Richard Howard Hendrickson, 87, of Medicine Lake, died Dec. 14, 2019, in Billings. He was born May 17, 1932, on the family farm west of Medicine Lake to Eddie and Anna (Eng) Hendrickson. He attended country school until the sixth grade and finished his education in Medicine Lake, graduating in 1950. He enjoyed all sports especially his years of baseball for Medicine Lake in the Big Muddy League. He even pitched a couple no hitters. He lost his thumb in a farm incident, making it a little tough to pitch. His high school sweetheart would later become his wife. He and Betty Tronson were united in marriage June 7, 1953. They farmed west of Medicine Lake, continuing the family legacy. They moved to town in 1964. They had three children, Lori, Mike and Kathy. He was a supportive dad and enjoyed watching them excel in sports and school activities. He was a Honker fan, attending many sporting events. As member of a small town in a rural community, he became involved in many organizations and served on many boards. He served on church council at Medicine Lake Lutheran Church; school board; rural fire board, in which he had an instrumental part of getting the rural fire halls built; and various other boards. He enjoyed bowling, woodworking, fishing and especially his many trips to the farm. He enjoyed passing on the legacy of farming to his children and grandchildren. He and Betty enjoyed many trips to Spokane, Wash., enjoying their grandchildren’s and great-grandchildren’s activities. He is survived by his wife, Betty Hendrickson; children, Lori Hemphill of Spokane; Mike and Kathy; and numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his brother, Kenneth; and half-brothers, Sanford and Jim. Cremation has taken place. Memorial services were held Friday, Dec. 20, at Medicine Lake Lutheran Church with Pastor Johnette Grefe officiating. Interment at the Medicine Lake Cemetery will take place in summer 2020.

Wanda Hansen, 61, of Williston, N.D., died Dec. 18, 2019. She was born Jan. 31, 1958, in Sidney to John and Blanche (Griggs) Otterstetter, the youngest daughter of nine children. After living in Froid, the family moved to Fairview in 1962. A member of choir, rodeo club, cheerleading and other activities, she graduated from Fairview High School in 1976. Upon graduation, she began working at Super Valu where she met Doug Hansen. They married Jan. 13, 1979, at Zion Lutheran Church in Fairview. In the early years of marriage, they enjoyed bowling league and she also enjoyed ceramics with friends. As they grew older, she enjoyed gardening and spending time with friends. They moved to Williston, N.D., in the mid-1980s where they raised their three children, Douglas, Jeramy and Miranda. She worked at Country Floral before taking time off to spend with her children at home. When the children got older, she worked at Dakota Farms for nearly 20 years, eventually becoming manager. A talented interior painter, her family and friends benefited from her steady hand and eye for color. In the final years of her life, she and Doug found their dream house and spent over two years making it their home. She is survived by her husband, Doug; three children, Douglas of Moorhead, Minn., Jeramy of Williston, N.D., and Miranda Streifel of Mandan, N.D.; siblings, Fran Lagerquist of Billings, Rae Jean Koch of Billings, Bonnie Moore of Joplin and Mike Otterstetter of Fairview; and eight grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her sister, Linda Morrison; and brothers, Jacky, David and Kelly Otterstetter. Cremation will take place. Her memorial service will be held Friday, Dec. 27, at 2 p.m. at First Lutheran Church in Williston. Pastor Brian Knutson will officiate. Inurnment will be in Hillside Cemetery in Williston.

Jeffrey Dean Stump, 60, of Fort Kipp died Dec. 11, 2019, in Poplar. He was born in Fort Kipp to Rocky Stump and Corrine Long Hair on June 10, 1959. He spent his life in Fort Kipp and went to Brockton High School, graduating in 1978. He attended college at UND in Williston, N.D., but finished his career at Fort Peck Community College in carpentry. He married Margie Buckles in 1979. They had two children, Cory Dean and Samantha Corrine. His hobbies were hunting, fishing and playing pool. Funeral services were held Thursday, Dec. 19, at the James Black Dog Center. Clayton Stevenson Memorial Chapel was entrusted with arrangements.

