Louis Church

Louis Albert Church, 43, passed away Thursday, Dec. 27, 2007 at home — surrounded by his loving family after a courageous 12-year battle beginning with leukemia and the resulting in immunosuppression from his bone marrow transplant.

Louie was born Feb. 13, 1964 in Midland, Mich., to Thomas and Mary Jane (Hartman) Church. He moved to Montana at age 5, went to grade school in Martin City and graduated from Columbia Falls High School in 1982. After graduation, he went to the Merchant Marine Academy and on to six years with the U.S. Navy, where he traveled the world aboard the U.S.S. Ranger.

He married his best friend, Suzanne Brimhall, on June 20, 1987 at his grandmother's cherry orchard on Flathead Lake. After leaving the Navy, he went to work for Western Area Power Administration in California and Arizona. Louie then went on to work for Bonneville Power Administration as an electrician and technical services consultant for a total of 17 years. He grew up loving to hunt and fish in the woods of Montana. He realized his dream of moving back to the Flathead Valley to raise and watch his children grow. His greatest joy was spending time with his friends and family.

Louie was preceded in death by his father, Thomas Church of Martin City; grandparents, Fred and Orra Mae Hartman, and Albert and Sarah Church.

He is survived by his loving wife of 20 years, Suzanne, and his three children Lori, Emily and Daniel of Columbia Falls; his mother, Mary Jane Church; sister, Carma (John) Johnson, and Cathy (Mike) Nash; niece, Brandi (Chris) Sinerius and son, Jacob; and nephews, Bill Johnson, Tommy Church and Shelby Nash.

Memorial services will be held this summer on Abbott Creek — where Louie grew up and spent his childhood.

Max Williams

Max W. Williams, 90, passed away Dec. 24, 2007, at the Montana Veterans' Home in Columbia Falls, where he resided for the last three years.

Max was born Sept. 26, 1917 in Provo, Utah, to Willard and Marie Williams. He attended school in Provo and Orem Utah. He worked on the family farm and dairy as a young man. In 1941 he joined the Army and served during World War II in Africa, southern France and Germany. After the war he returned to Utah and worked in the family grocery store until he moved to Montana.

After moving to Montana, Max worked as a foreman on the Hungry Horse Dam and later on Box Canyon Dam at Ione, Wash. He then became a timber faller working for several logging companies. He later worked for Glacier National Park and helped clear the Going to the Sun Road every spring. Max retired from the Park Service several times but each spring he would go back for "just one more year."

He owned and ran Angels Tavern in Coram with Charlotte (Parker) Williams until selling it in 1973. He was a founding member of Coram Water Department, placing many of the original water lines. Max resided in Coram from 1949 until 2004 when he moved to the Montana Veterans' Home.

Max was married to Frances Diller in 1949. They had three children, Susan, Joan and Bill. This marriage ended in divorce. Max married Charlotte Parker in 1967; she passed away in 1974. He then married Doris Fitzpatrick, who preceded him in death in 2003. He was also preceded in death by his parents; brother, Warren "Bill" Williams; sisters, Elleanora Skinner, Edith Jones and Maurine Madsen; son-in-law, Darryl Parker; and grandson Robert Parker.

He is survived by two sisters, Lois Park and Norma Hiatt; daughters, Susan Parker, Pasadena, Md.; and Joan Kelly and son-in-law Dick Kelly, Priest River, Idaho; son, Bill Williams, Coram; grandchildren, Shawna Bandoch, Sheree Reich, Jody Barta and Jennifer Kelly; eight great grandchildren; stepsons, Jerry Ivers, Ed Ivers, Ron Ivers, Tom Ivers and Mike Fitzpatrick; step-daughters Carol Truskowski and Jeanie Weber; and numerous step-grandchildren.

A memorial service was scheduled for Wednesday, Jan. 2 at 10 a.m. at Columbia Mortuary in Columbia Falls.

Mary Allabaugh

Mary Allabaugh, 54, of Columbia Falls passed away on Dec. 23, 2007, following the angels home to be with the Lord.

Mary was born on July 18, 1953 to Kenneth and Elizabeth (Betty) Nutzman, in Bemidji, Minn., The family moved to Montana when she was 2, and it was here that she called home.

On Oct. 6, 1975 she married the man of her dreams, Edward Allabaugh, and soon became the best mother two children could ever have. They are Misty Angel Allabaugh and Thomas Grant Allabaugh, both of Columbia Falls. She adored them and never failed to tell them how proud she was or how much she loved them. Mary never passed on an opportunity to go with her children on field trips or volunteer at school. She took Misty and Thomas to school in the best and worst of weather, never making them ride the bus. She made sure they had everything they needed, from the time they were born until the day she passed.

