Wendy Lohre

Wendy Michele Lohre, 47, of Hungry Horse died very unexpectedly Friday, May 23, 2008, after a brief, courageous battle with cervical cancer.

Wendy grew up north of Seattle. She enjoyed camping, fishing, riding motorcycles and hanging out with her friends. In high school she was on the swim team, competed in synchronized swimming, was a lifeguard and taught swim lessons.

After high school Wendy headed north to Alaska where she worked on fishing boats, first as a processor then as a cook. She was know from Dutch Harbor to St. Paul Island for her homemade cookies and cinnamon rolls. The "boys" on her boat were well fed.

In 1994, Wendy was ready for a change from the city and a place for her dog, Keta, to run. She followed friends to Hungry Horse. She had various jobs before being hired on at the Dam Town Tavern as a bartender.

Wendy was a Girl Scout and had a great talent working with handicapped kids. She once slept out on a picnic table and was passed by grizzly bears on their way to play in the water on a moonlit night.

She loved her dogs. She had Pumpkin for 17 years, Keta for 14 years and Hanah and Amanda.

Wendy had many good friends. She looked for the best in everyone and accepted you for who you were. She would do anything for anyone, always putting others before herself.

She is survived by her parents, Orlie and Verlis Lohre of Brier, Wash.; sisters, Lois Lohre and Jill Sliauter; nephews, Jarek and Jack; niece, Erika; and loving aunts and uncles.

Wendy and her family want to thank all her many friends in and around the Canyon. She loved all her cards, flowers, hugs and prayers from all who cared for her.

A gathering celebrating Wendy's life will be held later this summer, giving family and friends time to get to Hungry Horse and enjoy the part of Montana she loved.

Wendy had a heart of gold.

Sandra Pointec

Sandra Lee Pointec, 52, of Columbia Falls passed away in her home Sunday, June 1, 2008. Sandy was born Nov. 26, 1955 in Chicago, Ill.

She took pride in her home; she loved working in her flower gardens, and spending time outdoors in general. Sandy also enjoyed spending time with her children and grandchildren. She was hardworking and always had a few projects in progress. Sandy will be greatly missed by all who loved her.

Sandy is survived by her children, Jacob Moyers, Jennifer Lignos and Mikila Bird; her ex-husband, William Lignos; siblings, Daniel Pointec, Kathie Salandi, Roger Hale Jr., Neil Hale and Robert Zunick; mother and stepfather, Sue and Rodger Libby; and numerous grandchildren, nieces, nephews and friends.

She was preceded in death by her stepfather, Roger Hale Sr., and her brother, Michael Pointec.

Memorial services are held at the Hungry Horse Chapel on June 12 at 6:30 p.m. There will be a potluck barbecue at 629 1st Ave. NW, Hungry Horse, following the services.

Erma Hoppe

Erma H. Hoppe, 89, of Whitefish went to be with her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on June 4, 2008. She passed away as a result of congestive heart failure. She resided at Colonial Manor for the past year.

Erma was born in Sherwood, N.D., on a rural farm southwest of town on Nov. 9, 1918. She was the youngest of six children born to Wilhelm and Hannah Schwabe. She attended Prosperity Elementary School and graduated from Sherwood High School in May of 1937. That fall she entered Trinity Hospital School of Nursing, graduating in the fall of 1940 and then receiving her registered nursing degree through the state board exams. She was employed at Trinity Hospital before joining her classmates who were employed at Deaconess Hospital in Havre.

She was married to Bill Hoppe on March 4, 1942 in Havre. Two weeks after their wedding, Bill was inducted in the Army. He joined Erma and the family after being discharged from the Army at the end of WWII and they continued to live in Havre until they moved to Martin City in July of 1946.

Erma loved her flower gardens and many passing by would have to stop and admire them. She was well known in the canyon for her Hoppe's poppies. She loved to participate in square dancing activities and picked many huckleberries over the years. When the new highway was built through the canyon, the state bought their property and in 1974 they moved to Whitefish. Erma worked at Colonial Manor as the director of nurses from 1973-79.

Erma was an active member of the Lutheran Church Missouri-Synod having been a member of Our Redeemer Lutheran Church in Columbia Falls for the past 51 years. She taught many years of Sunday School and held bible studies in her home. Her Christian faith was of great comfort to her and she witnessed to many.

