MRS. M. FAUCETT DIED DECEMBER 30 IN CALIFORNIA, WAS MONTANA NATIVE.
    Word has been received of the death of Mrs. Martin (Ethel) Faucett, 80, in Sacramento, California on December 30. She was a resident of the Bitter Root valley for many years.
    Born Ethel Ault, in 1884, at Bannack, Montana, she came to the valley with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Silas Ault, at an early age and resided there until about 1917.
    Mrs. Faucett is survived by five sons and one daughter, Orville, Ernie, and John Buker, all of Victor, Martin, Robert Faucett, Mrs. Vincent Hunt, all of Sacramento' 20 grandchildren and 20 great grandchildren.
    Funeral services were held in Sacramento Thursday and the body is being shipped to the valley where Whitesitt Mortuary will be in charge of burial arrangements. Graveside service and burial will be in Victor cemetery near the graves of the parents at 2 p.m. Saturday. Mr. and Mrs. Hunt accompanied the body to Victor.                                                           
The Western News, January 1, 1964

    Mildred H. Felix, 88, died Monday afternoon at the Valley View Estates in Hamilton. She was born march 5, 1893 in Elk River, Minnesota to the late Charles and Minnie Eaton Hill. She was raised and educated in Elk River, and received her teaching certificate from St. Cloud College. She married Dale Felix in Elk River on November 9, 1916 and moved to Corvallis in 1924. She taught elementary school at the Upper Burnt Fork School and then in 1945 began teaching at Corvallis, retiring in 1962. Mrs. Felix was a member of the Corvallis Methodist Church, the Corvallis Order of Eastern Star, the Owego Garden Club, the Corvallis Women's Club and the Retired Teacher's Association.
    Survivors include one son, Everett Felix of Corvallis; three daughters, Vivian Beardslee of San Francisco, California, Edna Conner of Alderwood Manor, Washington, and Helen Colvett of Petaluma, California; nine grandchildren and seven great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband in 1949 and four brothers and three sisters.
    Funeral services will be held Friday, 2 p.m. at the Dowling Chapel. Interment will follow at the Corvallis Cemetery.
Abstract from the Ravalli Republic, Wednesday, June 3, 1981, page 2


Hamilton - Frank W. Ferguson, 66, went to be with his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on Friday, April 18, 2003, after 2 1/2 miraculous years battling acute myelogenous leukemia. He was able to stay at home, under the care of his loving wife Janet.
    Frank was born Feb. 8, 1937, to William Andrew and Martha Luedecke Ferguson in Hamilton. He grew up in the Willow Creek area, where he spent the majority of his time with childhood friends exploring what the area had to offer. In 1955 he graduated from Corvallis High School. In high school he participated in football, basketball and track. He enjoyed excelling in track, especially the distance races. He was instrumental in designing and laying out the "C" overlooking Corvallis. Frank also designed the cover and drew all the design pages for the 1955 yearbook. After graduation from high school, Frank worked for the Forest Service, then worked in the woods and sawmills.
    In 1959 he was drafted into the Army to serve his country and there he learned to be a radio teletype operator. Frank enjoyed sharing his knowledge of Morse code. After his discharge from the Army in February 1962, he returned to the Bitterroot Valley that he loved so much and began working for the Sula Ranger District until his retirement in January 1993.
    He married Janet Park, who brought with her a daughter, Claire, into the marriage, whom he lovingly adopted. The Sept. 23, 1976, union of Frank and Janet was picked especially as it was the date Frank's parents and grandparents were married.
    In October of 1958 he married Rosemary "Butch" Van Vorst. During the marriage they had four children: Coral, Angela, Roan and Belinda. After 12 years of marriage, they were divorced. He married Sharon Mattson in 1972 and during their short marriage had a son, Craig.
    Frank enjoyed the outdoors and especially enjoyed telling stories of his hunting experiences and teaching his children and grandchildren all about hunting and fishing. Some of his greatest stories were of the times he had with his son Roan and son-in-law Randy. He liked getting his boat and camper out and spending time with his family and friends.
    Frank loved to garden, as well as raising many flowers and constructing a series of fish ponds that are the talk of the neighborhood. Frank was a self-taught artist and loved capturing life's images and painting them on canvas. He played a mean game of cribbage and was known for crafting some interesting cribbage boards.
    In his younger days, he had the "need for speed" and would tell many stories of racing down Highway 93 in one of his fast cars or even on his Harley Davidson.
    Surviving at the family home in Corvallis is his beloved wife and friend of 26 1/2 years, Janet. Also surviving are his children, Coral and Randy Maxwell of Darby, Bobby and Angela Birnel of Big Lake, Ala., Roan and Carla Ferguson of Idaho Falls, Idaho, Claire Ferguson of Hamilton, Tom and Belinda Jones of St. Louis, and Craig Ferguson of Tacoma, Wash.; 16 grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; his sister, Charlotte Probert of Deer Lodge; brother Don Ferguson of Frazee, Minn.; and numerous nieces and nephews. His parents preceded him in death.
    Frank will be greatly missed by his family and friends, but those of us who know Christ rejoice in the knowledge that one day we will all be together, and can look forward to the place he has assisted in preparing for us.

