Bill "Billy" Roach

Bill "Billy" Roach, 64, passed away on Feb. 21, 2007, in Somers. Billy was born in Odessa, Texas, on March 31, 1943.

Shortly after graduating from high school, he joined the U.S. Marines. Most of the time he was stationed at Camp Pendleton.

With Billy¹s charm, he worked his way into being a swimming pool lifeguard and running a Dempsey Dunker machine, which was used to train pilots how to get out of their airplane after hitting the water.

Being that the camp is on the ocean, he took up surfing; mostly at Huntington Beach, 20 miles up the coast. Billy was discharged in 1964, and for a time became a surf bum, helping out at the local surf shops, partaking of the many beach parties and fitting into the life of a California surfer in general.

In the mid 1960s, Billy was accepted into the Garden Grove Fire Department a few miles inland of Huntington Beach.

After wrecking his Porsche, and another time ending up in the hospital for several days because, while riding his bike to work, the front tire fell through the metal grating of a storm drain., the Grove Fire Department fired him; mainly because he refused to cut his hair. Billy had become a full-fledged surfer.

In 1966, he married Suzi Sullivan. His new father-in-law wanted to set him up in a very successful burger chain along the Pacific Coast Highway. This would have been a gold mine but, being an outlaw and surfer, Billy refused.

Suzi died within a year.

Billy moved to Santa Barbara, Calif., and took up fishing.

He married Linda Davis. This lasted a few years.

Billy sold his home in Santa Barbara, his boat and the docking slip and they moved to Utah.

After a few years there, Billy moved back to the beach.

Life had changed in Southern California with the increase in crowds both in and out of the surf, so he moved again, this time to Whitefish. He supported himself by playing cards, mostly at Casey¹s Bar and perhaps dabbling in the import-export business.

In 1990 he started spending his summers in Alaska, working as a fishing and hunting guide out of Gabbart¹s Fishing Camp. Winters were spent at Judy Whirry and Mike Turner¹s house in Columbia Falls. Billy gambled all winter and fished all summer.

In 2005 Billy became a year-round resident of Somers, selling cars in Kalispell.

Billy Roach was a true character. If you were a friend of his, he would literally give you the shirt off his back. His life reads like an adventure story. He loved women, then lost them. He had money; that also slipped away. Yet he was always there, sometimes larger than life. "This Texan was born 100 years too late."

He was a true friend and will be missed by all who loved him.

There will be no official service.

Friends who want to say good-bye to Billy can get together at 5 p.m. at the Rainbow Bar on Wednesday, March 12, for drinks and storytelling about the life of Billy Roach ‹ a true California and Montana character.

Gertrude Julia St. Onge

Gertrude Julia St. Onge 86, a long time Whitefish resident died Feb. 26, 2007 at the Immanuel Lutheran Home in Kalispell of natural causes.

She was born February 28, 1920 in Hammond, Ind., the daughter of Steve and Alice Panko. She lived in Michigan until 1948.

She married Roy Daniel St. Onge on June 14, 1939 and the couple had four children and in 1948 came to a ranch in Trego, and then came to Whitefish from 1961 to 1999.

Gertrude enjoyed sewing and traveling and was involved in clubs and organizations in her community. She was a member of the Catholic Church.

Following the death of her husband, Roy in 1979 she worked at Alpine Touch.

She is preceded in death by her parents, husband Roy and a son, Larry St. Onge in 1982.

She is survived by two sons Ron (Carolyn) St. Onge in Bigfork; Ed (Ginger) St. Onge in Polebridge. A daughter, Betty Ann (Lowell) McKee in Spokane, Wash. She is also survived by 14 grandchildren 22 great-grandchildren and by many other relatives and friends.

Viewing was March 3 at the Austin Funeral Home in Whitefish. Funeral services were March 3 also at the funeral home with Rev. Ron Pierce, officiating. Burial followed at the Glacier Memorial Gardens Cemetery in Kalispell.

The family suggest that any memorials be made to the Brantsberg Wing of the Immanuel Lutheran Home.

Verna Mae Chase

Verna Mae Chase, 81, of Kalispell, died at Heritage Place on Tuesday, March 3, 2007.

She was born April 21, 1925 at the family home in Todd County, Minn., to Ervin and Zoa Anderson.

She married Harris Chase on Nov. 23, 1941 at Union Corners Church near Hewitt, Minn.

During and after the years following World War II, she spent her time as a housewife. Verna was an avid homemaker. She loved to sew, cook, paint, and crochet, along with many other activities, and an exceptionally loving mother to her children.

Verna loved music. She spent many hours accompanying Harris¹s fiddle, and they enjoyed being active in the Montana State Old Time Fiddlers.

Verna was preceded in death by parents, Ervin and Zoa; her husband, Harris Chase; her brothers, Leslie, Morris, Archie and Leo; and her daughters, Joanie Jean and Yvonne Acheson.

