Jay Allen Aaberge, age 66, of St. Marie, Montana, passed away peacefully on April 9, 2024.
Jay, or “Pa” as he was known to many, was born on July 31, 1957 in Conrad, MT to Kenneth and Ethel Aaberge. While he grew up on the highline of Montana, he transferred to Libby his senior year of high school, where he earned the nickname “Coyote” after the Shelby High School mascot.

While working construction in Ulm, MT, Jay met and married Sharon (Young) Carlson in 1979. He not only became a husband but also a dad to her two-year-old daughter, Brandie. They would go on to have two more children, Jeremy and Byron, and Jay loved all three of his kids so much. While the couple divorced in 1997, they were still family.

Once the kids started school, Jay hung up his hard hat for a job delivering propane back in his old stomping grounds in Shelby. He would continue working as a propane driver in Kalispell, followed by a promotion and transfer to Eureka. Although he was a Montanan much of his life, Jay did spend several years in Alaska in the early 2000s, where he was a summer “bear camp” guide. He loved telling his family back in Montana about the different bears who resided in that area and had a tendency to forget that just because it was still light outside in Alaska didn’t mean that it wasn’t often after midnight when he would call! Jay’s return to Montana led him to St. Marie to be close to his sons, where he worked as a foreman at the stockyards doing a little bit of everything. He was the one everyone called on when something was broken.

Jay was always a Jack of all trades. He believed in fixing or building everything himself, from house repairs to replacing an engine in his truck. He never cared a lot about possessions, and would patch, repair, build, and reuse as many things as he could. He was always tinkering with something. One of his favorite things to do in his spare time was leatherwork, and he made everything from knife sheaths to the buckskin pants he wore for black powder gun competitions (which he won several times).

Jay was an avid outdoorsman who took every opportunity he could to explore our state. He dedicated countless hours fishing, hunting, bow hunting, and camping, and everyone close to him spent time doing at least one of these things with him. Jay could talk to anyone, and he was always happy to welcome friends and family into his home. He’d throw some steaks and burgers on the grill, drink some beer, and BS for hours.

Jay is preceded in death by his dad Kenneth Aaberge and mom Ethel Aaberge. He is survived by his daughter Brandie Terpe and sons Jeremy Aaberge and Byron (Lorrie) Aaberge; grandchildren, Ilah Edwards, Isolde Aaberge, and Gabriel Terpe; brother Claude Aaberge and sisters Helen Cady and Wanda Aaberge; and great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews, cousins, and lifelong buddies.

Following our dad’s wishes, we will not be holding a formal service and he is being cremated (well, if we followed his wishes precisely we’d just throw his body to the wolves, so we did have to make SOME concessions!). In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Montana Wildlife Federation at montanawildlife.org.

“Oh, the last goodbye’s the hardest one to say, and this is where the cowboy rides away.” George Straight

Rodney A. Diseth, age 82, of Great Falls, MT, passed away March 16, 2024. Funeral service will be held April 5, 2024 at 2:00 p.m., at Bell Funeral Home with Pastor Scott Kiehn officiating. Burial will be at Highland Cemetery in Glasgow, MT.

He was born January 13, 1942, at Neihart, MT to Albert O. Diseth and Mary Ann Diseth (Peterson). After receiving his education from Glasgow High School, he joined the United States Army and served proudly for over 20 years.

Rodney met his wife, Kum Son Diseth in Korea and the couple married in May 1970. They moved to Glasgow, MT later the same year. The couple lived in many cities throughout the U.S., Germany and South Korea. After retiring from the US Army, they moved to Kansas and later moved to Great Falls, MT to place their final roots.

He enjoyed reading books, spending time with his grandchildren, and being involved with the Lutheran church. He also had a very extensive collection of hats and funny T-shirts because he enjoyed making others laugh.

Rodney is survived by his daughter Karen Hokett and grandchildren, Justice, Khristopher, Liberty, and Kaleb Hokett of Salina, KS.

Audrey L. Prescott, 84, of Glasgow, Montana passed away March 3, 2024, at Frances Mahon Deaconess Hospital.

