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Local Obituaries

Benjamin (Ben) Math

Posted (Friday, May 26th 2023)

June 1, 1939—March 24, 2023

A memorial service honoring Benjamin (Ben) Math will be held Thursday, June 1, 2023 at 11:00a.m. at the Wilderness Funeral Home in Malta, MT. Reception to follow at the Tin Cup with burial following at the Saco Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials to the Whitewater Lutheran Church, or place of your choice.

Linda Kay Bellon

Posted (Tuesday, May 23rd 2023)

After a short illness, Linda Kay Bellon passed away on Friday, May 19, 2023, at Frances Mahon Deaconess Hospital in Glasgow, Montana.

Linda was born to Brian and Frances Warrick on September 9, 1941, in Blair, Nebraska, the third of four children. Linda attended Blair High School and had a passion for attending rodeos and the Grand Ole Opry, meeting Johnny Cash and many other country music stars during her young adult years.

After graduating high school, Linda pursued an interest in law and computer programing, working for Guarantee Mutual in Omaha, Nebraska for six years before taking a job with the First Security Bank in Glasgow, Montana. She married John Henry Bellon of Nashua, Montana on July 8, 1970; together they raised three sons (Rich, Bill, and Tim) while running Bellon Farm and Ranch.

Linda loved farming, cooking, and politics, listening to country music, playing cards with friends, and spoiling her grandkids. She also had a soft spot for animals, and doted on her dogs. She was sustained by a deep faith. The Queen of Angels Catholic Church in Nashua for decades provided a spiritual home.

Linda is preceded in death by her parents, stepfather Roger Stebbens; brothers, Bill and Larry Warrick; and children: Jennifer, Michael, and Christopher Bellon. She is survived by husband John; brother, Donny; son Rich and wife Vicky; son Bill and wife Jaime; son Tim and wife Lisa, and four beloved grandchildren: John, Allie, Sophie, and Jayden.

Mom will be greatly missed by us all—her fantastic cooking, funny stories, charming wit, and love for family and friends. May God bless her.

A vigil will be held for Linda, 6:00 p.m., Thursday, May 25, 2023 at Queen of Angels Catholic Church in Nashua. A funeral mass will be held 10:00 a.m., Friday, May 26, 2023 at Queen of Angels with Father Jose officiating. Burial will take place in Nashua Cemetery and a luncheon will follow at the Nashua Senior Center. Condolences may be left for the family at bellmortuarymontana.com.

Gordon W Reimche

Posted (Monday, May 22nd 2023)

Gordon W Reimche, age 84, of Nashua, Montana died on February 14, 2023, at the Frances Mahon Deaconess Hospital in Glasgow, Montana. Gordon was born on July 14, 1938, to Sam and Lois (Brown) Reimche. Gordon graduated in 1956 from Nashua High School and attended MSU Bozeman studying Agriculture.

Gordon married Judy Bunday and had two children. He joined the National Guard and attended basic training at Fort Ord on the Presidio of Monterrey California.

On September 11, 1964, he married Patsy Stearns and increased his family by four children. He enduringly referred to Patsy as his “girlfriend”. Gordon and Patsy were business owners of the Home Café and the Korner One Stop. They made their home on the Reimche family farm in Nashua where they raised their family and later worked the family farm with son Ted. Gordon was a member of the Farmers Union, the Nashua Lutheran Church, and was active in the Nashua Sleighers Snowmobile Club.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Sam and Lois Reimche; his wife, Patsy Reimche; and his sisters, Carol Helland, and Virginia Kalantzes. Survivors include his sister, Mary Larson of Melborn, Florida; cousin Joan Gray of Las Vegas, Nevada; his daughters: Gayna Watson of Apache Junction, Arizona, Kelly Fogg of Bozeman, Montana, Penny (Bruce) Hagen of Great Falls, Montana, Jill (Bob) Meiers of Glasgow, Montana, Tina (Steve) Chappell of Glasgow, Montana and son, Ted (Therese) Reimche of Billings, Montana; grandchildren: Chris (Toni) Wallem, Eric Wallem, Michael Fogg, Trevor Hagen, Justin (Cassandra) Hagen, Allie (Brian) Tyree, Mandi (Josh) Thompson, Kori (Sarah) Meiers, Kenna Anderson, Aiden Anderson, Ande Malmin, Emily Reimche, and Erik Reimche; great-grandchildren: Hadley Thompson, Harper Thompson, Adeline Thompson, Thomas Thompson, Emylia Griffith and Baby Hagen arriving soon; and many friends.

