Judge Frank Merle Davis
1921 - 2011
Long time Dillon resident, the Honorable Judge Frank M. Davis, died peacefully at his residence Saturday evening, Jan. 1.
Judge Davis was a long time Dillon attorney who served as Fifth Judicial District judge from 1982 until his retirement from the bench in 2000.
During his tenure, Judge Davis presided over several high profile cases including the Mountain Man trial of 1984, and the trials of Kenneth Miller and Sean Wentz, who were convicted of killing Marie and Terrance Duffy, TV star Patrick Duffy’s parents.
Judge Davis also made a noted ruling in the disposition of the will of renowned media personality, Charles Kuralt.
Upon his arrival in Dillon in 1953, he joined established Dillon attorney Theodore McFadden as a junior law partner.
From the beginning of his Dillon life, Judge Davis was the consummate community activist. As president of the Dillon Jaycees, the young attorney spearheaded a project to construct a city park at its present site on Center Street.
He was the first chairman of the Dillon Jaycee Rodeo, which later became known as Montana’s Biggest Little Weekend.
The young Davis had a love for acting and theater. He was involved in numerous productions for the Dillon Ski Club, and later went on to form the popular Wapiti Players, with annual productions at the Dillon BPOE lodge.
It should also be noted that before becoming judge, Davis was well known as the voice of the Beavers and voice of the Bulldogs, his mellifluous voice calling play by play games for both the high school and college squads for local radio station KDBM.
Frank Merle Davis was born Nov. 2, 1921, in Unicoi, Tenn.
At the age of 22 he enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps, and as a member of the 8th Air Force, served with distinction in the European Theater of Operation during World War Two until his honorable discharge in 1945.
His war time service earned Staff Sergent Davis both the Good Conduct medal and the Bronze Star.
It was during his war time service in London that Davis met his future wife WAC Corporal Joan M. Faller of Dillon. They were married by the mayor of Luxembourg on VE Day, 1945.
Following his service in the armed forces, he attended the University of Tennessee law school.
His legal career included a tenure as a law professor at Dickenson Law School in Carlisle, Penn., and 30 years as a practicing attorney in Dillon.
He received the Distinguished Faculty Award from the University of Montana for his work as a visiting faculty member of the Advanced Trial Advocacy Program.
Judge Davis is preceded in death by his beloved wife, Joan, who passed away in 2000.
He is survived by five children, sons, Randolph, Portland, Ore., Philip (Yoko), Renton, Wash., Stephen (Adrienne), Stevensville; daughters, Ann Davis, Billings, Ruth Wrinkle (Mark), Orangevale, Calif.; and numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Also surviving are brothers Walter Davis (Tommie) and Dean Davis, Unicoi, Tenn.; and sisters, Elizabeth (Joe) Walker, Murphreesboro, Tenn., and Juanita Davis, Unicoi, Tenn.
Frank had been working on his own obituary shortly before his death.
It began like this: “Frank Davis was not born in a log cabin, but his parents planned to move into one as soon as they could afford to . . .”
There is a visitation scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 6, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., with a vigil service at 7:30 p.m. at Brundage Chapel.
A funeral mass will be celebrated at St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church on Friday, Jan. 7, at 12:10 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial donations be made to the Dillon Library, or to a charity of the donors choice.
A guestbook is available at www.brundagefuneralhome.com.
Ethel Rae McNees
1917 - 2011
Ethel Rae McNees, 93, of Dillon, passed away Jan. 1, at Parkview Acres Care and Rehabilitation Center.
She was born May 21, 1917 in Blaine, fourth of ten children, to Frank Raymond Koontz and Martha Olive Sapp.
She attended schools in Sheridan and Twin Bridges.
She married George Leonard Childs in January of 1938, and to this union four children were born. Leonard died in 1948.
In 1950 she married Miles Bateman and they were later divorced.
In 1961 she married Walter M. “Dick” Selway. Dick passed away in 1970, and she then married George Johnson in 1974.
She married John McNees in 1977 and they later divorced.
Ethel Rae was a stay at home mom until she went to work at the Dilmart in 1959. She worked at the Dilmart for 35 years. After she retired from the Dilmart she worked at the 3-D for a few years.
She was preceded in death by her parents; sisters, Mable Willis, Phyllis Cobble; and brothers, Sherman, Lloyd, Harry, Robert and George Koontz; and her husbands.
She is survived by sister Afton Marchesseau, Dillon; brother, Jim Koontz, Corpus Christi, Texas; her four children, Jim (Pat) Childs, Orem, Utah, Lavon (Ellis) Hamblin, LaPlata, N. M., Patsy (Merlin) Philson, Hamilton, and Millie Haggard, Missoula.
She is also survived by 18 grandchildren, including Robyn (Mike) Marsh, Dillon; 50 great-grandchildren and 10 great-great-grandchildren and another on the way; and numerous nieces and nephews.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the local Shriner’s for the Shriner’s Children’s Hospital, Primary Children’s Hospital, or a charity of your choice.
Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. today at the LDS Church, with a visitation one hour prior to services.
A guestbook is available on-line at www.brundagefuneralhome.com.
Frank Morgan Brown
1924 - 2011
Frank Morgan Brown, 86, was born July 7, 1924 in Great Falls to Grant and Mary Brown, and died on Jan. 2 in Dillon.
