Shirley Mae Nelson, 91, died Jan. 25, 2020, at Valley View Nursing Home in Glasgow. She was born in Poplar Dec. 30, 1928, to Charles and Edith (Smith) Prior. She graduated from Poplar High School. She married James Nelson on May 27, 1947, and had three daughters. They farmed and ranched north of Brockton for 42 years before retiring and moving to Glasgow. She loved cooking, needle work and was active in various organizations. She is survived by Linda Rutschke of Gilbert, Ariz., Diane Dirkson of Glasgow, Mary Thompson of Bismarck, N.D.; numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren; and a sister, Donna Alzheimer of Choteau. She was preceded in death by her husband, Jim Nelson; granddaughter, Kalli Thompson; and sisters, Betty Scott, Molly Kapinos and Glora Sayers. Services will be held this summer at a family gathering in Glasgow.

Barbara Vinger, 80, died Jan. 18, 2020. Born in Baltimore, Md., she grew up in Edmonds, Wash., and attended Edmonds High School. In recent years, she and her husband, Dennis, shared homes in Wolf Point and Surprise, Ariz., and loved traveling in their motorhome. They moved to Surprise permanently several years ago. She was supported by a loving family. Barb will be remembered for her vibrant and fun spirit, her generous and loving nature and her sharp sense of style. She is survived by her husband, Dennis; children, Scott, Kimber and Jamie; her brother, Jim; and several grandchildren and great-grandchildren. No services are being planned at her request.

Michelle Lee LowDog Garfield, “Standing on Iron,” 46, died Friday, Dec. 27, 2019, at Billings Clinic in Billings. The daughter of Calvin Clark Jr. and Donna LowDog of Wolf Point, she was born July 22, 1973. She grew up in her hometown which held most of her happiest memories and greatest obstacles that she continued to fiercely battle. She had a heart of gold that fit perfectly while being a CNA and waitress. She always had a good work ethic throughout her life. She made sure to keep her chidlren in good health, but God had other plans, she challenged her own way. Even though her choices shaped a troubled future, she kept a positive, strong-willed and humorous outlook that she shared with lucky individuals. Her hobbies include reading Stephen King novels, puzzles, Sudoku, board games with family, bingo, dancing and entertaining company by being the life of the party. She will be remembered for her humor and smile that changed lives. She had 10 children — three boys and seven girls. Raising them fully wasn’t in her favor or in God’s plan for her, yet she accepted the hand she was dealt as life became rocky. She gave her all when it came to love. She spent her happier days with three important companions. They became her children’s fathers. Eventually, she married Robert Garfield Jr. and widowed a couple years into it. She spent her last days with her brother Ryan Whitehorse in Wolf Point. She lost her battle with alcoholism. The tough life she endured was fought with every ounce of self-taught strength, survival skills, selfless acts, determined outlooks and stubborn headedness. She is survived by her father, Calvin Clark Jr.; sisters, Memorie Clark, Santee Clark, Echo Clark, Johnny Clark and Billie Jo Calder; brothers, Jay Clark, Bernie Whitehorse and Ryan Whitehorse; and children, Jasmine Birdsbill, Dawnee Birdsbill, Royce Birdsbill, Shai-lee Weeks, Jory LowDog, Doven Birdsbill, Shiary Birdsbill, Taven Garfield, Angelina Garfield and Robert Garfield Jr. The funeral service was held Monday, Jan. 6, at the new Community Hall in Wolf Point. Interment was at Pony Hill Cemetery in Fort Belknap. Clayton Stevenson Memorial Chapel was entrusted with the arrangements.

Monty Pearl LeVay Fisher, 86, of Miles City, formerly of Poplar, died Jan. 3, 2020, at the Billings Clinic. She was born in Poplar April 2, 1933, and resided there for most of her life until they retired, moving to Miles City in 2011. She married Russell James Fisher Aug. 17, 1957, in Poplar. This union spanned nearly 59 years until Jim’s death in 2016. Three children, Ed, Bobby and Julie, were born to this marriage. She devoted the majority of her life to being a farm wife and mother. She and Jim did everything together. With hard work and support of each other, they operated the farm and ranch. She was a mom and grandma in every meaning of the word with her nurturing, supporting, encouraging, teaching, comforting and caring ways, not only for her children and grandchildren but with any child around. She was known for her cooking and baking. If you ever stopped by the house for coffee or for a meal, you always had a cookie, cake or pie and you never left hungry. She enjoyed good old country music and dancing. She also liked sewing, playing cards, rodeos and watching Jeopardy. She was a strong woman with great faith who, in times of others needs, would put those before her own. She is survived by her children, Ed, Bobby and Julie; three grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren. Visitation was held Wednesday, Jan. 8, from 1 to 6 p.m. at Stevenson & Sons Funeral Home in Miles City followed by a vigil service at 6 p.m. Mass of Christian Burial will be held Thursday, Jan. 9, at 10 a.m. at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church. Interment will follow in the Eastern Montana State Veterans Cemetery in Miles City.

