaigns. After the war, he returned to Montana and his family.
He was living in Columbia Falls, when he happened to notice the lovely Miss Balich, a teacher at the school. The handwriting was on the chalkboard as they say, and Jim and Margaret were married on Aug. 28, 1948, in St. Benedict's Catholic Church in Roundup. They resided in Columbia Falls where they raised their four children, Doug, Connie, Dennis and Greg.
He worked as an ironworker and was a proud member of Local #598 of Kalispell. His early accomplishments include working on the construction of Hungry Horse Dam and the construction of the Anaconda Aluminum Plant. He stayed on at the aluminum plant for 13 years before accepting the position of business agent for Ironworker Local #598. Three years later he returned to construction work during the building of Libby Dam. He later moved on north to Alaska to work on the construction of the Alaska Pipeline. There were many building and bridge jobs thrown in for good mix and he finally hung up his belt after the completion of the Kalispell Center Mall.
He was an avid sportsman who enjoyed camping, hunting, fishing and snow and water sports. He competed in bowling, O-Mok-See and golf. He became a national champion at the Billings O-Mok-See in the 1960s and won many ribbons and trophies throughout the years in various events.
He liked to believe he was a member of the Indian Nation and would take his grandchildren on the "Indian trails" by his home on the Flathead River. This also accounts for the fact that he was a diehard Atlanta Braves fan.
He was preceded in death by his parents, John and Barbara; two sisters, Donna Nadeau and Lorrine Sallee; three brothers, Ray, Pat and Jack Ellman. Also leading the way was his oldest son Doug "Dug" Ellman, journeyman ironworker, award winning journalist, and seminarian who also passed on this last July.
He is survived by his wife of 52 years Margaret; two sons Dennis of Tulsa, Washington state and Francis California; two sister-in-laws, Mary Ellman of Calif.
Funeral services will be held on Friday at 11 a.m. at Austin Funeral Home in Whitefish with the Rev. Forke of Our Redeemers Lutheran Church officiating. Burial will follow at Whitefish Cemetery. Visitation will be today from 1-3 p.m. at Austin Funeral Home in Whitefish.
The family requests that in lieu of flowers donations be sent in his name to Montana Veterans Home.
Arrangements are under the direction of Austin Funeral Home.
Ken Dutter, 64
Ken Dutter, 64, of Kalispell, "went to be with his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ" on Jan. 29, 2005, at home from cardiac arrest.
Jeremy Blaine Erbelding, 33
Jeremy Blaine Erbelding, 33, of Missoula passed away on Jan. 31, 2005.
Vicki Jo Hylton
Our sweet and strong-willed angel, Vicki Jo Hylton, mother, grandmother, daughter, wife, lover, sister, teacher and friend, "spread her wings" Wednesday night, Feb. 2, 2005, "and is now shining her light on us from her place in the heavens."
Paul Lawrence, 78
Paul Lawrence, 78, died Wednesday, Feb. 2, 2005, at his childhood home on Conrad Drive in Kalispell, surrounded by his family. He was born Dec. 5, 1926, in Mt. Vernon, S.D., to Jesse and Marie (Wagner) Lawrence.
