Wendy Lisa Chopper, 49, of Poplar died July 30, 2022, in Billings. She was born on July 2, 1973, in Devils Lake, N.D., to Abraham Chopper Sr. and Lorene (Good Soldier) Michel. She attended school in Sheyenne, N.D., until her freshman year and then went to Clearfield Job Corps in Clearfield, Utah. She was in culinary arts. After leaving Job Corps, she worked at many different places throughout her life. She worked at Dakota Tribal Industries; Spirit Lake Casino in Ft. Totten, N.D.; MIT Telemarketing; Dakota Sportwear; Noodles by Leonardo; Taco John’s and McDonald’s in Devils Lake, N.D.; Subway and Taco John’s in Jamestown, N.D.; McDonald’s in Aurora, Colo.; Bear Lodge Assisted Living and Cenex in Billings, Mont.; Bryan’s in Wolf Point; and as a CNA at the Poplar Hospital and at Tribal Express in Poplar. She was a kind soul who loved her family and friends to the fullest. She would try to help anyone out in need if she could. She is survived by her mother, Lorene Michel of Poplar; children, Colby Chopper of Sioux Falls, S.D., Benjamin Chopper and Royce LaVallie of Fargo, N.D., and Payton Knoth of Flaxville; siblings, Abraham Chopper Jr., Jolene Chopper-Jones of Poplar, Joseph Dunn of Jamestown, N.D., Louis Dunn of Fargo, N.D., Tiffany Chopper of Billings and Nicolle Bighorn of Brockton; and seven grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her stepfather, Douglas Michel; and sister, Althea Deserly. Funeral services were held on Tuesday, Aug. 9, at the Poplar Cultural Center. Interment followed at Fort Kipp Cemetery. Clayton Stevenson Memorial Chapel was entrusted with arrangements.

Levi Kyle Olson, 28, died July 31, 2022, in Rocky Boy. He was born Dec. 31, 1993, to Teresa Olson and Tomas Garcia at Trinity Hospital in Wolf Point. He was later adopted and raised by his grandparents, Margaret and Levi Olson. He was educated in Poplar Schools, Rocky Boy High School and Rocky Mountain College. He loved sports, playing football, basketball, cross country, track and golf as a youth. He first found love for a sport in football, but he later caught interest in running, in which he excelled. He quickly made his impact in cross country and holds record times in Glasgow and Poplar. During his senior year in Rocky Boy, he became a state champion cross dountry distance runner. After graduation, he received a scholarship from Rocky Mountain College in 2013 and went for a semester. He later met Charlee Dezerae Huntley when returning to Rocky Boy. They had two children, Levi Krosston Olson, born May 18, 2015, and Kai’leigh Lynn Olson, born Aug. 30, 2016. He easily adjusted to become the adoring father he was set out to be when he started working for the Northern Winz Casino to provide for his new family. He searched for hobbies living with Wanita Deserly and Lije Huntley, Charlee’s parents. He met Dennis St. Marks, who was like a father figure to him. Dennis showed him how to hunt, fish and even opened his eyes to the world which made him appreciative for the little things. He had a new passion to become a cop and made it his mission. He started working as a correctional officer at the Rocky Boy Police Department on Aug. 30, 2016. he did not get to be a cop, but fulfilled every second working. He is survived by his grandmother, Margaret Olson of Poplar; brothers, Skylar, Tanner, Zander Parisian and Claude Olson; children, Krosston and Kai’leigh Olson; girlfriend, Charlee Huntley; and great-grandmothers, Margaret Red Boy and Yvette White Hawk-Todd. Funeral services were held Friday, Aug. 5, at the Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church in Poplar. Interment followed at Poplar City Cemetery. Clayton Stevenson Memorial Chapel was entrusted with arrangements.