Gordon Reimche, 84, of Glasgow, Montana passed away February 14, 2023 at Frances Mahon Deaconess Hospital. Gordon's memorial service will be 11:00 a.m., Saturday, May 27, 2023 at Bell Mortuary with Pastor Bonnie Novak officiating.

Phyllis L. Fuhrman

Posted (Monday, May 22nd 2023)

Phyllis L. Fuhrman, age 92, of Larslan, passed away May 16, 2023 in Glasgow. A Celebration of Life will take place at 2:00 p.m., on Sunday, July 16, 2023 at the Bell Mortuary. A luncheon will follow at the Cottonwood Inn.

Gary Dahl

Posted (Monday, May 22nd 2023)

Gary Dahl, 82, of Glasgow, Montana passed away at Valley View Home in Glasgow, May 21, 2023. Services are pending and Bell Mortuary is assisting the family. Condolences may be left at bellmortuarymontana.com.

Gary Lynn Frazier

Posted (Monday, May 22nd 2023)

Gary Lynn Frazier, 78, of Glasgow, Montana passed away August 13, 2022.

Born August 23, 1943, to Harold and Mabel (Smith) Frazier. He spent most of his younger years on Hungary Creek, south of Frazer, Montana. He went to grade school in Frazer and country school out south of Frazer. His freshman and sophomore years were spent in Wolf Point and his junior year in Colombia Falls. At the age of 17, he had his father sign for him to join the Navy and served as a deep-sea diver from 1959-1962. After his discharge, he was a welder in Illinois for two years.

He moved back to Montana and married Sandy Boyer, though they later divorced. He worked driving truck for Consolidated Freight Way, hauling jet fuel to Minot Air Force base. He also drove for Curley Marchwick, hauling livestock for various farmers and ranchers. In 1974, he married Linda Knight, though they later divorced. In 2000, he met Betty Anthony, who became his companion until her death in 2012.

He was preceded in death by his father, Harold, his mother, Mabel, brothers, Milo and Nibbs, and sister, Wanda.

He is survived by his sister, Melba Anderson, and 5 children: Curt, Shelley, Gary, Monty and Marty.

A graveside service with military honors will be held 2:00 p.m., Saturday, May 27, 2023 at Highland Cemetery in Glasgow, Montana with Pastor Bonnie Novak officiating. Condolences may be left for the family at bellmortuarymontana.com.

William Thomas Riley

Posted (Monday, May 15th 2023)

Our dad, William Thomas Riley, went to heaven to be with our maker on May 12, 2023, in the Billings Clinic Hospital surrounded by his family.

Dad was the first born to Ernest and Julia Belback Riley in Rockglen Saskatchewan on November 20, 1935. He was followed by his four siblings, Wayne, Sharon, Doyle, and Margaret. He attended school in Rockglen until the family eventually moved to Nashua, Montana. Dad graduated from Nashua High School in 1954 where he played football, basketball, and track. Over the years he worked at many family farms and ranches including the Bergtolls, Speers, Millers and Tihistas. He often talked about these families, telling funny stories and how much he enjoyed his time with them.

In 1954, Dad married Janice Von Eschen in Fort Peck, Montana. The oldest of four children, Vicki was born in 1955, followed by Pat in 1957, Mike in 1958 and Sherri in 1960.

