Joise Denney Wolchesky died March 21, 2022, in Billings, Mont. She was born April 12, 1927, at Perry, Okla., the fourth child of Russell and Hilda Dayton Denney. She was raised and attended school at Belfry, where she was valedictorian of her class. To the age of 12, she lived with her grandmother, Anna Hancock. After graduation, Joise was employed at the Roosevelt County Welfare Department and she and William Wolchesky were married in Wolf Point on July 3, 1947. They were divorced in 1970. Joise was employed by the USDA for 34 years, based at times in Wolf Point, Bozeman, Guam, Honolulu and Hilo, Hawaii. While in the Pacific, she helped establish offices at Guam, Saipan, Ponape, Truk, Yap, Palau, Kosrae, Marshall Islands and American Samoa, as well as a state office in Hilo, Hawaii. During her 16 years in the Pacific, she traveled and assisted in these county offices as well as the Hawaii county

Carol Jean Michels of Medicine Lake died March 22, 2022, at St. Vincent's Hospital in Billings. She was born May 14, 1945, to Jens and Marie Jensen in Plentywood. She was the last of six, following Ellen, June, Johnny, Shirley and Lillian. She married Gary Ereth in January 1961 and, together, they had Craig, Wanda, Sandra, Timothy and Tasha. They lived in many places together, including southern California, Arizona, Wyoming, western Montana and Medicine Lake before moving to her family farm west of Medicine Lake. They eventually divorced. She and Jeff Michels blended their families into one in the early 1990s, living together on the family farm raising their two youngest daughters, Tasha and Danielle. They were later married in March 2011. Together, they owned C& J Automotive, where they worked together for many years. She was known by many for her excellent cooking due to her time working in area cafes and clubs. She also worked as a cook at Medicine Lake Schools for a time. Later, she owned Carol’s Cafe in Froid, where she shared her culinary skills with whomever was lucky enough to stumble upon it. She was an accomplished seamstress, sewing many of the suits and dresses for her older sons’ and daughters’ proms, special performances and sweetheart balls, as well as chic coats for her younger daughters. She even sewed clothing for others as a way to earn extra income in the early years. Upholstery became another skill she mastered, owning an upholstery shop in Medicine Lake in the early 2000s. She loved flowers and planted them to enliven the outside living spaces at her country home. She especially liked visiting the area nurseries to find just the right varieties. Her artistic side found expression in painting as

Marvin Oliver Barstad, 84, died Saturday, March 26, 2022. He was born June 4, 1937, in Glasgow to Ingvar and Myrtle (Paulson) Barstad. He was proud to be a lifelong resident of the Glasgow community. He fouynd Georgia Krall in Culbertson and they were married on Aug. 12, 1962, and raised three sons. He hired on with the Great Northern Railroad at the age of 17. On March 9, 2000, Conductor Barstad was authorized to discard his timetable, rule book, safety shoes, railroad watch and pager after 45 years of unblemished service with the GN, BN and BNSF railroads. He was devoted to his family and, in particular, loved cheering on his many children and grandchildren in their sports and other school activities. He enjoyed long distance running, fishing and golfing with friends. He supported the Glasgow area community through the church, Sunday morning AA group and sustainment of public fitness facilities. He is survived by his wife,

Cheryl “Lee-Lee” Packineau, 71, of Wolf Point died March 23, 2022. She was born in Poplar and spent most of her life on the plains of northeast Montana. She was married to Willis Packineau for almost four decades. She was an avid bookworm with a penchant for murder mysteries. When most septuagenarians are afraid of technology, she kept track of her many nieces, nephews and grandchildren through Facebook, always adding a positive note to their many achievements and accomplishments. Her knowledge of history, music, art and pop culture made her a formidable Trivia Pursuit foe. She was a Yahtzee adding machine and was a master of multi-card bingo. She was an artist whose beadwork was well-known on the pow-wow circuit. She was a kind and caring grandmother who doted on her many grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband, Lee Willis Packineau; parents, Joseph and Elizabeth; sisters, Babe

Alisa Marie “Bones” Perry, 33, died Wednesday, March 16, 2022, at her family home in Poplar. She was born on April 28, 1988, to Vicki L. Perry and Ennis Russell, but was raised by her grandmother, the late Faye L. Perry, in Poplar. She had two daughters, McKenzie Faye (10) and Kendall Susan Charbonneau (seven). Her absolute favorite thing was being a mother and homemaker. Another favorite pastime was going “rummaging” with her grandmother and cousins. That passion eventually lead to them having their own yard sales or setting up every Saturday at the flea market in Poplar. She is survived by her daughters, McKenzie and Kendall Charbonneau; sister, Shelby Rose Renz; mother Vicky Perry of Williston, N.D.; father, Ennis Russell; step-father, Pete Martinez of Denver, Colo.; grandparents, Roberta “Bobby” Clincher of Laurel, Steven Clincher, Vernita Buckles, Irene Wilkinson, Leta Atkinson and Marian

Dorothy Schmitt, 85, of Lustre died March 21, 2022, in Glasgow. She was born March 11, 1937, in Chico, Calif., to Dormer and Adeline (Bogar) Glyshaw while her father was in the Navy. They moved back to the farm in Vida to farm and she went to school there. In the winter, they lived in Billings where she attended Billings Senior High and graduated. From there, she went to Multnomah Bible College in Portland, Ore., where she met Alfred Schmitt. Shortly after, she and Alfred married in Billings at the Church of the Air on Sept. 4, 1959. They resided in Glasgow and Missoula for short periods of time and ended up back on the farm where Alfred’s love for farming began. Their first son, Perry, was born, soon to be followed by Craig and their daughter Melenie. She was a wonderful homemaker and mother to her three children. She survived her children riding motorcycles, creating various motorized contraptions, basketball practices and games, 4H, horses and many more activities. She was always involved in the EMB church with ladies aid, Sunday school or whatever were the needs of the church. Her best friend and neighbor, Carolyn Fauth, spent many days having coffee, working in the gardens, doing ceramics, sewing for 4H with her daughter Melenie and helping Carolyn deliver cakes. Memories she would talk about when she was young are riding the horses through the water and holding onto their tails with her sister and her time in Billings and how she loved being in the big city. She loved being around people and doing things and