She took up oil painting beautiful landscapes upon her retirement and was also skilled at all types of needlework. Over the years she made dozens of stocking hats and mittens for children in need in the Flathead. She held a weekly sewing club in her home for years, with her friends. Family members and friends were the lucky recipients of her beautiful work.

Erma is survived by a son, Bill, and daughter-in-law Peggy of Columbia Falls; daughter, Janet and son-in-law Jim Cash of Missoula; son-in-law, Darol Longacre of Frenchtown; granddaughter, Gail Baker; grandson, Stephen Megaard and wife, Cassie, and great-grandchildren, Tyler and Brittney Webb, Kali and Alex Baker, Austin and Megan Megaard; brothers-in-law, Frank of Havre and Walter of Spokane, Wash.; sister-in-law, Ethel Schwabe of North Dakota; and several nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband, Bill; her parents; daughter, Marcia; granddaughter, Marie; and siblings, Louie, Minnie, Chris, Hans and Lillian.

She was preceded in death by her parents; daughter, Marcia Longacre; granddaughter, Marie; and siblings, Louie, Minnie, Chris, Hans and Lillian.

A memorial service will be held for Erma on Saturday, June 14 at 11 a.m. at Our Redeemer Lutheran Church in Columbia Falls, with Pastor Matt Nelson officiating.

The family suggests memorials be made to Our Redeemer Lutheran Church, P.O. Box 2005, Columbia Falls, MT 59912. Austin Funeral Home and Crematory of Whitefish is caring for the family.

Madeline Coverdell

Madeline "Mady" Rose Coverdell, 89, went quietly, with joy in her heart, "to be with her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" on Friday June 6, 2008, in Whitefish.

She was born in Liverpool, England, on Dec. 13,1918, to Frank and Annie McLean. She came to America when she was 18 months old. She only had an eighth-grade education but you would have never known that, because she read everything she could get her hands on and she self taught herself everything. She had five half brothers and one half sister.

As a young woman Mady and her brothers had to spend a lot of time in Moose Heart, Father Bakers and other orphanages. When she was old enough to work she worked in the orphanages to be close to her brothers. She took care of 50 babies at one time and loved every minute of it.

Mady met and married Joe Mrgich in 1942. They spent years apart because of the war but had three children, Mike, John Alan and Judy. Joe was one of the first inventors of the saddle gas tank for semi trucks. When his business failed they moved to California only for a short time.

Joe found work in Montana in 1952 and upon arriving announced, "This is where we will raise our children." Mady went along with him and when she arrived here she totally agreed. They were city folk but set out to learn how to fish and hunt with the best of them. They became true Montanans. They didn't have a fancy life but it sure was a happy one. They had to move back to California due to Joe's health problems. Joe passed away in 1965 while living in California. Mady said after his funeral that she had to come back to her beloved Montana, so she packed up her daughter and came back to remain here forever.

In 1972 she met and married her second beloved husband, Arell Coverdell. Together they raised Arell's youngest son, Kevin. They fished, gardened, raised dogs and traveled to their hearts' content. It was the happiest of years for the both of them.

In 1993 she lost her beloved Arell. She then moved with her daughter, Judy, where she remained the rest of her life.

She lost both her sons to early deaths, and we all admired how she could always find joy in getting up in the morning to another day. After all, she buried two husbands, two sons, two grandchildren, her mom, two of her brothers and a sister; but she always found the positive and beauty in life.

She is survived by her daughter, Judy Rabidue, and her stepson Kevin Coverdell. She is also survived by four other stepchildren, three brothers, daughters-in-law, seven grandchildren and 29 great-grandchildren — definitely more if you count all the stepkids and step-grandkids.

She loved a lot of people and things in life — her husbands, her dogs, fishing, music, everyone that worked at the stores she shopped and her doctors; but she said that most of all she loved her Father in Heaven Jesus Christ.

She got to see and tell everyone she loved goodbye and her last words were, "Please do not have a big fancy funeral. But be sure to tell everyone I said for them to love God, take care of and love each other and above all, be happy." She will be missed by all.

There will be no funeral. A graveside service for the family will be held at a later date.