William Fast Horse, 43, of Brockton died Friday, Dec. 13, 2019, in Poplar. He was born in Poplar Nov. 24, 1976, to Keva Spotted Bird Ramsey and Edwin Fast Horse Sr. He was active in basketball. Survivors include daughter, Shania Dahlberg; sisters, Almyra Gray Hawk of Brockton and Amber White Bear of Fargo, N.D.; brothers, Lawrence, Edwin “Chief” Fast Horse of Poplar and Troy Fast Horse of Brockton; and numerous grandchildren. A funeral service was held Saturday, Dec. 21, at the Brockton Cultural Center. Interment was at the Riverside Presbyterian Cemetery. Clayton Stevenson Memorial Chapel of Wolf Point was entrusted with the arrangements.

John Edward Atchico, 60, died Dec. 15, 2019, in Billings. He was known for his quick wit, his infectious smile, his kind and compassionate spirit and especially his love for the Lord. He was born May 29, 1949, in Harrah, Okla., to Jenny Wiles and Edward John Atchico. He graduated from Harrah High School in 1967. He went to the American Indian Arts Institute in Santa Fe, N.M., for one year. He also went to Haskell Institute where he received his heating and air-conditioning certificate in 1970. He worked his whole life, starting at age 14. He worked two summers at the Grand Canyon, on and off during college years. Taking the BIA relocation program to Denver, Colo., in 1970, where he began his career in heating and air-conditioning. He moved to Poplar in 1972 and began working for CNM Construction. He then moved on to Service Soft Water Conditioning. From there, he went to the Fort Peck Tribes, working with furnaces, moving to the position of HIP director and Enterprise director. Leaving the tribes, he went to work at Dody Culbertson Plumbing. From there, he went to MDU, starting in 1985 and retiring in 2009 after spending 24 years as MDU serviceman. He also spent time volunteering on the Poplar ambulance crew in the 1970s. He enjoyed retirement. His highlights were his travels to Hawaii in 2016 and attending the NBA Playoffs Oklahoma Thunder vs. Portland Trailblazers In October 1968, he met Linda Red Thunder at Haskell. They married May 26, 1970, in Lawrence, Kansas, on the campus of Haskell in a little Baptist mission church, in front of their close friends and family. They just celebrated their 49th wedding anniversary this year. Together, they raised two daughters, Leslie and Jennifer, and one son, Lee Aron. His passions in life were his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. His family was everything to him. He looked forward to his Atchico family reunions every June in Oklahoma. He loved working and building things for his children to play. He loved old cars and his ‘60s music. He always put others before himself. He met the Lord in 1968 and was always willing to stop and pray for anyone who requested. He was a humble and selfless man. He was preceded in death by his son, Lee Aron Atchico; four older brothers; three older sisters; and granddaughter, Ashlee Ann Atchico. He is survived by his wife, Linda Atchico; two daughters, Leslie Todd and Jennifer Shrestha; and numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Funeral services were held Monday, Dec. 23, at the Assembly of God Church in Poplar. Cremation will follow. Clayton Stevenson Memorial Chapel was entrusted with the arrangements. in 2019.