Mary was the perfect example of a wife, mother, grandmother, daughter, sister and friend. The past 15 months she felt so very blessed to have a new grandson, Mathew Dyllan Allabaugh, born on Aug. 7, 2006. She was happiest with her family, whether it be spending hours fishing on Lake Mary Ronan or hunting Thompson River.

Mary laughed from deep within, she loved from her heart and she lived to love and please her family.

She is survived by her husband, Ed Allabaugh; daughter Misty, son Thomas and his wife, Adriann, along with grandson Mathew, all of Columbia Falls, and her special boy, Colten Jacobsmeyer of Kalispell; her mother, Betty Nutzman; brothers David and James Nutzman of Salt Lake City, Utah; brothers, Ron and Dick Nutzman of Columbia Falls; sisters, Judy Counsell of Salt Lake City, and Sandy Lainhart of Tulsa Okla., and many nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles and cousins.

She was preceded in death by her father Ken, brother Bobby, and numerous aunts, uncles and cousins.

Mary is now pain free and happy in the arms of our Lord. All her family and friends will miss her deeply, but rejoice in the knowledge that she is now at peace in Heaven. Mary will forever be her family and friends' Christmas angel.

A memorial service was held Saturday, Dec. 29 at the Columbia Mortuary in Columbia Falls.

Russell Landt

Russell Willard Landt, 68, of Kalispell passed away Thursday, Dec. 20, 2007 at Immanuel Lutheran Home in Kalispell. Russell was born on Feb. 21, 1939 in Detroit Lakes, Minn., to Willard and Bonita (Johnston) Landt. He attended school in Detroit Lakes and graduated from Detroit Lakes High School in 1957. He then went to North Dakota University for a short time before transferring to Moorhead State in Minnesota, where he received his Bachelor of Science degree in History and Biology.

Russell married Beatrice LaChance on Sept.. 10, 1966 in Columbia Falls. He was able to spend his entire career in the place he enjoyed most — Glacier National Park. His career started in 1958 and he retired in 2000. He held every job, starting on the trails and concluding as road foreman of the West Side crew.

His great love of the Park was filled with many joys and challenges. Among these were the opportunity to be the pioneer cat operator for the Going to the Sun Highway. Russell loved the outdoors, his grandchildren and football, especially the Tennessee Volunteers.

He was preceded by death by his parents. He is survived by his loving wife of 41 years, Bea Landt of Coram; daughter Shawna Landt of Columbia Falls; son Rob Landt and his wife, Sherie, of Hurricane, Utah; seven grandchildren; brother Dave Landt and his wife, Mary, of Lake Havasu City, Ariz.; niece Kendra Condit and her husband, Dwayne; and nephew Colter Landt.

Memorial services will be held at a later date. Buffalo Hill Funeral Home and Crematory is caring for the family.

Herbert Callies

Herbert Emil Callies, 92, passed away Thursday, Dec. 20, 2007 at his home at Riverside Senior Living in Whitefish.

He was born Oct. 2, 1915 to Robert and Ella Callies in Garrison, N.D., and grew up there. Herb married Frances Anderson on June 24, 1937 in Minot, N.D. During World War II, Herb was a fireman at The Boeing Company in Seattle, Wash. In 1945 the couple returned to Garrison where Herb was editor of the McLean County Independent. In 1951 the family moved to Whitefish and Herb went to work for Gurnie Moss at the Whitefish Pilot where he worked until his retirement. After retirement Herb worked at Plum Creek Fiberboard and also ran his own printing business.

Herb is survived by his sister, Lillian Christensen, of Gig Harbor, Wash.; two daughters, Linda Bakeberg of Issaquah, Wash., and Janet Card of Glen Allen, Virginia; one son, Tom Callies of Whitefish; six grandchildren, Susie Hall, Phil Card, Mary Carson, Julie Ferris, Shawna Martin and Meghann Callies; and seven great-grandchildren.

He was a life-long Lutheran and a member of Christ Lutheran Church since 1951. He will be remembered as a devoted and caring husband, father, grandfather and friend.

A memorial Celebration of Life service was held on Friday, Dec. 28 at Christ Lutheran Church in Whitefish. Memorial gifts may be made in Herb's name to Shepherd's Hand Clinic of Christ Lutheran Church.