Candace Howell

Candace Howell, 44, died peacefully Nov. 12, 2009, after a determined and courageous battle with breast cancer.

A third-generation Whitefish native, Candace was born July 21, 1965, the eldest daughter of John and Phyllis Garlitz. A 1983 graduate of Whitefish High School, she went on to graduate from the University of Montana where she met her best friend and future husband Stuart Howell.

In March 1991, two beautiful premature babies were born into their family: Alec and Devon. Candace and Stuart made a formidable team and their boys came home in August of that year. Sadly, Devon died just before his fourth birthday.

Once she knew the battle she faced, Candace stated, "I have cancer, but it doesn't have me. If the doctors have something to report, I'll be out riding my bike." Until recently, she lived each day to the fullest. She was determined to see Alec graduate from high school in 2010, but her body betrayed her.

Candace was preceded in death by grandparents Louise and Leroy Strunk and Alta Thompson; uncle James Garlitz; and brother-in-law Richard Dean.

She is survived by her husband Stuart; son Alec; parents Jack and Phyllis Garlitz; sister Cindy Dean; uncles Charles Strunk and wife Robin, of St. Helens, Ore., and Rodney Strunk and wife Candace, of Columbia Falls; aunt Hazel Van Dessel and husband Robert, of Joplin; father- and mother-in-law William and Patricia Howell, of Gold Canyon, Ariz.; sisters-in-law Karen Toomey and husband Ray, of Colorado Springs, Colo., and Carol Sevier and husband William, of The Hague, Netherlands; brother-in-law Steven Howell and wife Toni, of Washington, D.C.; special friends Jennifer Havens, Zana Faulkner, Sandy Schott and Darrell Johnson; and numerous other family members and friends.

A celebration of life will be held at the Whitefish Moose Home, 230 West 10th Street, on Saturday, Nov. 21, at 5 p.m.

Memorials may be made to Alec's college account at the Whitefish Credit Union or to Hospice of Kalispell.

Phyllis Sirucek

Phyllis Jane Sirucek, 82, of Rocklin, Calif., passed away Oct. 12, 2009, in Roseville, Calif.

Phyllis was born in Whitefish to Harold and Nora Bailey on Aug. 12, 1927. She went to school in Whitefish.

She led a full life, including time spent in Panama with her husband, Melvin Conrad, who passed away in 1960. She married Jack Sirucek on Dec. 23, 1974, in Kalispell.

Phyllis worked for the Capitol Record Club and Conrad Casualty, and she founded the first lighting showroom in Kalispell, The Lighthouse, along with many other accomplishments.

She was preceded in death by her husband Jack Sirucek; brother Robert Bailey; and sister Elaine Cloud.

She is survived by her children, Richard Conrad, of Watsonville, Calif., Janet Pearsall, of Lower Lake, Calif., Steven Conrad, of Sacramento, Calif., Thomas Conrad, of Auburn, Calif., Russell Sirucek, of Calgary, Alberta, Collette Mueller, of Red Deer, Alberta, and Lauren Smith, of Simi Valley, Calif.; sister Guinevere Beller, of Kalispell; and numerous nieces, nephews, grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Private funeral services were held Nov. 13, 2009, in San Jose, Calif. Burial followed at Oak Hill Memorial Park.

Memorials may be given to Immanuel Lutheran Home of Kalispell.

Jesse Crayne

Jesse Lea Crayne, 25, died Nov. 9, 2009, in a fatal car accident north of Spokane, Wash., while on his way to work.

He grew up in Whitefish and graduated from Whitefish High School in 2003. He was living in Colville, Wash., at the time of the accident.

Jesse constructed bridges, did underwater welding and operated cranes. He was greatly passionate about his work. He will be greatly missed.

He loved his family and friends, and always put a smile on their face.

He was preceded in death by his younger brother, Jason Lea Crayne.

Jesse is survived by his mother Linda Crayne; his sister Amber Crayne; his newborn baby of three weeks, Lillee Ann Crayne; his girlfriend Jenni and her children Rylee and Sydnee.

A celebration of life took place Nov. 14, 2009, at the Saddle Club in Whitefish.

An account at Whitefish Credit Union will be set up for donations in Jesse's daughter's name.

Evelyn Nelson

Evelyn Buehler Nelson, 91 passed away Nov. 5, 2009, in Whitefish.

She was born April 14, 1918, in Ogden, Utah. She attended Washington School for 10 years and Ogden High School for two years. She attended Weber College and worked as a secretary at KLO Radio Station.

Evelyn met the love of her life, Ned Nelson, in Kalispell, and they were married in Berkeley, Calif. in August 1938. They were married for 40 years and had four children.

