Miscellaneous Custer County, Montana obits:
Jason Sipe
Jason Leslie Sipe, 27, died at his home Thursday, Aug. 31, 2005, in Kalispell. He was born Dec. 7, 1978, in Oakland, Calif., to Ken and Carie Curry Sipe. Mr. Sipe was raised in Sundance, Wyo.
He enjoyed being a cowboy on various ranches in Wyoming and Montana. Raised by his father, Ken Sipe, a professional cowman, he enjoyed a life surrounded by some of the best cowboys and friends, a life a child could ever hope to grow up with. He attended high school in Sundance.
Mr. Sipe worked various ranching jobs and moved to Kalispell in 2003. His greatest love was his daughter, Samantha, who was never far off in his thoughts. He really appreciated good friends, a good laugh and a practical joke. Mr. Sipe would give the shirt off his back to help anyone in need.
He is survived by his daughter, Samantha Sipe of Gillette, Wyo.; his father, Ken Sipe, and wife, Angela, of Columbia Falls; his mother, Carie Sipe, and brother, Kenny Sipe, and wife, Amber, all of Mena, Ark.; and numerous loving family members and friends.
A memorial dinner will be held on Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2005, at 4 p.m. at the LaSalle Grange Hall in Kalispell.
Any memorial donations may be made to a trust fund in the name of Jason Sipe, Valley Bank of Kalispell, 41 3rd Street West, Kalispell, MT 59903.
Johnson Mortuary and Crematory is caring for Mr. Sipe's family.
Josephine Cory
Josephine June Quinlan Cory, 83 of Rosebud died at her daughter's home Friday, Sept. 2, 2005.
Mrs. Cory was born in 1921 south of Forsyth on Smith Creek where her parents, Joe and Emma (Scheidt) Quinlan ranched. She attended country elementary schools and then boarded in Forsyth until she graduated from Forsyth High School in 1939.
After graduating, she worked as a cook for the Batey Ranch on Rosebud Creek. It was there she met and fell in love with Frank Cory. They were united in marriage on Sept. 15, 1940, in Miles City.
Shortly after being married, Mr. Cory was called back for his second tour of military service. Mrs. Cory stayed in Miles City and waited for his safe return from World War II. Once reunited, Mr. Cory began working for the Milwaukee Railroad until it closed and then the Miles City Post Office until his retirement. The couple raised four children.
After Mr. Cory's death in 1997, Mrs. Cory continued residing at the Eagles Manor in Miles City until she moved to Rosebud to live with her daughter.
Mrs. Cory was a devoted wife and mother and was very involved with her children and their activities. She loved to fish, sew, garden and go dancing. She was an active member of the First Christian Church.
Her survivors include a son, Frank (Helen) Cory of Prescott Valley, Ariz.; her daughters, Linda (Rand) Koerper of Rosebud and Lois (Garth) Lee of Billings; 10 grandchildren, Robyn, Kimberly, Rebecca, Kasey, Meriah, Samuel, Clare, Noah, Gabe and Ben; and nine great-grandchildren.
Survivors also include five brothers, Marvin Quinlan, Howard (Merry) Quinlan, Robert (Georgia), Joseph (Joan) and Donald (Ginger) Quinlan, all of Forsyth; and one sister, Marie Reichert of Billings.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Frank of 57 years; her parents; a son, Donald Cory; a grandson, Samuel Cory; and a brother, Arden Quinlan.
Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2005, at 2 p.m. at the chapel of Stevenson and Sons Funeral Home in Miles City. Interment will follow in the Custer County Cemetery.
Should friends desire, memorials may be made to the charity of one's choice.
Condolences may be sent to the family by visiting: www.stevensonandsons.com.
Donald Keith Bickle
Private funeral services for Donald Keith Bickle, 76, a 31-year resident of Bishop, Calif., and former Miles City resident, were held Thursday, Aug. 11, 2005, in accordance with Mr. Bickle's wishes.
He died Aug. 9, 2005, at Northern Inyo Hospital in Bishop.
Born born July 16, 1929, in Miles City, he was a longtime Bishop resident who was very active in numerous civic organizations including the Elks, Rotary and Mule Days.
Mr. Bickle was a member of the Bishop Chamber of Commerce and served as president of the chamber. He also was a proud World War II Navy veteran.
From 1973 until its sale to Security Pacific National Bank in 1980, Mr. Bickle was president of Inyo Mono National Bank. In 1987 he retired from banking.
Mr. Bickle was dearly loved by his family.
His survivors include his wife of 57 years, Alice Neiffer Bickle; his daughter and son-in-law, Cynthia and Jim Cooper; his sons and daughters-in-law, Gary and Jean and Kurt and Jim Bickle; his brother, Gordon Bickle of Minnesota, former Miles City resident; six grandchildren; and two great-grandsons.
Merlyn Henry Miller
Merlyn Henry Miller, 57, an architect in Billings and also known in Miles City, died suddenly of heart failure on Saturday, Aug. 27, 2005, while hiking the West Rosebud drainage with his son Nick. When God took him home, Mr. Miller was in the Beartooth Mountains he loved so well and which he had explored for many years with family and friends.
Born in Havre on Dec. 9, 1947, to Henry Justus Miller and Ingeborg Tollefson Miller, he was raised on the family farm in Gildford and in Havre. He attended Havre schools and graduated from Montana State University in Bozeman with a degree in architecture. On Oct. 3, 1970, he and Marilynn Semans were married in Havre.
