Miscellaneous Custer County, Montana obits:
Ola Lue Newcomer
Ola Lue Kelly Newcomer, 76, of Bozeman, former Miles City resident, died Dec. 5, 2005.
She was born Feb. 26, 1929, in Miles City to Olaf and Anna Block Kelly.
Mrs. Newcomer grew up on a ranch southeast of Ashland and graduated from Custer County High School in Miles City.
In 1949, she and Earl Newcomer were married and they ranched southeast of Ashland until his death in 1972.
Mrs. Newcomer lived in Miles City or at the ranch until 1991, when she moved to Billings to live with her daughter, Teresa. She lived in Tucson, Ariz., with her daughter, Becky, for 10 months before returning to Montana to live with her daughter, Teresa, again, this time in Bozeman.
She was preceded in death by her husband; her parents; and her daughter, Mary Sams of Sheridan, Wyo., in 2003.
Her survivors include her two daughters, Teresa Newcomer of Bozeman and Becky Elliot, her husband, Dean, and daughter, Cara, all of Tucson, and their son, Malcom, of Chicago; her son, John Newcomer of Mesa, Ariz., and his son, Jason, of Denver; daughter Mary’s children, Amy Bennage, Mandy Romero, Earl Sams and Fred Sams, all of Sheridan; and her sister and brother-in-law, Ingeborg and Bob Howard of Miles City.
A celebration of Mrs. Newcomer’s life will be Saturday, May 27, 2006, at 11 a.m. in the cafeteria at the Ashland Public School in Ashland. Those attending should bring a dish to share.
Robert Baker
Robert Wilson Baker, 91, of Cooperstown, N.D., father of Michelle “Mickey” (Terry) Turnquist of Miles City, died from natural causes on Saturday, May 20, 2006, in St. Vincent’s Hospital in Billings.
He was born Sept. 8, 1914, in Romness Township, Griggs County, N.D., the son of Fred J. and Candace Wilson Baker. He attended country school in Griggs County and graduated at age 16 from Cooperstown High School.
On Sept. 11, 1938, he and Florence Steen were married. They lived in Cooperstown until he enlisted in the Army Air Corps in 1942. He attended flight school and learned to be a flight engineer. His crew flew a B-17 bomber on which he was flight engineer and top turret gunner. He flew on 18 combat missions and several food missions in Europe during World War II. He was honorably discharged in 1945 after the war ended.
Mr. Baker returned to Cooperstown where he and his wife, Florence, raised their two daughters, Michelle and Maureen.
He and several others started the Cooperstown Airport in 1946 and formed Skyways, Inc. In 1949, he became the general manager of Farmers Oil Company and managed it for 34 years, while it grew and prospered.
Mr. Baker retired in 1984 at the age of 70 years. He had a great loyalty to Cooperstown and thought it to be the greatest place on earth. He contributed to many aspects of its prosperity. Some of his activities included membership in the Cooperstown Fire Department and serving as Fire Chief, Veterans of Foreign Wars, American Legion, K.P., Trinity Lutheran Church and chairman of Industrial Development.
He was chairman of the Airport Authority from 1949 until he moved to Billings in 2005. Mr. Baker also was one of the people who started the Civil Air Patrol. He was a member of the Cooperstown City Council beginning in 1970. In 1984, he became mayor of Cooperstown and devoted much of his time to that until he retired as mayor in June 2002.
Mr. Baker was well respected and was honored with numerous awards throughout his career, one of which was being named Outstanding Elected City Official of North Dakota in 1991.
He loved flying, Canadian fishing trips with his friends and family, fast cars, boats and other big toys. He especially enjoyed watching his great-grandchildren play.
In addition to his daughter of Miles City, Mr. Baker’s survivors include another daughter, Maureen (Michael) Ferrell of Billings; four grandchildren, Terri Lee (Heath) Nation of Big Timber, Cody Turnquist of Billings, Michelle Ann Van Heel of Bellingham, Wash., and Robert (Erin) Ferrell of Billings; and four great-grandchildren, Sage Nation, McKenzie Van Heel, Meadow Van Heel and Emma Ferrell.
