Bill Rettig
1944 - 2011
Bill Rettig, the husband of Patsy, and dad to Samuel, died at their ranch near Bridger on Saturday, May 14, from an apparent heart attack.
Bill was born in Ontario, Ore., to Charles and Evelyn Rettig, and grew up near Willowcreek, Ore.He was soon joined by brothers, Terry and Lynn.
Bill clearly remembered the change that occurred in their home when his parents became Christians, and he also made the decision to believe that Jesus Christ was the Son of God, and to follow in His footsteps.
Bill graduated from Vale Union High School, attended Simpson Bible College in San Francisco, Calif., Treasure Valley Community College in Ontario, Calif., and received his bachelor of science in history at Eastern Oregon College in LaGrande, Ore.
He met Patsy Rayburn at college when they were attending a college and career class at First Baptist Church.
He served in the United States Army in Germany. After completing his service he and Patsy were married in 1969. Patsy wore a wedding dress made by her mother from lace Bill had purchased for her in Germany.
Bill worked at the LaGrande Airport servicing forest service planes during the fire season while completing the requirements for a master of teaching degree from Eastern Oregon College.
Bill and Patsy used their summer vacations to take youth from their church teen groups to summer camps, and trips into the Eagle Cap Wilderness near Lostine, Ore.
Bill taught social science classes in Unity, Ore., and then moved into a new position selling liquid feed supplements to ranchers in the Dillon area. When the company decided they wanted him to move to Idaho Falls, he became an employee of Standard Lumber in Dillon, sold property for Mooney Real Estate, and was a federal crop insurance field supervisor.
He taught a young couples class at the Dillon First Baptist Church developing friendships still treasured today.
Bill wanted his son to have the experience of growing up on a ranch, so when Sam was born he literally found and purchased a ranch near Bridger while Patsy was still in the hospital.
Bill was active in the First Baptist Church in Laurel as a Sunday school superintendent, and taught in the Yellowstone Christian School.
Struggling to survive on the small ranch they had purchased, Bill worked off-farm jobs at Western Sugar, and became employed full time at Northwest Pipe Fittings in 1992.
He retired to full time farming in 2009 shortly after his brother Terry died from a heart attack. He had two years of doing what he had always dreamed of doing. While the road was sometimes rough, he developed a beautiful spot on earth called home. Bill was a straight shooter and his brother’s keeper.
Patsy, Samuel, his brother Lynn and wife Joanie of Musselshell, their children Jamie, Amanda Paden (Nick) and Dustin, as well as Patsy’s mother, brother Sam and sisters, Nancylee Hudson (Jim) and Sheri’s (Bud) lives have forever changed with the loss of Bill. “Well done thou good and faithful servant," Matthew 25:21.
Funeral Services were held Saturday, May 21, at 1:30 p.m. at the First Baptist Church in Laurel. Burial was in Rockvale Cemetery with military honors.
Memorials may be made to the First Baptist Church, or Billings Clinic Foundation, 2917 10th Ave North, Billings, MT 59101.
Louise Heikkila
1918 - 2011
Louise Heikkila, age 92, passed away on March 22 in Boulder City, Nev.
Louise M. Olson was born Dec. 3, 1918,in Glasgow. Louise started working as a telephone operator in Hinsdale when she was 14 years old.
Louise married Edwin Heikkila Friday, June 14, 1941. They had one son, Carl, who died when he was 15 years old. They later adopted two boys, Alan and Wayne.
Ed and Louise lived on their ranch in Dillon. They lived there until the late 1980s at which time they moved to Boulder City, Nev.
Louise was preceded in death by her husband, Edwin, and her son, Carl; her parents; her sisters, Margaret and Anna; and her brother, Eric.
Louise is survived by her sons, Alan and Wayne Heikkila; daughter-in-law, Shannah; grandchildren, Sacha Heikkila, Shari Heikkila and Wryan Heikkila; cousins, Charlie and Barbara Dunn; also many nieces, nephews and cousins.
There will be a short graveside service in Dillon Saturday at 2 p.m.
Stephanie Ann Murphy
1943 - 2011
Stephanie Ann Flink Murphy, or Stevie as she was to those who loved and knew her, died Wednesday, May 8, in Missoula, from natural causes.
Stevie was born July 15, 1943, to William Flink and Doris Kane Flink. Her father was in Europe at the time of her birth, so she came home from the hospital without a name on her birth certificate.
Stevie lived in Deer Lodge with her family, enjoying a normal childhood. At the age of nine, she was diagnosed with polio, spent one year in an iron lung, and endured many surgeries on her feet and legs.