Frank grew up in Great Falls and spent his summers at the family cabin on Logging Creek.
Frank attended Great Falls schools, and graduated from Great Falls High School in 1943.
Frank enlisted in the U.S. Navy in June of 1943, and served his country in the Atlantic and Pacific oceans during World War II.
Upon return from military service, he attended college at the University of Montana and the University of Great Falls.
Frank then worked for the Great Falls Post Office, and then the Great Falls Police Department.
In 1953, Frank joined the Montana Highway Patrol, and was stationed in Broadus, Miles City, Forsyth, and finally Dillon, retiring in 1988 after 35 years of service.
On January 13, 1954, Frank married Mildred Sorensen in Miles City. To this union, three daughters were born
Frank loved Beaverhead County and fishing at No Name Creek, hunting at Clemow’s cow camp and delivering flowers.
Frank was a member of B.P.O.E. #1554, Dillon Masonic Lodge #16, Southwest Montana Shrine, Scottish Rite, and served on the police commission for the City of Dillon.
Frank was preceded in death by his sister, Betty Gilchrist, and grandsons Nicholas Kajin and Joshua Jourdonnais.
Frank is survived by his wife, Millie; daughter and son-in-law Claudia and Al Kajin, Forsyth; daughter, Jennifer Allen, Missoula; daughter and son-in-law Mary Beth and Scott Jourdonnais, Missoula; grandchildren Adrienne Allen Kenison (Chris), Helena; Christopher Kajin, Chicago, Ill.; Leslie Weiler (Shane), Forsyth; Jeffrey Allen, Billings; Nathanael, Gabriel and Hannah Jourdonnais, Missoula; one great-grandson Aiden Allen, Helena; and several nieces and nephews.
Funeral services will be held Thursday, Jan. 6, at Brundage Funeral Home at 10:30 a.m.
Visitation will be this evening from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Memorials may be made to the Shriner’s Hospital, the Montana Highway Patrol HOPE Project, or another charity of your choice.
A guestbook is available at www.brundagefuneralhome.com.
Margaret Laknar
1947 - 2010
Margaret (Margie) Laknar was born May 6, 1947 in Lewistown. Her parents were James C. Gillett and Margaret Scally Gillett of Billings.
She passed away on Dec. 30 in Billings following an extended illness.
Margie went to school in Billings and graduated in 1965 from Billings Senior High School where she was very active in athletics.
She graduated from Montana State University in 1969 with a B.S. degree in physical education, and later a master's degree from the University of Montana Western.
In college she was one of the key players on the MSU first ladies basketball team that won the conference championship her senior year. She was elected sportswoman of the year. She was the president of the Women’s Athletic Association Club.
Margie was always a Bobcat even though her daughter, Marti, attend the University of Montana, and was a trainer for the Griz, but her son Loran attended MSU.
While attending MSU she met and married her husband, Larry Laknar, of Dillon, and they were married on June 15, 1968.
After college they moved to Dillon where Larry taught Vocational Agriculture at BCHS.
They had two children, Loran and Marti.
Larry and Margie purchased an old-time hardware store, and Margie managed that business for several years. Upon closing the business Margie worked for the Montana Youth ChalleNGe program. She also spent many hours in the Dillon Public Schools as a substitute teacher.
Margie was also on the Montana Plumbers Board for many years.
Margie loved to work with kids. She was very strict, and at the same time loving, to the kids, firm but fair.
Margie helped with many sporting events. She announced games for many years at BCHS. She kept the scorebook for basketball, volleyball and baseball. She was also an official for basketball and volleyball.
She was an assistant coach for the cross-country team at BCHS and little league teams. She was a sports enthusiast - nut - and attended or watched all the sports activities that she could. She loved to sit on the bank of a creek and worm-plunk. Sunday football meant “quiet the game is on.”
Upon retirement from the Montana Youth ChalleNGe Program, Margie moved to Billings to be with the love of her life, her granddaughter Madi, and daughter Marti, and more sports events, plus be near medical facilities because of personal health issues.
Margie is survived by her husband Larry, Dillon; son Loran (Tracy) Laknar and children Gage and Lauren, Dillon; daughter Marti Laknar and child Madi Ruegsegger, Billings; mother-in-law, Ellen Laknar, Dillon; brother, Fred (Glena) Gillett, Lewistown, and children Todd, Trya and Glen; sister, Veronica (Tom) Flood and children Kelly and Tommy, Lovell, Wyo.; sister, Kathie (Larry) Smith and children Casey and Sean, Billings; brother, Dean and children Meghan and Michael; sister, Jami (Tracy) Collins and child Mel Simmons, Cody, Wyo.; sister-in-law, Judith (Patrick) McKelvey and children Chaela, Conn, Meghan and Moira, Helena; as well as her aunt, Nora (Dave) Tangen; cousins, great-nieces and -nephews, and many loving friends
Services will be held in Dillon at 1 p.m., Friday, Jan. 7, at Brundage Funeral Home.
Please bring a written remembrance to share with family to the services.
At Margie’s request please do not send flowers. Please make donations and memorials to the Montana Youth ChalleNGe Foundation, c/o Jan Rouse, 790 Cornell St., Dillon, MT., 59725.
A guestbook is available on-line at www.brundagefuneralhome.com.
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