Mabel and Math Ottenbreit
Friends and family of Mabel and Math Ottenbreit will hold a Celebration of Life Memorial in honor of them at the Montana Moose Lodge, 230 West 10th Street, in Whitefish, on Aug. 7, 2010, from 1 to 4 p.m.
Helen Phelps
Helen Marie Phelps died in Kalispell on July 26, 2010, at the age of 93.
She was born Nov. 25, 1916, in Eureka, Calif., one of 10 children to Nicholas and Anna (Bubestinger-Naas' Nelson.
She grew up in Eureka and married Carl Benjamin Phelps there on June 4, 1938, at St. Bernard's Catholic Church. Together, they followed Carl's career in the lumber business, which brought them to Whitefish in 1957.
Helen enjoyed being a wife, mother, grandmother, gardening, crossword puzzles, reading, and solitaire.
She was preceded in death by her nine siblings and her husband.
She is survived by her children Joanne Shupert, of Trego, Carla Wert and husband Barton, of Republic, Wash., and Donald Phelps and wife Linda, of Hillsboro, Ore.; 12 grandchildren; and several great grandchildren.
Graveside services took place July 31, 2010, at First Baptist Church, in Whitefish. Memoricals may be made to St. Jude's Research Hospital.
Donald Eisinger
Donald Claus Eisinger, 87, died July 29, 2010. He was one of seven children born to George and Margaret (Goettches' Eisinger, of Wayzata, Minn.
Raised in Wayzata, Don married his high school sweetheart, Grace Carey, in December 1946. Their marriage spanned six decades. Proud to be an American, Don was a decorated World War II veteran and served as a medic in the Europe/African, South Pacific and North American theaters.
After the war, Don came out West and landed a job with the Forest Service, fighting blister rust in the Haugen area. Later, he found work with the Great Northern Railroad in Whitefish. He retired from the railroad after 34 years of service.
Don and Grace raised their five children in Whitefish, where he personally built the family home on West Fourth Street. After retiring, Don and Grace spent the winters in the sunny south, before coming back home full time in 1997.
Don enjoyed the outdoors or was in his workshop building something. He was never one to sit around, and he loved to visit with everyone.
Don and Grace lived at Buffalo Hill Terrace, where he was a wonderful baker and shared his goodies with many of the residents. After Grace passed away, he moved into a townhouse and, in 2008, he moved in with his daughter and son-in-law, Carol and Rick Walker.
He was preceded in death by his wife and youngest son Doug.
He is survived by his daughters Carol Walker and husband Rick, of Kalispell, and Linda Payne and husband Jesse, of Wheatland, Mo., and Connie Eisinger, of Missoula; and son Tom Eisinger and wife Billie, of Whitefish; grandchildren Chris Cahill, Carey Cahill, Jerod Eisinger and Ricky Eisinger; great grandchildren Kimberly Cahill and Katlyn Eisinger; brothers Kermit, Leonard and Howard; and numerous nieces and nephews.
A memorial service will take place at a later date.
David Erickson
David Erickson, 55, of Lakeland Shores, Minn., died July 28, 2010, after a motorcycle accident near Bozeman. He owned a vacation home in Whitefish.
David was born and raised in Hudson, Minn., the son of Claire and Betty Erickson. He graduated from Hudson High School in 1973 and attended Western State University, in Gunnison, Colo.
David worked his entire life for his father's company, Erickson Oil/Freedom Valu Centers, and rose to CEO and president. He was also the owner of the Lakeland Village Center shopping mall and sponsor of the Lower St. Croix River Valley's Yellow Ribbon Network Alliance, which provides support to military personnel and their families.
He was preceded in death by his parents and his sister Nancy.
He is survived by his wife Debi, who was injured in the same motorcycle accident; daughter Ashley; sons Bradley and Grady; and sisters Mimi Kron and Kristi Kampmeyer.
The O'Connell Family Funeral Home in Hudson is handling funeral arrangements.