Occasionally a posting on here will trigger the memory of someone who is no longer with us. It doesn't seem fair, or even real, that these people have already left this life and I want to take the time to remember them here. Their life mattered and they are still remembered. Feel free to add anyone who you think about.

Mark Kosty- Class of '77

Dennis Shulz- Class of '76

...here's to you.

FH

RIP Bryon Huschka, you were a great person and friend.

The Gazette says that Kathy Garland has died. Another classmate gone. My sympathies to her family.

Dorene and Maxine Carlson have died. Dorene died October 20th and her twin Maxine died October 24th. My deepest sympathies to their families. I can't imagine such a loss.

I would like to remember my mother Jean Fretland. My mother passed away on October 27, 2007. It will be three years tomorrow. She was truly one of a kind. My mother like my father (Clint) taught a few generations of families in Miles City. She was an English and P.E. teacher. She was also the study hall supervisor for many years at Washington School. Lots of people have told me over the years that they never forgot their English grammar because of my mother's approach in teaching grammar. She was a fiercely independent woman. Sometimes, my mother did rub people the wrong way but, her intentions were always good. She was one of the most fearless people I've ever known. Norman Anderson said one thing at my mother's funeral that I'll never forget. He said, "I can describe Jean in these words. She had a mind of steel and a heart of gold." One of the happiest times for my mother was when she bumped into former students. One student in particular always made my mother's day. Every time he saw my mother around town, he would walk up to her and give her a big hug. That student was Ernie Bighorn. Actually, my mother always said that my class (82) was one of the smartest she had ever encountered. I am still so sad that my mother is gone but what comforts me is that fact that when I make it back to Miles City, I always run into people who remember her and comment on what a good teacher she was. She was a very strong lady. She always faced life head on and faced every challenge with courage and dignity.

Elin Ahmadpour (Fretland)

Elin, I will never forget your wonderful parents. Both of them were great teachers and made junior high at Washington school a true learning experience. Your mom was my favorite English teacher ever, and I have had some great ones. Your dad taught me Robert's Rules of Order and that came in very handy when I served as mayor of Great Falls for two terms. They are remembered with reverence and love.

My father, Basil Pius, has now lost another sibling...my favorite Uncle, in fact.

Mikhael "Minashi" Pius passed into the next life this past Sunday. He was an intelligent and articulate man, a good husband and father and always a pleasure to be with and talk to. He had a gift for writing and published a couple books and newsletters to share his talent. He was also a generous person as he donated and encouraged donations to worthy causes as if his life depended on it.

He visited Miles City a couple times, including when he came for my brother's funeral over a decade ago. He was quite moved and impressed by the people of Miles City on his visits. He spoke of how friendly, kind and Christian they were towards him and our family.

I fly-out tomorrow to attend his funeral and pay my respects. I will ask that those of you in Miles City who might cross paths with my father to please wish him well; he lost his big brother and I know he'll miss him...I sure do.

Sorry to hear about your loss.

Shu,
I know how much your family means to you. It's obvious by your posts. I'm really sorry to hear about your uncle.

My sympathies to you and your family.

I would like to remember Both of my parents, Chuck and Marilyn South who we lost 8 months apart to the day. gone way to soon.

I would like to remember my best childhood friend Todd Gregory Burgerson, who died in the year 2000 at the tender age of 13 years old. I would also like to remember the cat that I named after him, who died 10 years, to the day, after he did.

Dearest loved ones thou hast left us.
Here thy loss we deeply feel.
But thy God that hath bereft us.
He can all our sorrows heal.

Missing my family so much. Everyday! Jo Bloxom, Debbie Bloxom Thibault, Ed Bloxom, and Curt Martin. They are in my thoughts and heart everyday.

SSSH Graduate- Linda Colbrese Koncilya
Mary Lou Sprandel Hampton
Jim Giese
Terry Gierke
Katy Gierke
John David Friend
Nikki Dean
Catherine Woods
Justin Schiller
Connie,Tim,Laurie & Linda Wilson
C.W. Wilcox
Milo Huber
Cassie Haydal
Alex Kosty
Eunice Scheid
Nicole McFarland
Erin Hurr
Casper Schaeffer

Cassie Haydal
Charles H Young. (My grandfather)
Todd Bergerson
Erica Hill
Eric Blind
James Greenwood
Josh Worman

blessings and thank you matt. kay and i miss todd every day its one of those things only the angels above know what really happened. he was your best buddy and you were his. no one ever gets over loosing a child and kay and shall never forget thanks again matt. and blessings to you

Three ladies who each had a positive influence on me in some way or another while growing up, all recently passing: Georgia Muggli, June Higgins, Tootie Burnett. My condolences and prayers for their families and loved ones.

