Frank Garland Terrill
1926-2012
Frank Garland Terrill passed away on Thursday, July 12, 2012 in Dillon, Montana, at the age of 86. His death was the result of complications from a fall.
Mr. Terrill was born in Dolores, Colorado on August 6, 1926. He grew up on the family homestead in rural Dolores County Colorado, specifically Disappointment Valley. His family farmed and ranched in this Valley situated at over 8,000 feet. During the Depression various family members and others found refuge there and the family shared what little they had.
Mr. Terrill’s parents were Charlie Terrill and Mabel Pearl Holybee Terrill. He was one of four boys and two girls and a cousin, Homer Manson, who was raised by Charlie and Pearl as one of their children. He was preceded in death by his brothers, Johnny, Lawrence, and Marvin Terrill and by Homer Manson; by sisters Helen Terrill Willden and Marie Terrill Switzer.
Mr. Terrill attended Upper Lavender School (a one-room schoolhouse) during his primary and junior high years and finished his freshman year of high school in Cortez, Colorado, while “boarding out”. Although his formal education ended at that point, he was a voracious and varied reader throughout his life and had beautiful penmanship. His ability to read in order to research mechanical and building problems was remarkable. He took care to speak properly, although he did inherit his father’s propensity for colorful cursing.
After the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, he felt the call of duty. Although too young to enlist, his mother signed the enlistment papers so he could join the United States Marine Corps (Reserved). He had ruefully commented that he chose the Marines so he wouldn’t be at sea all the time. He ultimately spent a great deal of time aboard ship. After initial training at Camp Pendleton with Company H, 3rd Battalion, 27th Regiment, 5th Marine Division, he was sent to Camp Tarawa, Hawaii, for further training; training that was so secret the Marines were not told what they were training for. After 54 days aboard ship, he participated in the Battle for the island of Iwo Jima.
Mr. Terrill credits his survival on Iwo Jima to the foresight and wisdom of his battle companion, Charlie Bollinger. Charlie, from South Dakota, was considered an “old man” as he was in his twenties at the time, married, and had two children. He made sure both he and Mr. Terrill made it off the island even though both of them were wounded.
Mr. Terrill served the United States from December 30, 1943, until his honorable discharge in April of 1946 and was paid 5 cents per mile to get from San Diego to Denver. Denver is a considerable distance from Southwestern Colorado but he made it home. His military qualifications were as an Automatic Rifleman and as a Guard. He received the Purple Heart after being wounded in action on Iwo Jima on March 20, 1945. After minimal treatment, he returned to battle. He was sent to Japan for the occupation and accompanied a lieutenant to Nagasaki after the debris had been cleared away from the streets and only “the skeleton structures of buildings remaining”.
His family stated that he went to war a typical teen ager and returned an old man. One of the great disappointments throughout his life was that the Veteran’s Administration did not keep its promises to the veterans for their care as he brought home a lifetime of stomach ailments and inexplicable bouts of what he called a three-day bout of “flu” when he would be void of sufficient energy to work as he thought a man should. This may have been malaria contracted in Japan.
He worked as a carpenter, maintenance foreman for the Dolores County Road Department, and for his father’s business of guided hunts from Buckhorn Lodge in Disappointment Valley. Upon his move to Montana in 1969, he was a building contractor in partnership with his son Guy and a security guard at the Golden Sunlight Mine.
He served on the Dolores County School Board and gave diplomas to both of his daughters at their high school graduations.
Mr. Terrill married Sarah Alice Spence in Aztec, New Mexico on December 14, 1946. That marriage later ended in divorce. Born to the marriage were four children, Susan Terrill-Flint of Bayfield Colorado, Garland Gay Hampton of Longmont Colorado, Guy Terrill of Dillon Montana, and Brent Terrill of Vacaville California. He is survived by grandchildren Janice Hampton, Bob Hampton, Lance Thomas, Tiffany Flint Caron, Taylor Terrill, and Tessa Terrill. His 4th great-grandchild is due in late July; great-grandchildren are Brenna Hampton, Andrew Thomas, and Sadie Thomas.
Mr. Terrill married Elsie Mack on May 30, 1981, in Pony, Montana. They have been estranged for many years.
In his later years, Mr. Terrill lived in Dillon, Montana, next door to his son, Guy Terrill. Guy and Terry cared for him in the most gracious and caring way possible. The entire family is indebted to both of them, beyond what words can express.
Cremation will occur. A memorial service will be held at 11 am, July 28th at Brundage Funeral Home, 300 S. Atlantic, Dillon MT.
Interment will be at Mountain View Cemetery in Dillon following the memorial service.
A reception will be held at the Dillon Elks Lodge, 27 E. Center Street from 1-4 p.m. Please no food as that will be provided.