Esther Carolyn (Frederick) Stuehm, 77, died Aug. 4, 2022, in Poplar. She was born on Sept. 15, 1944, in Wolf Point to Hattie (Hinman) and Lewis Frederick. She graduated from Poplar High School in 1964. She continued her education with a year at Northwest Nazarene College and finished at a business school in Billings, where she met her husband, George Stuehm, while volunteering at the local mission. Out of this union came their only child, Kenda Kay Stuehm. She retired from the Poplar School District in 2020 after 25 years of service. She loved being a paraprofessional to all the children she helped. She also worked at the After School Program helping tutor students. Before this, she worked as the main receptionist and later the training secretary at A& S Tribal Industries for over 20 years. She enjoyed reading, leading/ going to Bible studies, singing and potlucks. She was an avid member of both the community and Dakota choirs. She also was a Girl Scout leader for many years. She was the fill-in pastor for the local Nazarene Church when they needed it. She liked to laugh and have fun, hence her nickname for many years as The One-Armed Bandit. Most people know that she could do more with her one arm than a lot of people with two. She is survived by her daughter, Kenda Stuehm; and sisters, Mary Frederick and Sarah Thompson. She was preceded in death by her brothers, John, Leroy, Joseph, Pete, David, Mark, Samuel and Abraham Frederick; and sisters, Ruth Frederick and Martha Bridges. The family will hold a celebration of life at 10 a.m. on Friday, Aug. 12, at the Assembly of God Church in Poplar. Clayton Stevenson Memorial Chapel was entrusted with arrangements.

Robert Harold “Bob” Heikens, 92, died July 23, 2022, in an automobile accident outside of the town of Nashua. His wife, Helen Marie Lauckner Heikens, also died in the same incident. He was born Sept. 19, 1929, in Glasgow to Mike and Sylvia Heikens. Helen was born May 17, 1935, in Grand Rapids, Minn., to William and Hilda Lauckner. Both Helen and Bob attended Nashua Public Schools, where he graduated in 1947 and she in 1953. After high school, Bob spent time traveling and working in Iowa and California until he returned to full-time farming in the Center community southwest of Nashua. Helen grew up cooking for threshing crews and worked as a secretary in Glasgow after graduation. They met at a Webb Pierce concert and, several dances and dates later, they were married on Nov. 20, 1954. In addition to farming with his brothers Al and Don, Bob was a board member for both the irrigation district and Nemont Telephone Company for 40 years. Helen was a quintessential farm wife who planted huge gardens, raised chickens, provided three meals a day and was the cake decorating lady for over 20 years.

Linda Melbourne, 66, of Brockton died on July 29, 2022, at Poplar Community Hospital. If you knew her, you knew she was a private person and respect was something she held to a high standard. She was born on May 8, 1956, at the Poplar Community Hospital to Susan Beverly Melbourne and Clifton Ray Cheek Sr. As the oldest, she would later welcome sisters Charlene Cheek and Donna Yellow Hammer and brother Clifton Ray Cheek Jr. She attended elementary and high school in Brockton, graduating in 1974. She found her calling in the profession of nursing. She attended college at Eastern Montana College in Billings and Williston State College, in Williston, N.D. After working in the nursing and medical field for several years, she worked for various tribal programs and spent the last few years of her life working for the tribal veterans program in Poplar. Throughout her entire life, she devoted her time to helping and visiting her many relatives across the reservation. Whether it was lobbying for her relatives or a friend in need at the Fort Peck Tribal Board or another community agency, she was always there willing to help anyone who asked. She married Todd Mc-Clammy at the age of 29. Throughout their 36 years together, they had six children, Thomas “Greeny” Jerome, Michael Failing, Martha Failing- Kearns, Marlene Failing,

Michael “Mike” Matthews, 75, of Wolf Point died July 21, 2022, at Benefis Hospital in Great Falls. He was born Oct. 22, 1946, in Glasgow to Ruby Gregg Rasor and Pete Matthews. He grew up in Frazer for seven years, then moved to Oregon where he lived for approximately seven years. He was drafted to the United States Army on Nov. 9, 1966, and became a soldier in the 25th Infantry, Tropic Lightning. He served three and a half tours of duty in Vietnam War. While serving in Vietnam, he had two sons, Michael Duane Jr. and Lewis Paul Matthews. He was a well decorated soldier who earned a Bronze Star medal, Army Commendation medal, Purple Heart, along with many other campaign ribbons. After completing his tours in Vietnam, he was stationed in Seoul, Korea. He met Chong Hyon Mun “Moon”, whom he then married in 1975. He served in Korea for a total of three years. He and Moon brought their only daughter, Angela, into their lives in 1977. He served his country for a total of 18 years. He then joined the United States Bureau of Corrections in Lompoc, Calif., after leaving the Army. He and Moon then brought in their youngest son, Lewis Gregg, into their lives in 1980. He was devoted to his family. He loved cheering on his children and grandchildren in sports and anything they participated in. He enjoyed hunting, camping and especially fishing. He and lifelong friend John Nesbit rebuilt his 1955 green