She is survived by her sisters, Zella Chase, Amelia Haller, and Marilyn Becker; brother, Ervin Anderson Jr.; sons, Michael Chase (wife Neila), Jeff Chase (wife Lynn); daughters, Jeanne Everhart (husband Doug), and Sylvia Stenzel (husband Roger); grandchildren, Drew Acheson (wife Julie, Renee Worthington (husband Rich), Tracy Acheson, Pamela Clark (husband Jim), Jason Acheson, Joe Stenzel (wife Sara), and Kacie Touchstone; great-grandchildren, Jocelyn, Natasha, and Josette Acheson, Brandi Sweet, Connor and Gareth Clark, Kaylee and Elena Touchstone; and great-great grandchild, Gabriel Sweet.

A funeral service was held Wednesday, March 7, 2007, at the Columbia Mortuary in Columbia Falls. Rev. David Merkel officiated. Burial followed at the Montana Veterans Home Cemetery in Columbia Falls.

Barry "Ben" Shelley

Our Heavenly Father took his child Ben Shelley back into his arms on March 1, 2007. Ben was on this Earth 64 years.

Ben was born in Mountain Grove, Mo., on June 9, 1942. He was the fifth child born to Ernie and Esther Shelley. Ben¹s family moved to southeastern Washington in 1950. He spent his school years in Dayton, Wash., graduating from high school in 1961.

Ben married his high school sweetheart Eleanor Ann Hoon "Sami" in 1962. They had two children, Tammy born in 1965 and Timothy born in 1967.

He worked in construction on Whitman College in Walla Walla, Wash., and for a private contractor, Glen Magill in Dayton and in 1971 they moved their family to Columbia Falls where he worked at Columbia Falls Aluminum Co. for 29 years, retiring in 1998.

Ben enjoyed his 10-acre farm, he took a burned out house and made it in to a very comfortable home to raise his family in. He spent his days fencing, feeding animals and doing yard work. He enjoyed being a "farmer."

He was a 4-H leader while his kids were active and spent many hours with Tammy and her horses and Tim and his pigs.

After Tammy and Tim were gone his interest in working with wood was renewed and he built many boxes, nutcrackers and different projects and his wife painted them. They made a good team and were members of Artists and Craftsman of the Flathead Valley doing craft shows over the years, if he could see it, he could build it.

Ben had a great love for hunting and fishing. He hunted with family members especially taking an interest in the "young hunters" of the family coming up. He was a good teacher and so proud of his son and brothers-in-law and nephews when they got their first wild game. He loved to talk about the "great hunts" and adventures he had. He had a small fishing boat and many memories were made fishing Lake Koocanusa and the Hungry Horse Reservoir. He finally got his mother-in-law out in the boat fishing and he was proud of that.

Ben made two trips to Kodiak Alaska fishing and he takes good fun memories with him to the hunting and fishing wonderland in the sky. He was proud of his captain Bruce McNeil that always made sure that Ben had a good time and caught fish and his first mate Cheryl that made wonderful food for all of us to keep our strength up.

Ben loved camping and cooking outdoors whether it was hunting, fishing or just camping. He enjoyed frying up a large frying pan with "camping hash" as much as his family enjoyed eating it.

They had a wonderful period in their lives, when his wife had her horse, "Kee" and Ben had his horse "Duce." They went on so many trail rides and saw so many things that they wouldn't have otherwise seen. Probably our favorite ride was in to Cracker Lake. The color of the lake was beautiful and there was a rainbow, absolutely gorgeous.

Ben loved the gift that Tammy gave him, his four grandchildren. Colton is 17, Nicole is 13, Lilly Ann is 11 and Marshall or "Buster" as his Papa called him is 8. We are ever so grateful that Ben was able to spend some time with them and hope that they have good forever memories of their Papa.

Ben had a deep faith in Our Heavenly Father and was not afraid to die. He knew where he was going; he just didn't want to go yet. He will join our son Tim and they will be waiting for me when my time is done. Tim passed away in 2002.

Waiting for Ben to complete his journey is his son Tim, Ben¹s mother and dad, Ernie and Esther Shelley, brothers Bill, Larry and Grover Lee and his sister Freda.

There are many of us left behind for now and we will have to enjoy the memories that he left us. His best bud Duane that he shared coffee with and along with his wife, Lainie, we have so many memories that we made traveling together and playing cards and helping each other through the many trials that life always pitches at you. Through the years we shared our children loving each and everyone for who they are.

His brother-in-law Mick and wife Brenda, his sister-in-law Nancy and husband Earl and brother-in-law Dan. His nieces and nephews will always miss him "picking on them" but we hope they realize how proud he was of them and the love he has for them.

His sister Deane and husband Donald that live in Missouri, he always had a few whoppers to tell her.

His mother-in-law and dad-in-law that traveled all over the western states to see rodeo and bull riding. We truly love the sport, it didn't matter if it was a big show or a little show, we loved it. We have so many memories of that.

Ben has been in extreme pain for several years and now he is free of the pain and limitations that he had. He will be around us and probably "bugging" the kids.

He'll come visit his horse Duce, they have so many memories.

Ben liked to be gruff but he didn't do a very good imitation, he was a marshmallow. He was a good man that was always ready to help his neighbor. He has a large extended family one little young man named after him, baby Ben Beatty that lives in Arizona.

Ben leaves behind so many friends, his family is taken care of. He would like any donations to be made to hospice.

When you think of Ben please think of him with a smile.

A memorial service will be held at 10 a.m. on Saturday, March 10, 2007 at the Columbia Mortuary in Columbia Falls.