Evelyn and Ned both loved traveling, and after his death in July 1979, she took two trips to Europe. She went back to school and graduated from Spokane Falls Community College, volunteered at St. Luke's Memorial Hospital in Spokane, and loved teaching the Cultural Refinement lessons in Relief Society for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

The last years of her life were spent in Whitefish, where Ned had built a beautiful log home on Whitefish Lake.

Evelyn is survived by brothers Carl and Bob Buehler and sister Jean Bradshaw; children Linda Spencer, Judith Ross, Janis Carlton and Ned Nelson Jr.; grandchildren Scott and Mark Kirklin, Aimee Eliason, David, Michael and Martin Ross, Heidi Mann, Gretchen Smith, Kindra Weber, Dustin Mann, Nicki and Jessica Nelson; and numerous great grandchildren.

A private memorial service was held Nov. 9, 2009, at Glacier Memorial Cemetery.

Charlotte Markus

Charlotte M. Markus passed away on Nov. 12, 2009, at Heritage Place in Kalispell. She leaves a loving family with wonderful memories.

Charlotte was born June 7, 1923, in Jamestown, N.D. Her parents, Dorrance and Edna (Smith) Freese, moved their family to Whitefish in 1936. Charlotte's father opened Freese Pharmacy soon after, which was in the First National Bank Building. Her mother worked for Dr. John Simons for many years.

After graduating from Whitefish High School in 1941, Charlotte attended secretarial school in Spokane and worked for the Air Force as a secretary in Colorado Springs, Portland and finally San Francisco.

There she met the love of her life, Richard (Bob) Gianoli. They were married at Bob's parents' home in San Francisco in 1945.

Charlotte and Bob bought a house in Menlo Park and started a family. During that time, Charlotte was mostly a homemaker. Bob and Char garnered many lifelong friends. They were a fun loving couple, both with great senses of humor.

The family moved to Ukiah, Calif., in 1959, where Charlotte worked at Ukiah High School as secretary to the principal. Unfortunately, Bob passed away unexpectedly in 1975, three days before their 30th anniversary.

During a Whitefish High School reunion in 1980, Char met high school friend Ray Markus, and the couple married. They built a house on Whitefish Lake, living there until divorcing in 1984. Charlotte then moved to Santa Rosa, Calif., to be near her daughter.

When Charlotte's children decided to relocate to the Flathead in 2001, she moved back. At the crossing of the Montana border, Char said with tears, "I'm home". She has lived in Whitefish since the move.

Charlotte was preceded in death by her father, mother, brother Gene Freese and husband Bob Gianoli.

She is survived by her daughter Marilyn Moyer and husband Don, of Bigfork; son Alan Gianoli and wife Jo, of Columbia Falls; and granddaughter Heather Hinkley and husband Eric, of San Jose, Calif.

Private internment will be in Whitefish Cemetery.

Richard Hoefle

Richard C. Hoefle, (Dick, Hef), beloved husband, father, father-in-law, grandfather, great grandfather, brother and uncle, gave up his race through life on Nov. 10, 2009, surrounded by family.

Dick was born Sept 12, 1924, in Seattle, Wash., the eldest son of Clarence and Anne Hoefle. He grew up in Highland, Ill., and San Diego, Calif.

He enrolled in the Navy and served as a naval officer on the ship LST 1129 by the time he was 20. After his Navy years, Dick worked in Glacier, Yosemite and Yellowstone national parks as a hotel waiter, rewiring lookout towers and as a ranger.

He graduated from Colorado University in Boulder with a degree in chemistry. After graduation, Dick roughnecked for three months in Texas before settling in Casper, Wyo., and working for Shell Oil.

There Dick began his 60-year career in the oil industry and found the love of his life, Jan Osborne. They were married in Billings on Oct 10, 1953, and made Billings their home for the remainder of their lives.

Dick lived each day of his life fully and ran his race hard until the finish line. Some of Dick's most favorite memories were the vacations he took with his wife and boys skiing and staying at the Red Lodge house and fishing on the Baja Peninsula and in Alaska. He loved to hunt elk, deer, ducks, geese and pheasants and taught his sons and grandsons to love the sport as well.

He is preceded in death by his parents, brother Stuart Hoefle, and grandson Brady.

Dick is survived by his wife Jan; sons Steve Hoefle and wife Betty, Stu Hoefle and wife Cyd, Charlie Hoefle and wife Kristi, and Dick Hoefle and wife Kim; five grandsons; six granddaughters; nine great grandchildren; sister Carol Collins; and several nieces and nephews.

A memorial service was held at Faith Chapel on Nov. 14, 2009. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Montana Rescue Mission.