Charles Patton

Former Columbia Falls resident Charles M. Patton, 86, died Nov. 17, 2008, at the Heritage Manor nursing home in Bloomington, Ill.

Charles was born Oct. 15, 1922, in Normal, Ill., to Lester and Lela Fay Patton. He served in the Navy during World War II. On Aug. 20, 1944, Charles and Myra L. Patton were married. In 1953 the family moved to Neenah, Wis., where he owned and operated an automotive garage. The family moved to Columbia Falls in 1962 and operated various gas stations and automotive garages.

After retiring, in 1994 Charles and Myra returned to Lexington, Ill.

He loved hunting, fishing and camping with friends in Montana for many years.

Charles was preceded in death by his wife, Myra, in 1996, his parents, a brother and a sister. He is survived by his children, James Patton, Rowlett, Texas; Michael (Margaret) Patton, Atlanta, Ga.; and Peggy (Leo) Drumm, Reno, Nev.; four granddaughters; and five great-grandchildren.

Arrangements are under the care of Calvert & Froelich Memorial Homes of El Paso, Ill. To share memories and condolences, visit www.calvertmemorial.com. Cremation has taken place and no services are planned per his request.

Albert Kerestes

Albert Andrew Kerestes, 84, of Whitefish passed away Nov. 19, 2008, following an automobile accident. He was born Nov. 1, 1924, in Mt. Carmel, Penn., to Andrew and Susan (Batcha) Kerestes. Albert was born into a loving, old-country Slovak family that was focused upon their faith in God. He was baptized and confirmed in Saint Matthew’s Slovak Lutheran Church.

He attended school in Mt. Carmel and served his apprenticeship as a tool maker and machinist at the Pollack Manufacturing Company in Newark, N.J.

In 1947 Albert married his life-long soul mate Cora Payne of Whitefish. They returned to New Jersey for several years before moving to Whitefish in 1950 to make it their home.

Albert worked on the construction of both the Hungry Horse Dam and the Anaconda Aluminum Plant in Columbia Falls. He was one of the first permanent employees hired by Anaconda in 1955 and retired as the supervisor of the machine shop in 1982.

Albert and Cora have been active members of Christ Lutheran Church ever since their return to Whitefish. Albert was a very active person. He and Cora were avid campers and square dancers — making friends everywhere they went.

Albert leaves behind his beloved wife Cora after 61 years of marriage; son Glenwood (wife Kathryn) of Billings; granddaughter Amy Larsen (husband Christian) of Roundup; and twin great-granddaughters Megan and Elizabeth Larsen.

Services were held Monday, Nov. 24 at the Christ Lutheran Church, 5150 River Lakes Parkway in Whitefish, with internment following at the Fairview Cemetery.

Arrangements were handled by the Austin Funeral Home in Whitefish.

Mark Mellem

Mark Matthew Mellem, 51, went to be with our Father in Heaven on Nov. 18, 2008, after his second battle with cancer. Mark passed away at home in the care of his loving family.

He was born on April 2, 1957. in Kalispell to Emil and Marie (Tracey) Mellem, where he resided for the remainder of his life. He was the youngest of four children.

Mark went to school at Batavia through the eighth grade, and then started high school at Flathead High. He then joined the U. S. Army at age 17. After leaving the military he worked for Columbia Falls Aluminum Co. for 27 years. Shortly after, he worked three years for Dutton Hauling.

In 1992 he married the love of his life, Anncherie Lansing.

Mark loved to fish where you could pretty much find him out on Flathead Lake at anytime. He had much faith and was often seen sitting with his children discussing the Bible. Mark enjoyed his three grandchildren and loved them with all his heart.

Mark was preceded in death by his parents and grandparents. He is survived by his wife, Anncherie; children Dustin and Christopher Mellem; Melissa Mellem and R.J. Beach, Jack and Heather Mellem and four boys, and Amanda Mellem and Brandon Marinson; grandchildren Kaiden Lewis, Gavin Matthew Mellem-Beach, Ava Griswold, and baby Martinson, due in June; brothers John Mellem of Salt Lake City, Utah; Emil (Sherry) Mellem of Sandpoint, Idaho; sister Linda (Wes) Lane of Mesa, Ariz.; and numerous aunts, uncles, cousins, nephews, nieces and friends.

The Mellem family would like to greatly show its appreciation to Hospice (Lori), and the doctors and nurses for all of their wonderful care they gave Mark.