Lee and Destiny,
I am a distant cousin of your family. Your Grandpa Willson is a 5th cousin of mine. (which would make you 5th cousins twice removed) If you would like to contact me I'd love to share Willson family info.
My email is [email protected]
Hope to hear from you,
Dan Willson

James Russell, 79. My friend Jim's dad. Brings memories of my youth as I recall him working for Meadow Gold as a milkman for many years. Died yesterday.

Best wishes to Jim, Jr. and family.

FH

Agreed. My condolences to the entire family.

Well, guess what?...yep my father just lost another sibling.

Everyone in Miles, please give Basil Pius a pat on the back and a well-wish. His eldest sister, My Aunt Christina, passed away on Thursday following a severe stroke.

I had not seen her, myself, since I was 4 years old, but she was absolutely the glue that held my Dad's family together when they were growing up in Iraq. She was the one who fed and took care of all the siblings when my grandmother was struggling with ill health, and she also took care of my disabled Uncle Kooya before he came into my dad's care some 15 years ago. She was very-much a saint and a good-hearted person.

This kind of thing may be a hard fact of life, but it never gets any easier. R.I.P. Aunt Christina. Love you.

Our heart goes out to you, Basil, from SH School.

Sorry to hear that Shu. My condolences to you and your family.

Shu: I am sorry for your loss. My condolences to you and your family.

Condolences to the Kimball family. Mary Lou passed away a couple of weeks ago. Ed joined her this past Wednesday.

They were married for 60-some years and it was a pleasure to know them...and I'm happy they are together again.

Evelyn Zawada, cute little girl in Miss Bensons class Garfield school, 1953. She was the first female to be a pole climber for the telephone company in Montana. She moved to Missoula in 1954. I have a class picture I will try to post soon, Bill Kransky, Pam Tucker, Judy Youngbaur, Scott Mills, and some I cant identify. Evelyn died in March of this year.

I'm fairly new to this site, but having once lived in MC, it is bringing back many memories of places & people I knew back then. I'd like to add to this thread a wonderful couple whom I haven't seen mentioned yet - Ervin & Mildred Waldie from out on Moon Creek. They've been gone a few years now, but they were just the nicest people, & we always had fun visiting them either out on Moon Creek or the years they were on Tongue River - MANY, MANY happy memories...

Also, I might have missed his name, but I'd like to mention Pat Hirsh (class of '84?), my best friend's older brother who teased us unmercifully (it seemed) when we were in 1st & 2nd grade, but whom I'm glad I got to visit with after we were adults, as he was such a nice guy. My family was so sorry to hear of his loss in that accident - one more who died way too young...

The mention of Maggie DiBenedetto brought back some memories as well - we both worked at the Walmart in Tomah, Wisconsin, back in the early '90's. I remember when she first started working there, as I was surprised & happy to find out that she was from Miles City. Such a nice lady & always kind to everyone.

My deepest condolences go out to these families for their losses - all of them really wonderful people who I'm really glad I got to meet.

Evelyn was my cousin. She was a wonderful caring person and will be missed very much by my whole family . It happened so fast that I still have trouble believing it is true.

Karla Cole Murphy Boysun
Crystal Boysun

Donny Sprandal
Gordy Nation
Janice Hartman
Mary Munsell
Pam Ugrin
Donald Annalora
Mike Brady
and my dear mom, Evelyn Parent and her partner of many many years, Carter Snell

My mother, Violette Mahoney, died in September, 2013. She was 92 and loved Miles City as did my father John Mahoney. They left (Dad died several years before Mom) to mourn their passing their children and grandchildren. Their children included John (Hawaii), Maryann (Texas), Peggy (North Carolina), and George (Polson). We all loved our time in Miles City when our Dad was working at the Veterans Hospital and we attended the junior high and the high school.