Mr. Miller's special joy was his family: Marilynn, his wife of nearly 35 years; his daughter, Shelby; his son, Nick; and the newest light of his life, granddaughter Maya. He was always there for his family and also was unfailingly loyal to his friends.
He embraced all of life with his characteristic smile. Mr. Miller would travel hundreds of miles for the right rock concert, tackle the backcountry with gusto, ski the deepest powder he could find, and go outside in a thunderstorm to immerse himself in the wonder of it. In his free time he put thousands of miles behind him on his Harley Davidson, sharing the open road with his wife and close friends. Artist and philosopher, he chronicled these motorcycle trips through sketch and prose in his journals. He was active in Trinity Lutheran Church in Billings, a member and former board member of Billings Rotary Club, a member of Harley Owners Group, enjoyed shooting trap with his office team, and was an accomplished skier.
Mr. Miller began his career as an architect with Harrison Fagg in Billings. Subsequently, he was a partner/owner of Coxwell, Miller, Levine & Whittenbaugh, and later co-owner of Miller Levine Architects. For the past nine years, he was a Senior Project Manager at CTA Architects Engineers. He was a member of the American Institute of Architects (AIA), and past president of both the Billings Architectural Association and the Montana Chapter AIA.
His survivors include his wife and soul mate, Marilynn; his daughter, Shelby Haugan, MD, and her husband Scott; son, Nicholas Miller; granddaughter, Maya Haugan; sister, Ardyce Endresen; brother, Rodney "Luke" Miller and his wife, Joanie; and many aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews, and in-laws. He was preceded in death by his parents.
Funeral services will be 4 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 1, at Trinity Lutheran Church, 537 Grand Avenue in Billings. A reception and celebration of his life will follow the funeral at the MSU-Billings downtown campus, at the corner of Third Avenue North and Broadway (North 28th).
Memorials may be made to Trinity Lutheran Church or Yellowstone Art Museum in Billings.
Scott Michael Hrubes
Scott Michael Hrubes, 31, died in Phoenix, Ariz., on Saturday, Aug. 27, 2005, after a lengthy illness. His mother was able to be with him as he passed into the next life.
Mr. Hrubes was born at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., on Oct. 12, 1973, the son of Arlan and Terry Hrubes.
The first years of his life were spent at Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota. He then moved with his parents to the Miles City area where he attended rural schools at Spring Creek, Hockett Basin and Kinsey. He graduated from Custer County District High School in 1992.
Mr. Hrubes moved to Phoenix and graduated from DeVry with a degree in computer technology. He went to work for Arizona State University where he kept all the dorm computers running for the students.
He enjoyed working with and teaching people about the wonders of a computer. He built computers for many of his relatives.
His survivors include his parents, Arlan and Terry Hrubes of Miles City; his sister, Julie of Billings; his brother, Steven of the family home; his grandparents, Lloyd and Sybil Eggum of Forsyth; numerous aunts, uncles and cousins; and many friends in Arizona.
He was preceded in death by his grandparents, John and Santa Hrubes.
A memorial service will be held on Saturday, Sept. 3, 2005, at 2 p.m. in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Miles City.
William D. "Bill" Ridenour
William D. "Bill" Ridenour, 67, of Colstrip, formerly of Broadus, died Sunday, Aug. 28, 2005, in the Deaconess Billings Hospital following a long illness.
Mr. Ridenour was born Sept. 5, 1937, in Broadus, the son of Clark W. and Nellie McBride Ridenour. He was raised in the Sonnett area where he attended country school until attending high school in Broadus as well as St. Labre in Ashland.
Following his schooling, Mr. Ridenour started working in the oil fields as a construction worker. He later worked for the Morning Star Construction until owning and operating his own mechanic shop.
Mr. Ridenour and Myrtle Bidwell were married in Broadus.
He enjoyed fishing, anything to do with John Wayne or Louis L'Amour. He especially loved his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren as well as the neighborhood children. He always had extra ice cream treats for anyone who stopped by.
His survivors include his wife, Myrtle of Colstrip; three sons, Rick D. Ridenour, and his wife, Bonnie, of Billings, William "Leroy" Ridenour of Colstrip and Rocky Austin and Lisa of Trono, Calif.; three daughters, Sandra Fettig, and her husband, Dean, of Billings, Kathleen "Kathy" Moser and Erik of Forsyth and Cassie Eldridge of Cheyenne, Wyo.; 18 grandchildren, Barry, Angie, Jennifer, Amy, Sarah, Travis, Cyrilla, Bryan, Zach, Jessica, Ricky, Verbena, Christian, Cadence, Connor, Kathleen, Kenny and Katie; and two great-grandchildren.
Survivors also include his additional family, Stacy Eve and Kelly Goodhart, and their children, Shea and Shelby Eve and McKenzie Goodhart; two sisters, Violet and Rosalie; two sisters-in-law, Helen Ridenour and Patsy Ridenour; and several nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents; three brothers, Harold, Allen and Jack; two sisters, June and Blanch; and one sister-in-law, Joanne.
Funeral services will be Friday, Sept. 2, 2005, at 1 p.m. in the chapel of Stevenson and Sons Funeral Home in Broadus.
Stevensons and Sons Funeral Home of Forsyth and Broadus are in charge of the arrangements.
Condolences may be sent to the Ridenour family at: www.stevensonandsons.com.
