Bennie Baker Finnicum, 91, died Oct. 15, 2024, at St. Vincent’s Healthcare Center in Billings. He was born on March 8, 1933, to Frances (Harkins) and Ross Finnicum in Clinton, Iowa. He moved to Andes community, Richland County at the age of three months. He attended school at Andes School until the third grade and Mona School until Christmas of seventh grade when he then stayed home to help on the farm while his brother was deployed. In 1951, he met Anne Ochs. They dated for two years before getting married in the courthouse in Sidney on Aug. 22, 1953. They made their home on the family farm seven miles west of Andes. It was the beginning of a long and happy life, raising their five children and then enjoying the many grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He enjoyed feeding the cows in the winter and tinkering in the shop. He was always happy to help the neighbors. His favorite time was harvest. He was a strong and quiet man and had a passion for local history. He enjoyed roller skating and ice skating in his younger years. His eyes

William Edward Tronson, 93, of Medicine Lake died Oct. 16, 2024. He was born June 14, 1931, to Melvin and Lula Tronson at their farm west of Medicine Lake. He moved with his family in 1936 to the farm east of Medicine Lake, where he grew up, attending school and working on the farm. As a boy, he spent many weekends with his grandfather, Edward Spencer, at his farm six miles to the northeast. He enlisted and served in the U.S. Army from November 1951 to November 1954. He attended basic training at Fort Ord, Calif., and Airborne School at Fort Benning, Ga. He served in the Korean War with the 187th Airborne Regimental Combat Team. After the Korean War, he was stationed in Japan with the 187 RCT, Sergeant and Qualified Jump Master. Returning home in 1954, he began raising cattle along with custom grain harvesting. His cattle were well cared for and handled gently. His grain harvest run each year began in Texas, working his way north through Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, Montana and into Canada. He acquired lasting friendships on his harvest run over the 34 years. He was a fair man, respectful

Aloysius Jake Bet His Medicine, 60, died Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2024, at Poplar Community Hospital. He was born Feb. 5, 1964, in Poplar to Marie Bets His Medicine and Joe Bauer. Also, father in life, Jim Brunoski. He attended elementary school in Brockton, junior high school in Riverside, Calif., graduated from Brockton High School and went to college

Frederick “Mister” Dean Silk Jr. (Tantanka Ho’Waste, Good Speaking Buffalo), 51, of Miles City died Oct. 13, 2024. He was born in Glendive to Frederick and Gladys Silk on May 23, 1973. He was a brother to sisters Carleen, Kolleen and Patricia. He grew up on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation where he had lots of family and friends and loved his early morning hunting trips with his dad and cousins. He loved hunting, fishing, camping, powwows, concerts and going to the mountains or just sitting by the river, playing baseball and basketball but not only that he was so talented with his drawings, Native beadwork and singing Native songs. He had various jobs including working at the sawmill in Missoula, a honey factory in Lohman and the Montana Club in Great Falls, but his talent was cooking. When he moved to Miles City recently to be close to his sisters, he was the cook for the Olive Restaurant. He loved to get his name out there with the food he cooked, always receiving compliments on his skills in the kitchen. He might not have always