Larry Melvin Chaffin
1932 - 2011
Larry Melvin Chaffin was born and raised in Idaho Falls, Idaho.
He was very active in high school football, basketball, and track. He graduated from Idaho Falls High School in 1950 and acquired his pilot and radio broadcasting licenses shortly after.
Larry married Greta Kenney Aug. 28, 1951. Larry and Greta settled in Dillon where he was a partner in Chaffin Land and Livestock with his brother, Gayle, for 23 years.
He was known as the voice of the Dillon Beavers, and was owner and operator of KDBM Radio from 1978-1998.
He served the community as a member of the Jaycees, president of the Farm Bureau, a director of the Montana Chamber of Commerce, and member of the Dillon City Council. He was very active in the LDS Church, serving as a member of the Stake Presidency, Bishop, and later he and Greta served a full-time mission to the Washington D.C. temple.
Larry is survived by his wife of 59 years; their four children, John (Debbie) of Billings, Ken (Ann Marie) of Idaho Falls, Idaho, Lori (George) of Cincinnati, Ohio, and Bruce (Marriah) of Helena; 13 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren; his sister, Patricia Olson of Idaho Falls, Idaho.
Services were held at the Dillon LDS Church on Saturday, May 14 at 10:30 a.m. Visitation was Friday, May 13, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Brundage Funeral Home.
A guestbook is available online at www.brundagefuneralhome.com.
John Edwin Vaccaro
1944 - 2011
John Edwin Vaccaro passed away at Barrett Memorial Hospital in Dillon on May 13.
He was born Jan. 25, 1944, in Modesto, Calif., to Frank and Velma Vaccaro. John graduated from Downey High School in Modesto and Lassen Junior College in Susanville, Calif., with a degree in gun smithing. He worked for Pacific Bell Telephone Co. as a lineman and splicer. John married Judy Esau from Denair, Calif., and together they had six children.
While John was born and worked in California, his heart was always in Montana. At 10 years old, he started coming to Montana with his parents, visiting the Bob Jackson Ranch in the Big Hole Valley to hunt and fish. John’s father and Bob were army buddies from WWII.
During John’s high school years, he and his brother, Frank, spent their summers working for Bob. In later years he came to Montana to work full time as a ranch hand on the Jackson Ranch and on the Matador. His favorite job, though, was working for an outfitter in Darby packing hunters into the wilderness with a string of ten mules.
After taking an early retirement from the phone company in California in 1994, John fulfilled his lifetime dream to permanently settle in the Big Sky state, acquiring property below Timber Butte near Dillon.
John established his own gun smithing business, specializing in black powder rifles. He was involved in the Bannack Association, 2nd Cavalry reenactments, and participated in numerous black powder matches.
John was proceeded in death by his parents.
He is survived by his wife, Judy; their children, Jenny (Rhian) Mantha, Joel (Elizabeth), Jeanette, Jacob, Jill (fiancé Alex Bauerle), and Jesse; granddaughter, Anne Mantha; and brother, Frank (Marilyn) Vaccaro.
A memorial service is planned for Thursday at 4 p.m., at Prairie Bible Church, 1030 E. Sebree, with a reception to follow.
Memorial contributions can be made to the John Vaccaro Memorial- Youth Challenge Ministry, in care of State Bank & Trust Co., P.O. Box 1257, Dillon, MT 59725.
Morelle Kohler
1921 - 2011
Morelle "Mickey" Kohler was born to Charles and Alma (Nelson) Riebhoff on Dec. 27, 1921, in Detroit Lakes, Minn.
Mickey married Allan Kohler in Minnesota, and daughter Chris was born a few years before the family moved to Montana.
They lived in Whitehall and later in Dillon, where she enjoyed working for many years for the Dillon Tribune.
She was very proud of and enthusiastically supported, the interests of her family, both near and far, and of an extended family including Lyn and Tom, Carol and Keegan, and Debbie.
Mickey gave new meaning to smile, give and endure over her lifetime.
She is survived by her lifelines, Chris and Dan Smith (son-in-law), who made her life a pleasure. She is also survived by her grandchildren, Scotti (Tim) Brown and Steve (De’Anne) Smith; her great-grandchildren, Jayce, Parker, Carson Brown, Kaianan and Hudson Smith.
The grandchildren and countless others will always remember her and the great jelly bean machine.
A memorial service will be held at 3 p.m. Sunday, at Christ the King Lutheran Church, 4383 Durston Road, Bozeman.
Arrangements are in the care of Dokken-Nelson Funeral Service. www.dokkennelson.com
Nadine Alaine Borjas
1930 - 2011
Nadine Alaine Borjas, 80, passed away May 3 in Chico, Calif.
She was born July 7, 1930, to George and Iva Ferry in Iowa. She has lived in the Orland area most of her life.
Nadine graduated from Hamilton City High School and was a homemaker raising her children with her husband Henry who preceded her in death in 2001.
She loved baking and decorating cakes, sewing Halloween costumes, and spending time with her family. Nadine was an avid sports fan and never missed an event. If there was a will then Nadine was there.
She is survived by her children, Steve (Cary) and Rick (Linda), both of Orland; Randy (Sue), Willows, Calif.; David (Brenda), Polaris; and Diana, Poulasko, Wash.; sisters, Edna Mae, Evelyn, Mena and Mina; and brother, Kenneth; eight grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.
Services where held May 6 in Orland, Calif.
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