He was preceded in death by the love of his life, his wife, Florence, who died June 19, 1996; his parents, Fred and Candace; his sisters, Rosalie, Helen and Dorothy; and his brother, Walter.
A Prayer Service will be at 7 p.m. Sunday, May 28, 2006, in Quam-Plaisted-Cushman Funeral Home in Cooperstown. Funeral Services will be at 1 p.m. Monday, May 29, 2006, in Trinity Lutheran Church in Cooperstown. Interment will be in Cooperstown Cemetery in Cooperstown.
Condolences can be sent via the OnLine Tribute service at www.quamplaistedcushman.com.
Magdalena "Maggie" Erlenbusch
Magdalena “Maggie” Naasz Erlenbusch, 93, of Miles City died Friday, May 19, 2006, at the Holy Rosary Healthcare in Miles City.
She was born on June 30, 1912, at Timber Creek Homestead, the second of seven daughters born to Reinholt and Paulina Schlepp Naasz. With a family of all daughters, she knew as much about farming as she did about housework. Mrs. Erlenbusch enjoyed being outside helping her parents out in the fields more than anything. She attended four different country schools through the eighth grade, before they built a Naasz school where she finished her education.
On Nov. 27, 1932, she married Dan Erlenbusch were married in Timber Creek. They moved to 24 miles west to a new homestead, a two-room rock house that was built in 1911.
After awhile, as the family continued to get bigger, they moved to a new homestead where Mr. and Mrs. Erlenbusch would continue adding on the house, eventually having eight rooms. Mrs. Erlenbusch did a lot of the carpentry work inside; there was nothing she couldn’t do or wouldn’t learn. She was always a hard worker dedicated to her family and the farm. Summers kept her busy with her garden, yard and countless animals she would raise. Winters were her time to do craft work. She loved to crochet baskets and rugs, pillow tops, sew animals and people would come from all over to see her craft work. With two daughters, Mrs. Erlenbusch fell in love with their dolls and enjoyed sewing new dresses for them. Her doll collection lined the walls of every home she had, each in perfect condition and dressed with handmade clothes.
After Mr. Erlenbusch’s death in 1988, Mrs. Erlenbusch continued living at the farm until moving into Miles City in 1993. She loved her grandchildren and great-grandchildren dearly.
Her survivors include three sons, Ervin (Donna) Erlenbusch of Kinsey, Harold (Charolette) Erlenbusch of Cohagen and Vern (Linda) Erlenbusch of Miles City; two daughters, Clara (George) Wright and Lucetta Wolff, all of Miles City; four sisters, Annette Kaul of Missoula, Ida Moos and Bertha Schlepp, both of Circle, and Katherine Stanley of Glendive; 14 grandchildren, Bruce, Terry, Steve, Pat, Harold Brice, Greg, Brody, Jeff, Lynn, Jerry, Laura, Keith, Trenda and Brenda; and numerous great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Daniel; two sons, Orville in 1947 and Victor in 1969; two sisters, Matilda Schlepp and Martha Erlenbusch; her daughter-in-law, Mary Erlenbusch; and her son-in-law, James Wolff.
Funeral services will be Monday, May 22, 2006, at 11 a.m. at Stevenson and Sons Funeral Home in Miles City. Interment will follow in the Custer County Cemetery.
Condolences may be sent to the family by visiting: www.stevensonandsons.com.
If desired, memorials may be made to the charity of one’s choice.
Junerose Wright
Junerose Lee Wright, 49, of Miles City died Tuesday, May 9, 2006, in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
She was born on May 11, 1957, in Miles City, the daughter of Harley and Hazel Wilson Saddler. She attended grade school in British Columbia, where she also graduated from high school. Junerose went on to the MT Royal in Calgary, Canada, before moving back to Miles City where she went to Miles Community College for one year.
She worked for the Photo Nook before going to work as a dental assistant for Randy Reynolds, DDS for nine years, and then worked for McFarland Family Dentistry.
In 1987, she and Quinn Wright were married in Billings and they lived on the ranch west of Miles City.
She enjoyed photography, shopping and traveling, especially family vacations. She loved her family dearly, especially her children.