Thomas Joseph “TJ” Payne Sr., “Wamni Wagan Hokshina,” High Eagle Boy, 39, died Dec. 12, 2019, at his home in Wolf Point. He was born Nov. 21, 1980, to Thomas Franklin Payne and Darla Jackson. He grew up in Oswego and Wolf Point area. He attended school in Wolf Point and Frazer. He worked for A& S Industries as a machine operator and as a ranch/farm hand for the Fort Peck Tribal Ranch and along with other farmers on the river bottom including his uncle Carl. He moved to Louisiana and returned back to his home where he spent time with his daughter, Kaelyn, and his nephew, Jaxon. He played baseball youth sports in Wolf Point and was a fan of the Chicago Bears. He enjoyed spending time with his family and friends. He grew up with his siblings and cousins. He enjoyed hanging out with his cousin Carl “Kid” Payne. He was always laughing and had a great sense of humor. He is survived by his children, Tommy Payne, Kaelyn Payne and Dakota Payne. He took good care of his nephew, Jaxon. He is also survived by his father, Thomas Franklin Payne; and siblings, Olyn Payne and Jeanette Payne. Funeral services were held Friday, Dec. 20, at the new Community Hall in Wolf Point. Interment was at the Oswego Presbyterian Cemetery. Clayton Stevenson Memorial Chapel of Wolf Point was entrusted with arrangements.

Thomas Eugene Nyquist, 88, died Dec. 2, 2019, in New Paltz, N.Y. He was born June 20, 1931, at home on a wheat farm and cattle ranch homesteaded by his parents, northeast of Froid. He lived through the Depression and the Dust Bowl, rode a horse to the one-room Hammond country grade school and graduated valedictorian of a class of seven. He had big dreams and headed to college planning to major in journalism. But, after serving in the Army on Okinawa during the Korean Conflict and traveling to Japan and Taiwan, he returned to study political science at Macalester College in Minnesota. There, he met his bride and subsequent wife of nearly 63 years, Corinne, who was studying international relations. He earned a masters at the University of Montana in Missoula, worked two years as a social worker, then finished a PhD in African studies at Northwestern University in Illinois. He pursued his PhD research in rural Sudan during its civil war, with wife and children in tow. After graduation, a Fulbright Scholarship took them to Apartheid South Africa for 18 months. The family moved to New Paltz in 1968 where he was professor of African studies at the State University of NY in New Paltz and later an administrator at SUNY Central in grants development. He had a strong desire for a life of meaning lived for society and mankind. He served on and then chaired the New Paltz Village Planning Board and the New Paltz Police Commission, was elected to the Ulster County Legislature and the New Paltz Village Board becoming deputy mayor, acting mayor, then elected mayor for four four-year terms. As mayor, he was concerned with infrastructure, but also livability. He oversaw construction of miles of beautiful brick and stone sidewalks and brought into being three village parks. He maintained his international interests by forming a sister city relationship with Niimi/ Osa, Japan, and by hosting a delegation from the USSR. He served on the boards of the YMCA, Ulster Performing Arts Center, Wallkill Valley Rail Trail, Historic Huguenot Street, and was a member of Rotary International and the Paltz Club. On the Board of the International Partnership for Service Learning, he and Corinne traveled to the Czech Republic, Ecuador, England, Jamaica, Mexico and the Rosebud Indian Reservation, S.D. They were founding members and on the executive of the New York African Studies Association, and he co-edited its newsletter for nearly 50 years. In (semi)retirement, he authored a subscription newsletter on grant opportunities for community colleges which he transitioned to a free on-line newsletter he maintained until he was 87. He and family formed the Tom and Corinne Nyquist Foundation in 2004 using the yearly income off the inherited wheat farm in Montana to give small grants to deserving charitable groups in New Paltz and the Froid area. It also funds scholarships and an essay contest in Montana. When a small oil lease on the Montana property came to fruition, they used proceeds to purchase the Nyquist-Harcourt Wildlife Sanctuary in New Paltz which he maintained nearly single-handedly. He took his last walk to check the sanctuary the day he died. He is survived by his wife, Corinne (Johnson) Nyquist; son, Jonathan Nyquist; daughter, Lynn Nyquist); and four granddaughters. He was predeceased by his brothers, Dick Nyquist of Detroit and Bob Nyquist of Bainville. Memorial services will be Saturday, Dec. 28, at 4:30 p.m. at the Reformed Church in New Paltz. An internment service will be held July 18 in Froid.