Nellie Silk, 87, died Jan. 4, 2020, at Trinity Hospital in Wolf Point. A wake will be held Friday, Jan. 10, at 7 p.m. at the new Community Hall in Wolf Point. Funeral services will be Saturday, Jan. 11, at 10 a.m. at the new Community Hall in Wolf Point. Interment will follow at Fort Kipp Cemetery. Clayton Stevenson Memorial Chapel was entrusted with arrangements.

Carol Jean Holmes of Great Falls, 60, died Dec. 28, 2019. She was born to Raymond Curtis Biem and Mary Louise (Isle) Biem Aug. 15, 1959, in Wolf Point. The Biem family relocated to Glasgow, where she completed grade school. In 1979, she met Terry Steven Holmes and, in 1985, the two were married in Havre. They moved to California briefly, but made their home in Milliken, Colo. In 1993, she began working as a special education paraprofessional at Milliken Middle School and retired in 2016 with 23 years of teaching. After retiring, she returned to Montana and settled in Great Falls with Terry. Even after retirement, she had a burning desire to continue influencing today’s school students and returned to work part time in the Great Falls Public Schools where she continued until the summer of 2019. She had a heart of servitude and always put others before herself. The most important things to her were her family, her friends and her church. She is survived by her husband, Terry Steven Holmes of Great Falls; children, Andrew Biem of Conroe, Texas, Alisha of Greeley, Colo., and Amanda Holmes of Great Falls; three grandsons; and brothers, Ronald Biem of Havre, Randy Biem of Monongahela, Pa., Robert Biem of Benson, Ariz., Ernest Biem of Havre and Raymond Biem Jr. of Great Falls. A memorial service was held Wednesday, Jan. 8, at 9 a.m. at Crossroads Memorial Church in Great Falls, with burial following at Highland Park Cemetery in Havre.

Gene Leslie Andersen, 71, died at his home near Dagmar Friday morning, Jan. 3, 2020. He was born in Williston, N.D., Dec. 7, 1948, to Marjorie and Leslie Andersen. He grew up on the original Andersen family farm near Dagmar, with his sister, Joanne. He attended Hiawatha Elementary School and graduated from Medicine Lake High School in 1966. He went on to college in Billings and Havre. He received his architectural drafting degree in Wahpeton, N.D. Following that, he served seven years in the Army National Guard. He married Geralyn Sneva Aug. 15, 1970, in Grenora, N.D. After they were married, they lived in Miles City, where he worked at Midland Lumber, drawing and estimating house plans. In 1972, they moved to Plentywood, where Gene worked for C & D Lumber. Then, it onto Tioga, N.D., where he worked for Bethlehem Steel. In the spring of 1973, he had the opportunity to go into farming, working for his uncle Delmar until 1979, when they purchased the farm and he designed and built the farmhouse still there today. This is where they made their home and raised their three children, Brent, Kerby and Ashley. He found his calling going into the family business of farming. He and his father farmed together for many years until his father’s death in 1990. In 2000, he and Kerby began farming together. As most farmers are, he was keenly aware of the weather. When not in the field, he and Geri drove around checking the crops and hoping for moisture when necessary. He spent many years working closely with Les Jensen and Roger Manger. His love of baseball led him to his wife, Geri. In his younger years, he played with the Big Muddy League in Dagmar and Babe Ruth and Legion in Grenora, N.D., which is where he met Geri. He also brought his passion of this game to many great players coaching Little League in Dagmar, as well as Babe Ruth and Legion baseball in Grenora, N.D. As a man of the land, he also loved hunting and fishing. Over the years, he took many hunting trips to western Montana with friends. Each year, pheasant and deer hunting were high priorities as well as many fishing trips with the family and friends. His family was always a priority. While he didn’t want to venture too far from the farm, he attended the children’s activities whenever he could. Over the last 13 years, he got to know and love his grandchildren, who brought great joy to him. He gave back to the community through coaching baseball and many other ways. He volunteered when there was a community event and also served on several boards of directors, including the Hiawatha School and Prairie States Co-op in Zahl, N.D. Gene and Geri also helped Kerby with the Centennial Bar when he purchased it and really enjoyed helping him get started. His life changed drastically in 2009. First, when Geri suffered a stroke and then a few months later when Kerby died. He was a great caretaker for Geri for seven years and did an amazing job, suddenly balancing farm work with household work. Geri died in 2017. He is survived by his sister, Joanne Andersen of Eagan, Minn.; son, Brent Andersen of Minnetonka, Minn.; daughter, Ashley Engh of Williston, N.D.; and three grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his wife, Geri; and son, Kerby. Funeral services were held Wednesday, Jan. 8, at 1 p.m. CST at St. Olaf Lutheran Church in Grenora, N.D.