Her survivors include Quinn Wright of Miles City; a son, Cory Wright and his wife Shasta of Spokane, Wash.; a daughter, Satabra Wright of Miles City; her parents, Harley and Hazel Saddler of Miles City; and her sister, Arla Rae Nurkowski, her husband, Nathaniel, and their children, Chad and Chantel of San Antonio, Texas.
She was preceded in death by her grandparents.
Memorial services will be Wednesday, May 24, 2006, at 2 p.m. at Stevenson and Sons Funeral Home in Miles City.
Condolences may be sent to the family by visiting www.stevensonandsons.com.
If desired, memorials may be sent to the charity of one’s choice.
Leonard Kulesa
Miles City lost a true gentleman as Leonard Joseph Kulesa, 95, a longtime Miles City resident died Friday evening, May 12, 2006, at Friendship Villa.
Born Jan. 14, 1911, at Flat Willow to Con and Annie Kulesa, Mr. Kulesa grew up in and around Roundup. He graduated from Roundup High School. His sister, Tessie, preceded him in death.
Soon after graduation he began a 44-year career with the Milwaukee Railroad, retiring in 1973. His work took him from North and South Dakota through Montana and Idaho into Washington, where he spent many years until macular degeneration forced his retirement.
He filled his early retirement years with faithful service to the Elks Lodge No. 537, where he enjoyed helping with maintenance and repair projects for the lodge. He was an Elk for 68 years and was honored to serve as Tiler.
Well into middle age, Mr. Kulesa demonstrated his belief that one is never too old to learn as he fulfilled a lifelong dream of learning to play the accordion. A graceful ballroom dancer, he appreciated big band music and liked to listen to the fiddlers at the Senior Center. He followed politics with enthusiasm and passion and the “Wild Bunch” coffee group highlighted his Friday mornings.
Mr. Kulesa faithfully attended the First Presbyterian Church where he was an ordained elder. He loved to walk and despite the loss of his vision, he was a familiar sight as he traveled all around the city.
On Aug. 10, 1940, he and Jean Douglas were married in Baker. They had one son, Douglas.
Mr. Kulesa’s survivors include his wife of 66 years, Jean; their son, Douglas and his wife, Nita, of Lakewood, Colo; granddaughter, Kirsta Franks (Damon) of Highlands Ranch, Colo.; grandsons, Kent Kulesa (Tara) of Laurel and Ky Kulesa (Melissa) of Littleton, Colo.; and four great-grandchildren, Nathan, Katelin, Austin and Dylan, who enjoyed time with Grandpa.
Funeral services will be Thursday, May 18, 2006, at 1 p.m. at Stevenson and Sons Funeral Home in Miles City. Interment will be held at a later date in the Custer County Cemetery in Miles City.
Condolences may be sent to the family by visiting www.stevensonandsons.com.
Should friends desire, memorials may be made to the First Presbyterian Church.
Gertrude Williams
Gertrude Williams, 88, of Jordan died Saturday, May 13, 2006, at the Garfield Count Health Center in Jordan.
She was born in Brusett on Aug. 10, 1917, the daughter of Willem and Neeltie VanVeen Wille. She attended country school in Brusett and remained on the family farm until moving to Jordan.
In 1944, she and Duncan Chisholm were married at Helena. They made there home in Jordan where they raised sheep and owned and operated Floyds Bar. Mr. Chisholm died in December 1960.
She and Joe Williams were married in Seattle in 1963. They made their home in Jordan following their marriage.
Mrs. Williams loved crocheting, beadwork and her cats.
Her survivors include three daughters, Lilly Johnston of Jordan, Barbara Jean Chisholm of Texas City, Texas, and Mary Ann Graham of Yelm, Wash.; a brother, Gerrit Wille of Jordan; a sister, Dina Houg of Wolf Point; and 11 grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husbands; and two brothers, Bill and John Wille.
Funeral services will be Wednesday, May 17, 2006, at 11 a.m. at Stevenson and Sons Funeral Home in Miles City. Interment will follow in the Custer County Cemetery.
Condolences may be made to the family by visiting www.stevensonandsons.com.
Should friends desire, memorials may be made to the charity of one’s choice.