Visitation for Mark was Sunday, Nov. 23 at Buffalo Hill Funeral Home and funeral services were held there Monday, Nov. 24, with burial following at Glacier Memorial Gardens. Buffalo Hill Funeral Home is caring for the family. Friends are encouraged to visit their Web site at www.buffalohillfh.com to leave condolences for the family.

David Sanders

David M. Sanders, 75, passed away Friday, Nov. 21, 2008, at his home in Columbia Falls.

He was born March 18, 1933, in Boise, Idaho, to Harold and Lorraine Sanders. The family lived at Arrow Rock Dam, then moving to Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, and then to Wallace, Idaho. Dave attended school there. The family moved to Billings and in 1949 to Columbia Falls. He graduated from Columbia Falls High School in 1952.

He loved sports and played football, basketball and track. In the summer, he worked at the Hungry Horse Dam.

He married Delores Ball in August 1952.

Dave was drafted into the Army in 1953. His basic and officers candidate school was at Ford Ord, Calif., then over seas to Korea and then to Scofield Army Base in Honolulu, Hawaii. After his honorable discharge in 1955, he returned to Columbia Falls.

Construction was just being finished on the Anaconda Aluminum Company Plant and he was one of the first hires at the start of production. He worked for 32 years, the last 20 years as a pot line foreman. He retired in 1985. He then went to work for Big Sky Resort in security and was chief coffee maker and fire builder. He worked there 12 more years and retired. He and Delores then began spending winters in warm, sunny Kona, Hawaii.

Dave was preceded in death by his parents and a granddaughter.

He is survived by his wife, Delores; daughters Debra (Ken) Horinek of Kalispell, Dixie Schult (special friend, Bruce Weighall) of Afton, Wyo., and Dannette (Kirk) Dana of Thayne, Wyo.; nine grandchildren; 15 great-grandchildren; brothers Wayne of Libby and Carl (Joyce) of Columbia Falls; sister, Carol (Dave) Fleihr of Grants Pass, Ore.; sisters-in-law Pat Kjosen and Myrna (Dwight) Hauglie of North Dakota and Farrel (Lou) Palazzo of New York; and many nieces and nephews.

His hobbies included camping and fishing, and making green jigs for his fishing buddies. He enjoyed spending the summers at Bitterroot Lake, laying in the hammock, naming the wildlife and bird watching.

He passed away peacefully at home getting ready to go fishing. His ashes will be scattered this coming summer as per his wishes in his favorite fishing spots.

Margeret Gesek

Margaret Gesek, 72, died on Nov. 21, 2008 at Kalispell Regional Medical Center. The cause of death was a stroke. Her son and daughter were at her side at the time of her passing.

Margaret was born Aug. 4, 1936, in Dover, Del., the youngest of three daughters, to Dauphin and Marie Wharton. She attended elementary and high schools in Dover and later studied at Stratford College in Danville, Va.

Margaret returned to Dover where she worked for state government. She married Wayne Shanahan of Whitefish while he served as a pilot in the Air Force. A devoted mother, Margaret raised two children in a career military family. Despite frequent deployments and other hardships faced by military families, she always created a loving home environment. The marriage lasted 31 years.

Upon Wayne’s retirement, Margaret moved with her family to Whitefish, where she established deep roots in the community. She worked in retail stores on Big Mountain and Whitefish, making lasting friendships with employees and customers.

She married Robert Gesek in 1996 and continued to reside in Whitefish before moving to Columbia Falls a few years later. In retirement, Margaret volunteered her time for her church and community charities. A wonderful cook and baker, she frequently prepared meals for her friends and neighbors.

Margaret was an avid outdoor enthusiast. She enjoyed walking and loved nothing more than to travel to the mountains with Bob to pick huckleberries and mushrooms. She was especially fond of Glacier National Park and made many trips there to enjoy the rugged mountain scenery. Margaret was adored by her family and friends for her kind heart, gentleness and sense of humor. One of her greatest joys was becoming a grandmother to Fiona Margaret in 2007.

Margaret is survived by her husband, Robert Gesek of Columbia Falls; her sisters Mary Sugrue of Carmichael, Calif., and Dauphine Palenski of Dover, Del.; daughter Mary Shanahan of Santa Barbara, Calif.; son Tom and daughter-in-law Irena and granddaughter Fiona Margaret Shanahan of Galloway, N.J.; step-daughters Diane Delaney of Missoula, and Patricia Merlot of Federal Way, Wash.; and step-son Bobby Gesek of Great Falls.

Services were held Nov. 25 at Saint Richard’s Roman Catholic Church in Columbia Falls. A lunch was held after the services.

The family requests that donations be made to St. Jude’s or local food banks.