Dad was employed by Buttrey’s Food in 1955 in Glasgow then moved to Malta to work for them as a butcher. Our family moved back to Glasgow where Dad worked for Sinclair Produce, as a painter at Fort Peck in the dam tunnels, and in the Plentywood oil fields. He joined the Glasgow School District in 1968 as a custodian at the South Side School and retired in 1998. Dad was well respected throughout the district and cherished the friendships he made. Dad was also a farmer often coming home from work and spending most of the night working in the fields or out keeping watch on cows during calving season. He taught us so many useful life skills while we lived on the farm.

After Dad retired, he bought a boat and spent years fishing all across Fort Peck Lake. He loved to take his family and friends out boating and fishing. Many of his children and grandchildren caught not only the fishing “bug” but also a love of hunting and the outdoors from Grandpa.

Dad was always one to enjoy a good practical joke and tell a great story.

Dad was preceded in death by his dad, mom, sister Sharon Ozark, brother Doyle Riley, nephews DeWayne Ozark and Brad Riley and his granddaughter Amanda Martin.

He is survived by daughter Vicki and husband Jeff Brinkman, son Pat and wife Linda, Mike and wife Janet, Sherri and husband Brad Martin, 13 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.

Dad never met a stranger. He was a wonderful soul, so kind and giving to everyone. We will miss him each and every day.

Funeral services will be 1:00 p.m., Saturday, May 20, 2023 at Bell Mortuary in Glasgow, Montana with Pastor Rick Thompson officiating, burial will follow in Highland Cemetery. Condolences may be left at bellmortuarymontana.com.

Max Albert Makich

Posted (Monday, May 15th 2023)

Max Albert Makich died on Sunday, May 14, 2023, in Glasgow, Montana after a long illness.

Max was born in Great Falls, Montana, on July 12, 1932. His mother, Mary Landa, had immigrated as a girl to Montana from Bohemia to homestead with her family at Coffee Creek. His father, Mike Makich (born Metrovich), had immigrated from Montenegro and was the section foreman in the town of Square Butte for the Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad. He had one older sister, Marcella. The communities and geography of Montana, and the history and lively incidents of the Milwaukee Road, were central to his life, as were the work ethic and stoicism of his parents.

He attended Square Butte and Geraldine schools as a child. After two years at the College of Great Falls, he transferred to the University of Montana to obtain a Bachelor of Science degree in pharmacy in 1955, earning tuition by shoveling coal for the Milwaukee Road. He was an outstanding and precise student. He followed his degree with an internship at Tork's Drug in Glasgow before spending two years as a medic in the Army at Fort Lewis in Washington.

Max started his own pharmacy at the Smith Clinic in Glasgow, which later moved downtown and was a mainstay business in Valley County until 1999. He provided dedicated, compassionate and meticulous care to patients in Valley County and beyond for more than 40 years.

Max married Kathleen Owen in 1967. She survives him, as does their daughter Ann and her son Charles, of Missoula, and their daughter Jane and her son Rex, of San Francisco. He was preceded in death by his parents and by his sister, Marcella Makich Knedler. His kindness and sensitivity made him a wonderful husband, father and grandfather. Kathy's extraordinarily loving and loyal care of him in his last years was a profound testament to their deep partnership in life and work.

After Max closed the pharmacy, he and Kathy had grand times attending Milwaukee Road Historical Association events throughout the West, hiking and exploring Montana and its less-traveled treasures, and spending time with their daughters and grandsons in New York City, San Francisco and Europe. He was always a curious and thoughtful traveller, but was a prairie Montanan through and through. He also carried with him principles of humanism, including a belief in justice and fairness, and in the capacity of reason and science to solve problems. He hated religious dogmatism and radical corporate greed and exploitation of people and the natural world.

Bell Mortuary in Glasgow is conducting cremation, and the family plans a private memorial on Square Butte in the near future. The kind and professional care given by the staff at the Valley View Home was deeply appreciated by Max and his family, who hope that such care will remain available to all Montanans who need it.