Audrey was born on January 10, 1940, to Dan and Grace (Ebelsizer) Doney in Malta, Montana. She joined three other daughters: Doris, Iris, and Shirley. She attended schools in Malta Montana and graduated from Malta High School in 1958.

Shortly after graduation, she married John H. Cortez and they had a son, John Jr. Over the next year John Sr. worked on a farm outside of Malta where the couple resided for eight years until they divorced.

Audrey and her son lived in Malta for a couple of years and then moved to the Glasgow A.F.B. in the summer of 1969. Audrey trained and worked as a receptionist/secretary, working at various places on the base.

It was around 1976, that Audrey met the man she was always hoping and praying for to spend the rest of her days with, Phillip Prescott. They shared time together, getting to know one another. They built a really good relationship filled with love and laughter. Years later they married on January 1, 1983, in Holy Matrimony at St. Raphael’s Catholic Church.

In 1985 the happy couple moved to Glasgow, where Audrey was working as a receptionist at the C.D.C. at Frances Mahon Deaconess Hospital and later she worked at the Mental Health Center, retiring in 2000.

Audrey and Phillip enjoyed their retirement years together until Phillip passed away in 2010. In 2013, Audrey went to work as a Sacristan, at St. Raphael’s Church and worked until 2019. After she retired, she stayed home until her final days.

Audrey will always be remembered as a good lady with happy spirits and a nice smile when meeting and greeting people at the stores, on the street, or wherever she went. She will surely be missed and thought of for quite some time.

A rosary will be prayed at 6:00 p.m., Thursday, April 11, 2024, at St. Raphael’s. A Funeral Mass will be held at 10:00 a.m., Friday, April 12, 2024, with burial following at Highland Cemetery. Online condolences may be left at bellmortuarymontana.com.

Grant was born on July 28, 1967 to A. T. “Rusty” and June Shields Stafne in San Jose, CA.

He joined a sister, Twilia Bear Cub and a brother Tom. The family moved back to Montana and the Fort Peck Reservation shortly after his birth. Grant had so much energy and always was doing something crazy. His sense of humor was on point always and he teased everyone and I mean everyone for no one was safe from him. Laughter followed Grant where he was. He kept the family on their toes with his antics. He attended school in Wolf Point, Mt. graduating in 1985. That year, he went to state in track for high jump. He went to HASKELL for two years and Dawson Community College. He loved sports such as basketball and baseball. But his favorite is Rodeo. Specifically, the Wild Horse Race. He won many events and had championship belt buckles from all over. He belonged to the Fort Peck Rodeo club and the INFR. He was instrumental in getting the Fort Peck Rodeo established and part of the circuit. He loved riding horses and was planning on team roping with his friends this summer.

He worked for the Bureau of Indian Affairs starting in 1993 to 1998 as a realty clerk at Fort Peck Agency. He then became a Realty Specialist in Fort Belknap until 2001. Where he went to work in Billings as the Realty Specialist for the Rocky Mountain Region. He was detailed to Albuquerque, New Mexico as a Realty Officer then in October of 2002, he went to Nashville, TN where he became a country singer..sang at the Grand ole Opry.(Gotcha Grant-you’d do that to me!) No, really he was a Realty officer for the Eastern Region, Division of Trust Responsibilities. In 2003, he moved back to Fort Belknap as Realty Officer, then became the BIA Deputy Superintendent in 2004-2008. Grant moved back home to the Fort Peck Reservation to be the BIA Deputy Superintendent at the Agency, 2008-2011. He loved his people and served on the Fort Peck Tribal Executive board with our dad as Tribal Chairman for a few years. Grant then served his brothers faithfully, the Tataga(buffalo). Grant felt the need to run again for tribal executive board winning a seat. In 2022, Grant saw that the Fort Peck Agency needed a Deputy Superintendent-Trust and applied for the position where he served until his death.

Grant married Mary Jackson and had all sons. They later divorced. Grant was a great single father for years. He took pride in his cooking, often posting pictures of his cuisine he would chef up. He coached little league baseball for his boys. He loved following the Wolf Point Wolves Basketball team, being their biggest fan. He was so proud of his boys. He fell in love with the beautiful Clarissa Bell from Fort Belknap the summer of 2023. They became engaged and were to be married in the summer. They were the happiest couple around.

