Amber Rae Calftail, 37, of Poplar died April 11, 2022, at Poplar Community Hospital. She was born to Madelyn Scott McKay and Louis Calftail on Jan. 24, 1985. She was raised in Poplar by her grandmother Estelle Loves-Him. She attended to Poplar High School and later went to Portland, Ore., where she met her sister Krystallyne Snow. She loved reading, writing poems, visiting friends, taking walks, watching movies and joking around. Amber loved her nieces and nephews; she has one daughter, Krystallyne Calftail Vandyke. She is survived by her mother, Madelyn (Jared) McKay of Williston, N.D.; father, Louis Calftail of Browning; daughter, Krystallyne Calftail Vandyke of Billings;

Amber Rae Calftail, 37, of Poplar died April 11, 2022, at Poplar Community Hospital. She was born to Madelyn Scott McKay and Louis Calftail on Jan. 24, 1985. She was raised in Poplar by her grandmother Estelle Loves-Him. She attended to Poplar High School and later went to Portland, Ore., where she met her sister Krystallyne Snow. She loved reading, writing poems, visiting friends, taking walks, watching movies and joking around. Amber loved her nieces and nephews; she has one daughter, Krystallyne Calftail Vandyke. She is survived by her mother, Madelyn (Jared) McKay of Williston, N.D.; father, Louis Calftail of Browning; daughter, Krystallyne Calftail Vandyke of Billings; and siblings, Luke Scott, Deona Eagle, Diane McKay, Orvella McKay, Shilow McKay and Mason McKay. Funeral services were held on Friday, April 22, at the Poplar Cultural Center. Interment followed at St. Ann’s Cemetery. Clayton Stevenson Memorial Chapel was entrusted with arrangements.

Alda Rae Nelson was born on Sept. 12, 1941, in Wolf Point, Mont. She was the oldest child of Nieles and Helen (Kuester) Nelson. Alda enjoyed growing up on the family farm in Vida along with her sister Cheryll and brother Dennis. After graduating from Circle High School, Alda took the brave step of applying to and being accepted at the flight attendant training school in Kansas City. Upon completion, she was still too young to be on a flight route but was offered a government position in the U.S. Department of Defense, registering naval personnel in Virginia. After many life experiences, Alda returned to Montana to be near family. In 1968, she married her sweetheart Robert Olson and they raised two children: son Barry and daughter Cyndi. As a family, they enjoyed many years of camping, fishing, games, hard work and all things that rural farm life had to offer. They eventually moved to Sidney and Billings before returning to farm life in Vida. On the farm, Alda enjoyed her many flowers, plants, canning, games, puzzles and continuous camping and fishing adventures. Alda especially enjoyed her role as a grandmother and great grandmother and was known for her competitive spirit when playing games with her grandkids. In 2017, her husband and soul mate, Robert, died but Alda chose to remain on the farm despite many health complications of her own. Alda was determined to remain on the farm and, other than a few short stays at Cyndi’s, she did accomplish that. Eventually her health declined significantly and at the age of 80 she died on Easter Sunday, April 17, 2022, at Wolf Point Trinity Hospital surrounded by family and caring staff. Alda was preceded in death by her mother, Helen; father, Nieles; husband Robert; and her special pets, Tiki and Puppy. Alda is survived by her sister, Cheryll Traeholt (Carl); brother, Dennis Nelson (Karen); son, Barry Hammond (Lisa); daughter, Cyndi Ritter (Mike); six grandchildren, Derrick, Cassie, Brennan, Austin, Haylee and Nicole; and eight great-grandchildren. Alda gained eight bonus sisters when she married Robert who played an important part in her life: Ruth Borg, Norma Pawlowski, Diana Lawson (deceased), Edna Niccolls, Connie Buxbaum, JoAnn Olson, Donna Torres and Julie Azar. Memorials can be made St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105. A family and friends service was held from 2 to 3 p.m. on Sunday, April 24, at the Clayton Stevenson Memorial Chapel in Wolf Point. The funeral was held at 10 a.m. on Monday, April 25, at the First Lutheran Church in Wolf Point. Interment was at the Vida Cemetery. Clayton Stevenson Memorial Chapel was entrusted with the arrangements. (Paid Obituary)

William L. Red Star, 40, of Poplar died April 5, 2022, in Billings. He was born on June 27, 1981, to Cheryl Melbourne and George Red Star. He enjoyed cruising, listening to music, taking walks, being with family and friends and playing bingo. The biggest joy of his life was spending time with his grandchildren. He said what was on his mind, straight forward and didn’t sugar coat anything. He is survived by his parents, Cheryl Melbourne of Poplar and George Red Star of Pine Ridge, S.D.; wife, Ja-Tonna FourStar of Wolf Point; his children’s mother, Tasha Serawop; daughters, Brooke Scott of Wolf Point and Peggy Melbourne of Salt Lake City, Utah; son, Billy Jack Serawop of Wolf Point; four grandchildren; brothers, Floyd Martell III, Duane Martell of Poplar, Isiah Red Star of Wounded Knee, S.D., and Shayne Red Star of Sisseton, S.D.; sisters, Elizabeth Longee of Poplar, Dawn Johnson of Poplar, Wilma Martell of Poplar, Sabrina Pinkerton of Poplar and Charity Red Star of Wounded Knee; and grandparents, Ray and Beverly Lamb who took him in after being away so long. He was preceded in death by stepdad, Floyd Martell Jr.; special friend, Nicole Small; brother, Billy Jack Martell; sister, Lisa Martell; and grandson, Pierre Longee. Funeral services were held on Friday, April 15, at 1 p.m. at the Poplar Cultural Center. Interment will follow at Riverside Catholic Cemetery. Clayton Stevenson Memorial Chapel was entrusted with arrangements.

Roger Kenneth Brien, 54, of Poplar died April 8, 2022. He was born April 8, 1968, in Libby, the youngest child of George and Roberta Brien’s eight children. As a child, he was given the nickname of “Beetle” by his uncle Harold Renz. He attended Poplar Schools in his younger years then, like his older sisters and brothers, he went on the LDS Placement Program. He then attended schools in Mountlake Terrace, Wash.; Moses Lake, Wash.; Hermiston, Ore.; and eventually graduated from Poplar High School. He met Marguerite Charboneau in 1986 and they became lifelong partners. During their 36 years together, they were blessed with three sons, Christopher, Gregory and Brandon. He provided for his family by working various jobs but enjoyed working at Sunrise Lumber Company and Indian Health Services. A back injury restricted his ability to do manual labor, so he became a “jack of all trades.” He was the first one willing to help fix anything anyone needed. He had a charitable heart, always going out of his way to see hello and ask you how you were doing. He was known as a friendly and dependable person because he possessed a genuine caring concern for others. His respect for elders was one of his greatest attributes and he will be remembered by many for the times he visited. He is survived by his partner, Marguerite; sons, Christopher, Gregory and Brandon, three grandchildren; brothers, Robert and Richard; and sisters, Paula, Anita, Georgia and Barbara. He was preceded in death by his brother, Harold Brien. Funeral services were held Tuesday, April 19 at the Poplar Cultural Center. Interment was at Box Elder Cemetery in Poplar. Clayton Stevenson Memorial Chapel was entrusted with arrangements.