She attended and graduated from Powell County High School, and then went on to the University of Montana to pursue a degree in education.
While in college, she met and married William “Bill” Murphy on Jan. 2, 1965.
As a teacher Stevie touched and changed many lives. During her teaching career Stevie was named Utah Teacher of the Year and Idaho Teacher of the Year.
While teaching in Idaho, Stevie also became an advocate for immunization, and gave speeches on the importance of immunization, and told her story of survival.
Also during her time in Idaho she became fascinated with the space program, and made many trips to Houston, Tex., and traveled to Florida to watch fellow teacher Barbara Morgan make her shuttle launch.
Stevie and Bill filled their lives with time with one another. They played bridge and traveled extensively. They made several trips to Hawaii, New Zealand, England, Ireland, Florida, the Carribean and Mexico, and attended most Grizzly football games.
She missed few of her grandchildren’s events, sports, dance, music and school; and she loved spending time with all of them.
She was preceded in death by her parents.
Stevie is survived by her husband of 47 years, Bill; daughter, Maria Hansen and husband, Ike; granddaughters, Holly, Hailey and Hanne, Dillon; son, Patrick Murphy and wife, Cambria; grandson, Erick, McCall, Idaho; brother, Ernie Flink and wife, Robin, Highlands Ranch, Colo; brother-in-law, James Murphy and wife, Peggy, Reno, Nev.; sister-in-law, Melissa Dyer, Carson City, Nev.; uncles, Leo Flink and Ed Flink and wife, Rita, Missoula, and James Kane, Pleasanton, Calif.; many special nieces, nephews and friends.
Funeral services were held Monday, May 23, at Brundage Funeral Home. To honor Stevie, the family asked those attending to wear purple.
Donations can be made to Special Olympics, or the charity of your choice.
Garden City Funeral Home of Missoula handled arrangements.
Dorothy Jean Bergeson
1923 - 2011
Dorothy Jean (Lannan) Bergeson died quietly in her home on May 19.
Dorothy was born in Weston, Idaho, in 1923, the daughter of LaVera and James Joseph Lannan. She grew up in the Weston area and graduated from Weston High School.
During World War II, Dorothy lived in Salt Lake City, Utah, where she was employed at the Clearfield military base, now Hill Air Force Base, repairing flight control systems on Air Force bombers.
Dorothy married Ronald Smith Bergeson, her high school sweetheart, in 1943. The couple lived in Dayton, Idaho, where they owned and operated a farm until 1952. That year the couple, along with their two children, Deon and Kirk, moved to Dillon. They continued farming in Dillon for a brief time. Dorothy co-owned and operated a restaurant in Dillon for several years.
In 1961 Ron and Dorothy purchased Southmont Tractor Company from Phillip Lovell, and they operated the business until the 1980s.
Dorothy and Ron enjoyed spending time at the cabin they had built in Elkhorn, and snowmobiling together. Dorothy loved gardening and her beautiful yard. She was an excellent cook, accomplished seamstress and was skilled at needlepoint and crochet.
For many years Dorothy had several high school students that lived at her house in Dillon while going to school. However, Dorothy’s life was devoted to Ron. After he was diagnosed at a very early age with diabetes, she became not only his marriage partner but also his vigilant care giver. When Ron started on dialysis, Dorothy learned to operate the machine, and for eight-and-a-half years was able to provide Ron with weekly treatments.
Dorothy was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Ron; brothers, Jack Lannan and Thomas Lannan; and sister, Esther Maddox.
She is survived by her daughter, Deon Corkins, Midvale, Utah; son, Kirk (Jean) Bergeson, Dillon; grandchildren, Gary (Vanese) Corkins, Tamara Vasquez, Ronald Corkins, Kelly Bergeson, Jack (SueAnn) Bergeson; great-grandchildren, Victoria Vasquez, Taylor Bergeson and Jackson Bergeson; sisters, Marcella Gamble, Katherine Nielsen, and Georgia Buttars; special sister, Tyra Henderson, numerous nieces and nephews.
There was a gathering for Dorothy Bergeson on Monday, May 25, from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., with services at 10 a.m., Tuesday, May 24, at Brundage Funeral Home in Dillon.
Internment and grave dedication will be held at 11 a.m. in Weston, Idaho, at the Weston Cemetery today.
Memorials may be made to Beaverhead Emergency Medical Services in Dillon, or to a charity of the donor’s choice. A guest book is available at www.brundagefuneralhome.com.
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