Grant was diagnosed with colon cancer in November and had surgery to remove the tumor in December. He was in the process of chemotherapy in the stage 3 process. He succumbed to it on March 15, 2024.

We will never understand why such a great man who loved life, loved his people, his children, his grandchildren, his family, his job, and his friends would be taken from us. The Creator needed him more and am positive there is laughter where he is now.

Survived by his Father A.T. “Rusty” Stafne, sister Twilia Bear Cub, his beloved fiancée Clarissa Bell, his children, Ariana Neutgens, RaShane Walking Eagle, Chryss Jackson, Clay, Cauy, Cade, Chief, and Cewl Stafne. He will be missed by his brother Junior White Eagle (Sandra), nieces June Azure, Jade Daniels, nephews Jordan Stafne, Jesse Daniels, Jace Daniels and Wilder Bear Cub, cousin Sybil Duchene, his Aunts, Sherry Shields, Sandy Azure, and Yvonne Shields. Other survivors are his Uncle Stoney Anketell, Shields cousins, Pipe cousins, Balch cousins, Azure cousins, Baker cousins, James cousins, Cantrell cousins, Denny cousins, Anketell cousins, and Medicine Cloud cousins. He will be terribly missed by his grandchildren, Mia, Jordan, Vanessa, and Rusti Cecelia. His adopted families include the Adams Family, Red Eagle/Dionne family as he took Maureen as his sister, and many more. His work families will miss his wit and knowledge.

He was preceded in death of our mother June Shields Stafne, brother Tom Stafne and his son Delmar Martell. His Aunts Joy Shields, Shirley Shields, Roseann Shields, Joy Martin, Joanne Pipe, Marie Esparza, Uncles Gary Medicine Cloud, Caleb Shields, Ken Azure, Fish Red Stone, Robert Martin, cousins Larry Connor, Pat Clements, Kenny Heathman, Ken Azure, Jr. Antoinette Shields, and John Pipe. We are related to many as we come from the Medicine Cloud/Hancock family, Shields family, Nakoda and Dakota Wadopana and Bad Temper Bear clans. If we left out anyone, it was not intentional, please forgive us we are in shock of losing our GRANT.

A prayer service will be held at 7:00 p.m. on Friday, March 22, 2024 at the Wolf Point Community Hall. Funeral Services will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, March 23,2024 in the Wolf Point High School Auditorium. Burial will take place at the Stafne Ranch. A luncheon will follow back at the Wolf Point Community Hall.

Ralph Korman passed away on March 14, 2024, at Frances Mahon Deaconess Hospital with his family by his side.

“On September 25, 1932, in the afternoon an early snowstorm was moving in and my mother decided it was time for me to greet the world. The place was Granny Korman’s house in Saco, Montana located in Phillips County. Born to Earl and Lola (Stewart) Korman. “Had a good life growing up on the Milk River below Juneburg Bridge.”

“Put two years in the Army 1954-1956. Married Alice Soennichsen on April 26, 1957, and had four kids: Karla, Kathy, Jack, and one stillborn Joel.”

Ralph spent his early years around horses and enjoyed that part of his life immensely. Later he ran a D7 Cat and scraper, building reservoirs and leveling fields, until his retirement. He was talented and liked to draw, paint and sculpt.

Preceding him in death are his wife, Alice, parents, Earl and Lola, and son, Joel.

He is survived by his daughters, Karla Sudbrack and Kathy (John) Anevski; and son Jack; sisters, Carolyn (Gus) Korb, Susan (Michael) Wendland, and Nancy (John) Sparks; Terry (Donna) Korman and Ronnie (Maxine) Korman; grandchildren; Christopher (Erica) Anevski, Michael (Deidra) Anevski, and Jenna Korman; great-grandchildren: Mikai Anevski, Daelyn Anevski, and Calvin Anevski; and numerous nieces and nephews.

“So Long see you all later!”

Services have been postponed until better weather!