Ernest “Ernie” Lee Flynn, 73, died Oct. 30, 2022, at his home in Billings. He was born May 8, 1949, to Donna M. Reddoor and Lionel E. Flynn in Poplar. He was raised by his grandparents, Josephine and Edwin Reddoor, and attended grade and high school in Poplar. At 19 years old, he was inducted into the Army on Oct. 8, 1968, and traveled by train to Fort Lewis, Wash., to start basic training. After months of training, he got orders for Vietnam and served there from March 1969 to May 1970. This was a defining time that set off a lifetime of sacrifice that would include total blindness and partial deafness that struck a few years after he was discharged. After returning home from Vietnam, he had several different jobs. He was an avid hunter and loved fishing and the outdoors. He was also a skilled carpenter. He worked as a patrolman for the Poplar Police Department in 1971. He also worked at A& S Industries in Poplar as an inspector, spending days test-firing weapons. This is where he met his future wife while she was working as a secretary. He married Yvonne Rose Brown on Feb. 19, 1971. They had two children, Ernest Jr. and Stacee Ann. He started working for the Veterans Administration at Fort Harrison in Helena in 1978, helping fellow veterans as a veterans benefits counselor for 18 years until retiring in 1995. Retirement led to a move to Billings to be closer to his son and daughter-in-law. His dedication to fellow veterans led him to volunteer with the Disabled American Veterans transportation program. He helped take phone calls and arranged rides to medical appointments for veterans. He was recognized at the 2014 DAV national convention as DAV Volunteer of the Year. He logged over 25,000 hours volunteering until COVID shut down the office. He was full of wit and charm and made everyone he met feel important from the nurse doing a blood draw to lifelong friends. He was a voracious reader, enjoying stories of adventure and keeping up to date with all current events reading various newspapers. He was also a known Scrabble shark winning nearly every game he played. He was a member of Mensa, an organization open to people who score at the 98th percentile on IQ tests. He was preceded in death by three siblings. He is survived by his wife, Yvonne of Billings; son, Ernie Jr. of Missoula; daughter, Stacee of Billings; one grandchild; sister, Debbie Farris of Polson; brothers, Randy Farris of Indiana, Hank Flynn, Roger Flynn, Tom Flynn and Perry Flynn, all of Oswego. There will be a full military graveside burial, United States Army, at Yellowstone National Cemetery in Laurel in summer 2023.

Our awesome aunt, Elizabeth “Betty” Nefzger, went with the angels on Oct. 28, 2022, with her niece and great-niece at her side. At the young age of 101, she was able to leave this world while still living at the Vista Assisted Living on St. John’s United Campus. Betty was born on May 4, 1921, in Phoenix, Ariz., to Branchie and Lewis Clark, joining her two brothers, Chuck and Delbert. Two years later, her sister Lucille arrived. She was raised in L.A. County in California and graduated from Abraham Lincoln High School in 1939. After graduation, she worked at th L.A. General Hospital and enrolled in the L.A. City College nursing worked program. During World War II, the family moved to Escondido, Calif., and she went to work at Consolidated Aircraft in San Diego, Calif. She met a young man from Montana, Ray Nefzger, who was serving in the U.S. Navy. On March 20, 1943, they were married at Escondido, Calif. In 1945, Ray was discharged and they moved to Vida, Mont., to take over the family farm. Over the years, she worked the farm, was active in her church and enjoyed her time at Templed Hills Bible Camp where she served as camp counselor and got in some fishing! Betty is survived by her nieces and nephews, she called her own: Maggie Graef of Indianapolis, Ind., Agnes (Ken) Heser of Wolf Point, Mont., Ruth Laramee of Billings, Mont., Chuck (Sheri) Olsen of Spokane, Wash., and Les (Paulette) Olsen of Fort Peck, Mont. She is also survived by her niece and Goddaughter, Dea (Craig) Hostetler of Glendive, Mont., and numerous other nieces and nephews. Betty was preceded in death by her husband, Ray; her parents; brothers; sister; and niece, Laura Payne. The full obituary can be seen at the Cremation and Funeral Gallery website. (Paid Obituary)

On Oct. 23, 2022, Wayne Peterson, son of Eva Rae and Gordon Peterson of Culbertson, died at his home in Butte at age 87. An educator throughout his life, he earned his degrees at Minot State in North Dakota and the University of Montana. He began his career as a school teacher and basketball coach in Portal, N.D., where he took his team to the state championships. Then, after teaching in Oregon and Colorado, he returned to Montana, where he eventually retired as a superintendent of schools in Alberton. Settling in Butte later in life, he explored his interest in giving back to others through coaching wheelchair tennis and working with adult literacy projects. He was also a proud patron of education for students in developing countries. His side passions for photography and travel took him around the world, enjoying decades of international experiences. From Munich to Moscow, Toledo to Thailand, he pursued his deep interest in other cultures and the celebration of our shared humanity. He is survived by two sons, a grandson and brothers, Allen and Gene. A private family celebration of his life will occur at a later date.