Ellen Elaine Laknar
1946 - 2013
Ellen Elaine (Dumke) Laknar, of Dillon, passed from this life at home on the ranch on June 15, 2013.
The sixth of 16 children of Alvina Weiner Dumke and Harvey Dumke, Ellen was born in Oshkosh, WI, on Sept. 3, 1927. Ellen came to the Beaverhead Valley to live with her aunt, Lil Freeman, and attended grade school at the Nelson School on Anderson Lane. She returned to Oshkosh for a time, continued with school, and worked. She came back to Dillon to be with other family members who had moved to Dillon from Wisconsin. It was about this time when she obtained the nickname of “Eagle Eye Ellie.” One way to pass the time and earn a little income was to hunt rattlesnakes in the Hogback and Smallhorn areas. “Eagle Eye” was pretty good at finding them, snaring them and shooting them. There was a bounty on the snake rattles at the time, which gave her a little spending money.
She and George Laknar married on March 31, 1946, in Dillon at the St. Rose of Lima Church. George and Ellen had two children, Larry and Judy, seven grandchildren and 12 great grandchildren, who called her Grandma Ellen.
George went to Toledo, OH, for butcher school and Ellen and the two kids went to Oshkosh and stayed at her mother’s house. Ellen got a job working in a grocery store. When George completed the butcher schooling the family moved to Reno, NV, in 1954. George worked as a butcher and Ellen worked at the JC Penney store in Reno.
The family returned in 1958 to the ranch north of Dillon, where Ellen would spend the rest of her life. She worked with George. Pinochle was a passion, but you really did not want to try to keep up with her in tough game of “pounce.”
There were always lots of out-of-town guests for her birthday and she always said the Labor Day activities were to help her celebrate. The usual celebration brought out-of-town relatives and guests stopping by to wish her happy birthday.
Ellen is preceded in death by her parents, 14 of her brothers and sisters, her husband of 60 years, George, one grandchild, Seana McKelvey, daughter-in-law Margie Laknar, and numerous nieces and nephews. She is survived by: her children, Larry Laknar of Dillon and Judy (Pat) Laknar McKelvey of Helena; grandchildren Loran and Marti Laknar, Chaela ( Doug Manning), Conn (Naomi) McKelvey, Meghan (Chris) Kiser and Moira McKelvey; 12 great grandchildren; numerous nieces and nephews; special friend Virginia Nelson, who has been more like a sister to Ellen; and friends around this nation.
The attitude and professional assistance of the Home Health Care of Barrett Hospital is greatly appreciated by the family. They were very much “troopers” in Ellen’s care. Thank you’s are not enough for Marie, Tammy, Kelly, Nancy, and Doctors McIntyre and Weed. You all have been special to Ellen and her family.
A celebration of Ellen’s life and vigil service will be held June 20 at the Brundage Funeral Home in Dillon. Public visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. with the vigil and rosary at 7 p.m. The Mass of Resurrection will be celebrated at 12:10 p.m. on Friday June 21 at St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church in Dillon.
The family suggests donations to the charity of your choice or to the Barrett Hospital Hospice program.
A guestbook is available at www.brundagefuneralhome.com
Philip W. Murphy
1929 - 2013Philip W. Murphy died May 8, 2013, at Suttle Care Assisted Living in Pendleton, OR.
He was born Nov. 2, 1929, in Hamilton, to Philip and Estella Murphy (Nelson). He was raised near Jackson and attended college at the University of Montana in Dillon.
He joined the Army in 1950 and met his wife, Jean, at a USO dance while stationed at Camp Roberts in Santa Maria, CA. They married on May 13, 1952, in Belvoir, VA., on his graduation day from Officer’s Candidate School. On October 12, 1953, Phil was sent to Korea with an engineering corps to build airstrips during the war. It was dangerous work, as the airstrips were often bombed during the night. After arriving home from Korea, Phil and Jean lived at Ft. Lewis, WA, until his discharge from the Army, and then made their home in Canyon City. They later moved to the Middle Fork near Bates, and then to a ranch in Monument, where they lived for 46 years. In 2008, they moved to Pendleton to be closer to family and doctors.
Phil loved ranching. Working on his ranch was one of his greatest joys. He raised cattle and horses and especially loved appaloosas. At one time he owned more than 50 horses and took his family and a neighbor child around Oregon to horse shows with the horses he had trained. He also loved to braid leather and made numerous bridles, reins and hackamores that were treasured by those who received them. Phil loved sports and spent time coaching when his children were in the Monument School District. Years after his children were grown, he could be found at most sporting events supporting the local kids, even driving as far as Mitchell and Ukiah to watch the Monument teams.
Phil is survived by his four children—Mike Murphy, Monte (Cheryl) Murphy; Peggy (Glen) Murphy-Johnston; and Trish (Mike) Montgomery— daughter-in-law Shelley Whale Murphy; and seven grandchildren—Amanda and Shane Murphy; Brianna Murphy-Johnston; Caleb and Emma Montgomery; Michael Crothers; and Keith Brown.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Jean, his parents, Phil and Estella, and a sister, Colleen Crump.
A memorial service will be held in Monument July 27, at 10:30 a.m. at the Monument Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to the funeral fund at the Monument Senior Center or to the Monument Food Bank.
Ned Dwight Gearheart
1946 - 2013
Ned “Ike” Dwight Gearheart, 67, of Dillon, died peacefully at his home June 10. Ike was born January 2, 1946, to Ned and Garry Gearheart. He is survived by his children—Michelle Hart, Clint Gearheart and Brandy Cady—and by his seven grandchildren. Funeral services were held June 17 at the Stone Creek Bible Church, 55 Taylor Dr.
Maryann Given Stout
1936 - 2013
Maryann Given Stout passed away Sunday, June 9, 2013, at the Traverse Care Center in Wheaton, MN. Maryann was born on June 16, 1936, in Breckenridge, MN. In 1964, she moved to Montana, where she would meet and later marry Charley Stout. The couple resided in Melrose.
Funeral Mass for Maryann was held June 14, in Wheaton. Maryann was preceded in death by her parents, Fred and Hazel Gaulrapp, her husband, Charlie Stout, and brother Frederick. She is survived by: her twin brother, Joseph (Delores) Gaulrapp, of Wheaton and three step-children—Bernadine (Reuben) Kruize of Cheyenne, WY, Jim “Dude” (Kay) Stout of Osage, IA, and Betty Nuyen of AZ. To sign the online guest book or watch the video tribute to Maryann, please visit www.bainbridgefuneralhome.com
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