Condolences may be expressed on line at www.brundagefuneralhome.com
Jo Kesel
1920-2012
Our mother, Jo Kesel, wrote her own obituary in 2006 when she was admitted to hospice in Billings and given no longer than a year to live. Mom never did anything by the book and she died six years later on July 6, 2012, after fooling all doctors and oddsmakers. Mom lived her life in a distinct fashion and while settling her affairs around Dillon, we have heard, "I loved your mother", "She gave me grief and I gave it right back to her!", and "Now, there was a woman with spirit!"
Here is mom's obituary as she wrote it those many years ago, with updates from her expected passing at 86 to her actual passing at 92: Josephine "Jo" Kesel, 92, of Dillon, Montana passed away on July 6, 2012 at the new Barrett Hospital. She was born on March 9, 1920, the middle child of thirteen children born to Manuel and Ascension in Bolsa, California. She graduated from the Newport High School Class of 1939 in Newport Beach, California. Jo completed her coursework through the Santa Ana School of Cosmetology in 1940 and received her license allowing her to practice anywhere in the United States. During the war, Jo worked at Fifth Avenue Beauty Salon in Santa Ana. She met her future husband, Leonard Kesel, at a "Hard Times" costume party hosted by her sister. They were married in 1942 in Newport Beach, California. Following a six-week honeymoon trip to Montana and Yellowstone Park, they returned to San Diego where Leonard worked to construct the United States Naval Destroyer Base and Jo managed the Famous Beauty Shop. In June of 1944, Jo returned to Costa Mesa and worked for one of her favorite people, Pop Brady, at Pop Brady's Barber and Beauty Shop.
In April 1944, Leonard moved to Montana. In August, Jo followed with her friend, Daphne. They endured 13 flat tires on their way to Montana and had to blackmarket tires throughout several states to get here. Leonard and Jo lived in Lima until 1945 when they moved to Dell where Jo clerked at the Dell Mercantile and cooked at the Dell Hotel. Jo was very proud of Leonard's carpentry work in building the unique Pipe Organ Lodge that is now sadly only a memory. In January 1946, Jo returned to beauty work and made the daily drive to Dillon from Pipe Organ until February when they made their final move to Dillon. "I told Leonard, this is it. I am not making one more move north. Don't even talk Melrose or Butte."
Jo worked at Dorothea's Beauty Shop, but her favorite profession was florist. She created flower arrangements at Mountjoy's Flower Shop. If you knew Jo, you knew she had many hobbies including sewing, cooking, crocheting, beading, macrame, reading, drawing, and painting. She referred to herself as a "jack of all trades." Jo was happiest working with young people and was a 4H leader for 15 years. She was a member of the St. Rose of Lima parish in Dillon. She was known as "the hot lunch lady" for decades and also cooked at the jail for another of her favorite people, Sheriff Buzz Davis.
Jo was preceded in death by her husband Leonard, her parents, four sisters and five brothers. Three of her siblings still survive - her sisters Connie and Rosie, and her brother Joe. Her daughters Jolyn (Jack) of Billings, Montana, and Cindy of Concord, California, survive her. The pride and joy of her life, her grandson Doug, is completing his doctoral degree in condensed matter physics.
Jo's original obituary contemplated passing away peacefully at her daughter's home in Billings, surrounded by loved ones, including Jack's extensive family. Instead, after spending time at both of her daughters' homes, Jo returned to her home in Dillon where she was surrounded by her friends, Dillon's loving community and the caregiving hands of Barrett Hospital's Drs. Ron and Anna Loge, nurses and aides. We will always be grateful for Maureen Wood and Judy Cherry, her senior companions, and Ron Carroll who was with her as she slipped away. At Jo's request, there will be no services. Cremation has taken place. Donations would be especially appreciated to the Senior Companions program, the Ronald McDonald house, Special Olympics or the hospice of your choice.