If you would like to memorialize Max, please consider a donation to the Montana Historical Society, the Valley County Historical Society or the Milwaukee Road Historical Association.

Shirley A. Fewer

Posted (Tuesday, May 2nd 2023)

Shirley A Fewer, 84, passed away during the early morning hours of Thursday, April 27, 2023, at Frances Mahon Deaconess Hospital in Glasgow, Montana. A private graveside service will be held at a later date.

Although her birth certificate said April 29, Mom always claimed that she was born on April 27, 1939, to Lloyd and Mary (Lemp) Tribby. She attended school in Dodson, Montana, graduating in 1957 at the head of her class. The Dodson School Superintendent always told her that she wasn’t valedictorian because she was so smart; it was just that the rest of the class was so dumb!

Mom married Dad, William “Bill” Fewer on September 1, 1956. They made their home in Havre, Montana where Dad worked outside the home and Mom opted to stay home and take care of the kids and the household. Mom and Dad welcomed all six of their kids while living in Havre: Marie, James, FayeAnn, Paula (who died at birth), Ronald, and Richard. In the summer of 1964, Dad’s job with Great Northern Railroad transferred him to Glasgow so they moved their family to the home out on Skylark Road where they had a huge garden and raised a multitude of animals.

During the summers while us kids were growing up, the whole family traveled to O-Mok-Sees. We drove in our crew cab truck with the big overhead storage rack, hauling our horses around the state and to many other states. What adventures we had and we met so many amazing and wonderful people. Mom and Dad were also 4-H leaders for many years.

In 1979, Mom and Dad moved into town where they took over the operation of the Star Lodge Motel which they then purchased in 1980. They added on to the motel so that it had triple the number of rooms it had when they bought it and triple the amount of work. They lived at the motel for over 30 years and worked very hard to make it into the successful business it became. Mom cleaned rooms, did all the laundry, waited on customers, unclogged toilets; anything that needed to be done she would do. She always said that she had friends all over the country but she hardly knew anyone in Glasgow! She loved the Motel and all of the friends she made while running it.

In 2013, Mom sold the Motel and moved into the house that she and Dad had bought a few years earlier. Mom loved to read, to watch the birds in her front yard and Jeopardy on TV, to work crossword puzzles and word searches, to listen to music, to watch Griz football games, but mostly she loved visits from family and friends. She collected angels, nativity sets, mini tea sets and anything Griz or John Deere!

Mom is survived by four of her six children: Marie (Dave) Pippin, FayeAnn Cummings, Ronald (Tammy) Fewer, and Richard (Marlo) Fewer and her daughter-in-law Jennifer Fewer. She has eight grandchildren, Jen Hood (Garrett Collins), Jaime (Jeremy) Nickels, Alyson (Travis) Dunkle, Kayla (Drew) Thomas, Greg (Laurel) Fewer, Emma Fewer, Jason Cummings, and Mary Fewer. She is also survived by her great-grandchildren: Caty, Chloe, Isabelle, Brekken, Rebecca, Abby, Ava, Brooks, and Baby Boy Fewer, and two step-grandchildren, Colton (Staci) and Kayla Hughes. Her brother, Jim (Sally) Tribby; sister, June Cornell, and sister-in-law, Shirley Tribby survive her as well as a special niece Sue (Mark) Hungerford, special friends Shelley Mills and Joe French, and numerous nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Bill Fewer; her oldest son, James; infant daughter, Paula; her parents, Lloyd and Mary Tribby; brothers, George and Pete Tribby and sisters, Vi Hoover and Frances Dopp.

Mom was a loving wife; a great Mom, Grandma, and Grandma-Great; a wonderful friend; an extremely hard worker, and a very special lady whom we will miss every day for the rest of our lives. She was fiercely proud and loved every one of her kids, grandkids, and great-grandkids and we were equally as proud and loved her back just as much. Gone but not forgotten; Godspeed Mom.

There are no services planned at this time. Condolences may be left for the family at bellmortuarymontana.com.