Thank you for posting these remembrances to our friends, classmates and family with Miles City roots who have passed away.
Remembering these special people today:
~ Rose Waldo (Caler), our Mom, died June 2013. She was a housemother to many, many ranch kids attending Custer Co High School in the late 60's and 70's.
~ Class of 1963- Connie Waldo Minkoff, our sister. Passed away Feb. 2010
~ Class of 1968 - Rick Willson of Miles City passed away Nov. 2013. Our childhood neighbor and friend.
~ Class of 1978 (?)- Debbie Ohnstad Hauge passed away June 2011.

[This message has been edited by Kolleen Waldo Forsyth (2/6/2014)]

Donnie Brown 1955 - Feb 13, 2014. Condolences to his surviving siblings: Jim, Barbara, Stuart. Donnie was preceeded in death by his older brother, Mark.

Mark Brown - Class of 1969. Passed away in 1996.

My husband Rick Raymond passed on January 1 2014 he is greatly missed by family and friends. He had not lived in Milescity for many years but he visited often.

[This message has been edited by cjraymond (2/26/2014)]

been seeing way too many names of people I know (or rather, knew!)
looks like time passes and takes us all along with it.
condolences to us all, so many left too soon!
just wanted to put in a few memories passed on, some time ago, but nobody has mentioned any of them-

my brother,

Frank Crandall

my mom and dad

Earnie Crandall
Barb (Sayre) Crandall

and a good friend of mine, and sweet lady
Robin Gerber

Linda Moser Hord, CCHS class of '64 passed away February 20th, 2014

My sympathies to Tracy and Julie.

http://www.dailyinterlake...963f4.html

My brother Leon Hardy passed away Friday morning. Sacred Heart High School Class of 1978. Way to young, and sorely missed.

Liz Hardy Wheeler

Liz: I am so sorry for your loss. My sympathy to you and your family.

Just read through this post, thank you Luann for mentioning Patrick Hirsch, miss him every day. It will be 19 years that he has been gone this December, some days it seems like yesterday other days it seems so long ago. He was taken from us way too early. Love and miss you big brother.

My lifelong friend, Jane Kearney McCauley passed earlier this year. Jane graduated SHHS class of 1958. After many years of not knowing where each other was, we got back in touch about 10 years ago and spent those years catching up. Miss her emails and calls.

Heather Frederick (McCracken) class of 1977.

Connie (Rost) Michels, CCHS class of 1970. One of the sweetest gals I ever knew. RIP, Connie. :-)

My aunt, Blanche Wood, passed away on Friday, August 8th. I believe she would have been in the class of '68 or so.

A kind, gentle man, Bob Tillery recently passed away. My condolence to Beverly and all of his friends and family.

[This message has been edited by Elizabeth Emilsson (8/11/2014)]

Wade Christopherson - Car Accident - Helena ?
Rick Raymond - 2014
Greg Rautio -?

Ira["Bugs"]Carey,62 years old passed away recently in southern California.Another one of the old Barneys Bar crowd thats gone.RIP Bud.

George Hoffman passed on November 30th. Rest in peace George.

The class of 73 is holding our 45th reunion in June. I was given a list of names of classmates who we have lost. I am going to post it and if anyone has any of the obituaries for the ones I am still missing can you please message me? Also if there is anyone that we do not have on the list please let me know.

George Bell
Dave Haggar
Bill Smith
Barb Gierke Smith
Maria Hasapis
Gary Eckart
Joe Peterson
Pete Ellison
Monty Moreno
Bill Rogers
Randy Carter
Ray Thompson
Suzi Hollowell
Debbie Morrell

I have obituaries for:
Rick Merchant
Robert Goff
Brenda Brown
Paula Viall Wargo
Miles Griffith
Katherine Bertrand Gerace
Danny Phalen
Dan Halsey
Diane Donnelly

John deMontigny, who was in the last class to graduate from Sacred Heart before the high school closed down (1986) passed away in Neenah, Wisconsin, on May 22nd. He was tough as nails, a great athlete, and a handful with the teachers, especially the nuns. He was also brilliant, a jack of all trades, dry-humored and hilariously-so. He leaves behind 4 kids. Sorry you're gone, John. Say hi to Benny up there.