LaMar Orndorff
LaMar "Bud" Orndorff, 87, passed away Dec. 16, 2004, at the Immanuel Lutheran Home in Kalispell.
Bud was born May 1, 1917, in Warren. He was the oldest of seven children. At 16, he won first place in a statewide physical fitness competition, and at 19 he won the Heavyweight Golden Gloves for the state of Montana.
He met Cora Agnes Rees at a church Halloween party in Washington, D.C. They were married in Pisgah, Md., at Cora's parent's home on Oct. 1, 1938. He served with the U.S. Army in Europe during World War II and fought in the Battle of the Bulge.
Bud took his six kids hiking and fishing in the mountains. He and the boys also enjoyed hunting. Bud worked many jobs, including ranch foreman, commercial fisherman, lumber-grader, Flathead Tunnel foreman, sawmill foreman and Anaconda Aluminum Co. millwright.
He also served two terms as the mayor of Columbia Falls. He always had a huge vegetable garden and built four houses in the area.
He was preceded in death by his parents, one brother, two sisters, his wife of 66 years, Cora, and two sons, Alan and Paul.
He is survived by one brother, John, and two sisters, Anita and Donna; three sons and their wives, Gary and Carole Orndorff, of Missoula, Brian and Darlene Orndorff, of Kalispell, and Jan and Janet Orndorff, of Florence; and one daughter and husband, Vicki and Ron Lamoreaux, of Echo Lake. He had 12 grandchildren and more than 24 great grandchildren.
A funeral service was held Dec. 21, 2004, at the Columbia Mortuary in Columbia Falls.
Nadine McLauchlin
Nadine A. McLauchlin, 70, passed away Dec. 15, 2004, in Columbia Falls.
She was born on Dec. 30, 1933, in Columbia Falls to Jack and Celestine Blades and was raised and educated in Columbia Falls.
Nadine was married to Carl McLauchlin on Aug. 15, 1951, in Columbia Falls. She worked as a credit manager for Cenex in Ronan for 22 years.
She was preceded in death by her parents.
Nadine is survived by her husband Carl, of Columbia Falls; children Carla Higgins and husband Mike, of Colorado, Lea Kemper and husband Quinten, of Idaho, Connie McLauchlin, of Washington, Jay McLauchlin and wife Karen, of Nevada, and Deann Coffey and husband Bob, of Washington; 16 grandchildren; seven great grandchildren; brothers Melvin and Floyd Grigg, of Columbia Falls; and a sister, Geraldine Gimbel, of Columbia Falls.
A memorial service will be held on March 26, 2005 at 2 p.m. at the North Club House in Ronan.
Thomas Hilton
Thomas E. "Tom" Hilton, 60, passed away Dec. 15, 2004, at the North Valley Hospital in Whitefish.
He was born Nov. 25, 1944, in Ogden, Utah, to Walt and Helen Hilton. He was raised and educated in Portland, Ore. and graduated from Parkrose High School in Portland in 1963.
He was married to Mary B. Cullen in 1966 in Portland. Tom graduated from Portland State University in 1970 and served in the Oregon National Guard.
He worked in the lumber industry for 34 years and retired in 2004 after working the last 21 years with Plum Creek Lumber Co. as a lumber salesman.
Some of his favorite activities were spending time with family and friends, fly fishing, golfing, and traveling.
He held a special place in his heart for two foreign exchange students that he considered daughters, Lorena Miguel from Spain and Waka Hashimoto Blair from Japan.
He is preceded in death by his mother, Helen.
Tom is survived by his father and step mother, Walt and Elda Hilton, of Mesa, Ariz.; his wife, Mary Cullen Hilton, of Columbia Falls; sons Ryan Hilton and his wife, Mechele, of Spokane, and Kyle Hilton, of Spokane; grandson Stephen Hilton, of Spokane; brother Jerry Hilton, of Portland, Ore.; and mother-in-law Erma Cullen, of Waldport, Ore.
A Mass was celebrated Dec. 20, 2004, at St. Richard's Catholic Church in Columbia Falls.
The family has suggested that memorials be made to Hospice.
Maurice Simonson
Maurice Glen Simonson, 83, passed away Dec. 3, 2004, at the Montana Veterans Home in Columbia Falls.
He was born in Broken Bow, Neb., and moved with his family to St. Ignatius, where he enjoyed playing basketball in high school. He married Patricia Hays (deceased). His four children of that marriage were Gail Witzel, of Colorado Springs, Colo., with her children Rick, Patti, Wendy, Jerry, Charles and Kathy; Judy Opie (deceased), with her sons Jeff and Robert; son Terry and wife Alena, of Katy, Texas, with his daughters Tracy, Erica and Katelyn; son Ted and wife Thelma, of Rapid City, S.D., and his sons Shane, Scott and Stephen.
Maurice entered the Army in 1944 and served in the South Pacific until 1946. On his return to Montana, he married Mary (Hovey) Young, mother of JeAnna (Peggy J) Wisher and husband John, of Columbia Falls, and their children Paul, Jonna and Luke.
Maurice moved to Washington State in 1953 where he worked as a Teamster. His hobbies were hiking, hunting and fishing, and he loved boating and water skiing.
In 1967, he married Gladys Jones (deceased). He was "Big Daddy" to step children Rex, Regina, and Reggie. He was acting grandpa to Regina's children Cheryl, Angie and Jerry. He leaves a legacy of 20 great grandchildren and one great great grandchild.
In retirement, he traveled with Sam's Motorhome Club, and in 2001 he returned to Montana to live with his daughter JeAnna in Columbia Falls. In 2002, he went to Montana Veterans Home, where he lived and was cared for until the end.
He was preceded in death by brothers Galen, Russell, Harvey and Keith and his sister Ruth. He is survived by sister, Barbara Yandt, of Coeur d'Alene, Idaho.
A memorial service will be held on Dec. 30, 2004, at 3 p.m. at the Columbia Mortuary in Columbia Falls with Pastor Tim Bartholomew, of Stillwater Lutheran Church, officiating, followed by a potluck and celebration of Maurice's life at the Wisher home in Columbia Falls.
He will be interred at Pleasant View Cemetery in St. Ignatius in the spring of 2005.
The family would like to express their thanks and appreciation to the staff at Montana Veterans Home for their special care and attention to Maurice's needs and for helping him feel at home during his stay there. Donations may be made in lieu of flowers to Olney-Bissell School Playground Fund c/o JeAnna Wisher.
Elma Kennedy
Elma M. Kennedy, 83, passed away Dec. 14, 2004, at her home near Columbia Falls.
She was born July 19, 1921, near Rapid City, S.D., to Leslie and Hazel Welling.
Elma is survived by her children, Wayne L. Kennedy, Ronald L. Kennedy, Larry M. Kennedy and Judy M. Kennedy Davis; two brothers, Ernest Welling and Robert Welling; 11 grandchildren; and 26 great grandchildren.
A memorial gathering will be held at a later date.