Annie May Harkins
1926-2012
Ann passed away at the Marquis Vintage Suites in Butte, Montana on July 20th, 2012. Mom was born July 25th, 1926 in Madison County in a country ranch house on the Alfred Swanson homestead to proud parents, Matt Moltich and Veronica Saje Moltich. She was the 7th of 9 children born to this young Yugoslavian couple. Mom recalled that the typical Spring event usually began moving with her siblings, the family dog, crated chickens, squealing pigs and their meager household belongings loaded onto a horse drawn hay wagon with a milk cow trailing behind and the optimism of a brighter future. Mom helped with the care of her younger siblings, but her desire always was to be outside riding her horse and playing in the creek. Mother attended grade school in Sheridan, Montana and graduated from Twin Bridges High School in 1944. During her senior year at Twin Bridges Mom secretly fell in love with a dashing, handsome, fast driving entrepreneur named Lloyd Harkins. Before her graduation and so unheard of in those times, Mom and Dad, without the knowledge of her family, married in Butte, Montana on April 15, 1944. This mysterious union was kept hidden for several months until Dad had enough money saved to reveal their love with her family and move to Portland, Oregon for work in the ship yard. Mother was a gorgeous brunette and it wasn’t long after their arrival in Portland that Mom was chosen, under the watchful eye of Dad, as a pin-up girl for the military forces in the South Pacific. Her beautiful smile, lively brown eyes and stunning dark hair were viewed by service men and women for support and encouragement during the war. Our parents lived in many places before settling in Silver Star. Living in a rustic cabin in Hells Canyon as my Dad logged was her favorite memory. She worked a few years for George and Florence Bryant in their country store in Silver Star, as a waitress at Barkell Hot Springs and also on the Guy George ranch at Waterloo sorting potatoes. She was a nurse‘s aide in the infirmary at the Montana Children’s Center. Her gentle touch and keen intuition helped nurture many sick children back to health and she was so blessed by this opportunity to touch these young lives. Mom was a passionate listener, always giving us the chance to explain our self induced dilemmas. She forgave us for our mistakes, praised us for our accomplishments, and demonstrated that through tough times, grace under pressure and trusting in the Lord would give us the self sufficiency to become independent, productive adults. She was a firm disciplinarian and boundaries were always known. Mom was a 4-H leader, a 25 year member of the Daisy Chapter of Eastern Star and Treasurer of the Silver Star card club. Mom loved to garden. Her vegetable and flower gardens were immaculate and she could often be found at 6 a.m. removing weeds. She was no stranger to hard work and yearly raised, prepared and marketed 200 fryer chickens. Mom was well known for her culinary skills and hosted dozens of meals. Her recipes were sought after and continue to be prepared and served at family gatherings, especially her spaghetti sauce which Tad and Jeremy love. The Christmas holiday found Mom planning and decorating for weeks in advance. In later years, granddaughter Shannon assisted in this Yule tide tradition. Every year Mom would find a new and unique decoration to complete her Christmas display. Often this new display included the characters of Disneyland. Her trip to Euro Disney in Paris, France and to Disneyland in California to view the Thunder Mountain Railroad and Indiana Jones action rides included many historic collectables, saved by our parents and sold to the Disney Corporation, gave her great satisfaction and pride. This sharing of these antiques completed the many years she and Dad found such great pleasure in collecting and preserving. She enjoyed listening to the lively music generated by her grandchildren, Eischen and Grady, both champion fiddle players. Her trip to Colombia to visit son Larry, with a side trip to the Panama Canal, became her “once in a lifetime” opportunity.
She is survived by Lloyd, her husband of 68 years. Also surviving are her daughter Marilynn (Tad), and son Larry (Liz), grand children, Shannon and Jeremy Dale, Eischen and Grady Harkins. Her 4 great grandchildren are Ivy, Diesel, Lux, and Dawson. Other survivors include sisters-in-law Vi Moltich of Cheney, Washington, and Violet Moltich of Sheridan, Montana and many loved nieces, nephews and grand nieces and nephews. Mom was preceded in death by her parents and siblings Matt, Carl, Tony, Mary, Fred, Walter, Willy and Frances. The family would like to extend a special thank you to her wonderful care providers Dr. Judith Wilson, Macy Antikainen, Terri Vasina, friends Roger and Rita Siemens, Daryl and Dana Brower and all those who made her life more comfortable at the MarquisVintage Suites and Copper Ridge Rehabilitation Center.
Memorials may be made to the New Hope Center in Butte or the Twin Bridges Fire Department. Services are scheduled for Friday, July 27th in the Church of the Valley in Twin Bridges at 11:00 am. A reception is to follow in the church recreation center. Family internment will be at the Silver Star Cemetery at 3:00 pm.
Janell Ann Brown
1936-2012
Janell Ann Brown, 75, of Great Falls, died on Wednesday, July 18, 2012 of natural causes.
Service were held July 23 at Hillcrest Lawn Memorial Chapel.
Brown was born on October 24, 1936 in Perkins County, South Dakota to Maynard and Ruth Koch. She met and married Dean Brown in 1956. They had nine children. He passed away on October 25, 2000.
She is survived by her daughters, Cindy Wootton of Renton, WA, Cathy Clark of Washburn, ND, Sandy Roberts of Sterling, KS and Patricia Haagenson of Great Falls; sons Michael Brown of Missoula, Thomas Brown of Butte, Robert Brown of Evansville, IN, and Richard Brown, of Frenchtown; sisters Rea Cassidy of Casper, WY and Mary Ellen Koch of Rapid City, SD; brothers Lynn Koch of Helena, Doug Koch of Missoula, and Cordell Koch of West Palm Beach, FL; 31 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren.
She is preceded in death by her parents, Maynard and Ruth Koch, her husband, Dean B. Brown and her daughter, Mary Lyn Okuly.
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