Reba Sept, 79, of Circle, died Dec. 28, 2019. She was born May 20, 1940, in Circle to Virgil and Ruby Horsford Merry. At the age of three, she and her siblings, Claude and Lana, went to live with their grandparents Hayne and Berta Merry. Shea attended school in Circle. On Dec. 27, 1957, she married Bill Sept in Miles City. To this union, six children were born: Debra, June, Sue, Larry, Jana and Angie. They made their home on the farm southwest of Brockway until 2006 when they moved to Circle. She was a devoted wife, mother and grandmother. She loved to cook. She was passionate about her yard, growing the most spectacular flowers. She loved her cats on the farm and, when she moved to town, would adopt a stray cat or two. Singing was another passion and she would play her records and wail out a tune. She also participated in a few of the plays that were held in Brockway. She was interested in her children’s and grandchildren’s activities and often attended talent shows, bump and run races, football and basketball games. She was preceded in death by an infant daughter, Debra; brother, Claude Merry; and half-brother, Troy Lindsey. She is survived by her husband, Bill of Circle; sister, Lana Craig of Goodyear, Ariz.; children, June Geer of Vida, Sue French of Brockway, Larry Sept of Brockway, Jana Wilson of Brockway and Angie Thompson of Billings; seven grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren; and four half-sisters, Darlene Hamburg of Hardin, Linda Rash of Grand Junction, Colo., Sherry Putman on Las Cruces, N.M., and Billie Lindsey of Albuquerque, N.M. Funeral services were held Monday, Jan. 6, at the Assembly of God Church in Circle. Interment was in the Brockway Cemetery.

A funeral service for Candace Bridges, 83, will be 11 a.m. Monday, Jan. 6, 2020, at First Presbyterian Church in Poplar, Mont. Burial will follow in Poplar Cemetery. Candace passed away Dec. 18, 2019, at CHI St. Alexius Health in Dickinson, N.D., surrounded by her loving family. Candace Thelma Bridges was born Jan. 27, 1936, in Wolf Point, Mont., the daughter of Walter and Jessie Mae (Hart) Bridges. She grew up on the family ranch north of Poplar, Mont., where as a child she enjoyed the ranch work, helping her father ride on the cattle, care for the horses, put up hay and with other ranch chores. Candace attended Poplar High School where she was active in the band and was a majorette. She was crowned Wolf Point Stampede Rodeo Queen in 1953. Following her graduation, Candace attended Northern Montana College in Havre where she attained her two- year teaching degree. She then began her teaching career at Charlie Creek Country School in eastern Montana in the 1950s. In 1958, Candace married John Fredericks Jr. and moved to Twin Buttes, N.D. Together, they had five children, Susan, John III, Casey, Shawn and Mary. In the 1960s, she continued teaching in Mandaree and Twin Buttes on the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation. After her children were born, she went back to college in the late 1960s and received her four-year degree in education from Dickinson State College. She moved with her children to Medora, N.D., in 1971 and continued teaching and raising her children after her divorce. While in Medora, she traveled throughout each school year to various country schools in Billings County teaching classes. In 1975, she moved with her children back to Poplar where she taught in Poplar and Brockton, Mont. Candace was an educator for over 40 years in eastern Montana and western North Dakota. She mentored many young people along the way, while remaining devoted to raising and nurturing her own children. She eventually retired from teaching in Brockton, Mont. Even after retirement though, Candace continued to do what she loved by tutoring and substitute teaching. In 2001 Candace moved to her son Casey’s ranch north of Dunn Center, N.D., and from there traveled to her kids’ homes staying at times with Susie and Mary on the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation. She was a lifelong learner, educator and mentor. Candace enjoyed spending time with her family, especially her kids and grandkids. She was a wonderful seamstress, always sewing clothes for her kids, nephews and nieces as they grew up. Candace was an avid reader and loved to travel. Candace was very knowledgeable and was known to be a historian. She loved visit with everyone — always making people feel special. Candace is survived by children, Susan Jane Fredericks of Mandaree, N.D., John (Wendie) Fredericks III of Mandan, N.D., Casey David (Kami) Fredericks of Halliday, N.D., Shawn Dee (Peggy) Fredericks of Busby, Mont., and Mary MaLee Fredericks (Marle Baker) of Mandaree; grandchildren, Michael Granbois, Jordan Granbois, Chloe Fredericks, Candace “Cate” Fredericks, Jesse Fredericks, Whitney Schroeder, Mariah Fredericks, Megan Fredericks, Casey Shay Fredericks; great-grandchildren, Will and Mara Granbois, Sampson and Charlotte Schroeder, Jubal Fredericks, Brylie Ohmstede, Chastyn Fredericks, Essence Garcia, Evalina Castro, Breanna Castro and Roman Castro; and brothers, Donovan (Claire) Bridges of Poplar, Mont., and Dallas O’Connor of Poplar, Mont.; and special sister-in-law, Danette O’Connor of Hinsdale, Mont. She is preceded in death by her parents, Walter and Jessie Bridges; grandmother, Jettie D. Hart; and nephew, Darren Bridges. Remembrances and condolences may be shared with the family at www.stevensonfuneralhome. com.