    A service will be held on Friday, April 25, at 2 p.m. at the Daly-Leach Chapel with Pastor Barry Curtis officiating. Interment will follow at Corvallis Cemetery. Visitation will be Thursday from 7 to 9 p.m. and Friday from 10 a.m. until service time at the chapel. The family suggests memorials to the Rocky Mountain Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, 5355 W. Dartmouth Ave., Lower Level, Denver, CO 80227.
Contributed by the Corvallis Class of 1955

LESTER FINK DIES INSTANTLY WHEN CAR STRIKES BRIDGE NORTH HAMILTON.
    Lester J. Fink died Wednesday, November 13, in a one-vehicle accident north of Hamilton. He was born December 23, 1921 at Missoula, son of Mr. and Mrs. John Fink of Corvallis. The funeral service will be held Saturday at 2 pm at the Dowling Funeral Chapel in Hamilton. Burial will be in Corvallis Cemetery.
Abstract from: The Western News, November 14, 1946

MRS. ELIZA FISHER LAID TO FINAL REST.
    Mrs. E. A. Fisher, who since the spring of 1883, has been a resident of Montana and who, if she had been spared, would have reached the age of 81 years the first of next December, passed peacefully away at the home of her son, Joseph Fisher here at 10 o'clock last Friday evening. For the past few days she had been ailing and although is was thought she would not fully recover, her death was a surprise to her relatives and friends here. Mrs. Fisher had only returned to Stevensville about a month ago from Spokane where she had been visiting her daughter, Mrs. Anna Hoover, for several months.
    Mrs. Fisher was a native of Kentucky, born there December 1, 1829 and was married in Louisiana, Missouri, November 9, 1848, and in the spring of 1883 came to Montana. Mr. Fisher died August 5, 1880.
    The funeral was held from the home of her son Sunday afternoon at 2 o'clock, Rev. F.A. Salsman being the officiating minister and undertaker, John Dowling, being in charge. The pallbearers were W.E. Godfried, Robert Cole, Amos Buck, Bruce Wells, John Franks, and H.W. Flanagin. "Abide with Me" and "Safe in the Arms of Jesus" were favorite song of Mrs. Fisher and were sung at the funeral.
    Mrs. Fisher was the mother of five children: Emma, who died at the age of one year; John W., who cannot be located at this time; Mrs. Anna Hoover of Spokane; Henry, who died in Missouri, and Joseph Fisher, who resides in Stevensville. John A. Landram, who died here seven years ago was a brother of Mrs. Fisher.
    In the death of Mrs. Fisher is removed from Stevensville one of its old and respected residents. Mrs. Fisher was a woman who was not quick to make acquaintances, but always made friends when she made acquaintances. She was a Christian woman and affiliated with the Baptist church.
Northwest Tribune, October 14, 1910

    Samuel T. Foss, 68, a Hamilton-area rancher, died Saturday morning in Marcus Daly Memorial Hospital here following a lengthy illness. Mr. Foss was born March 8, 1910 in Stevensville. He attended schools in Stevensville and Corvallis, then moved to San Jose, California and completed his formal education there. In 1932, he returned to the Bitter Root Valley. On November 4, 1924, he married Alice Irene Duncan in Spokane, Washington.
    Survivors include his wife, Alice, Hamilton; three sons, Sam, John, and Lee, all of Hamilton; two daughters, Millo Huggans, Darby, and Cheryl Rothlisberger in Germany; two sisters, Lillian Johnson and Clara Sehr, both of Hamilton; a brother, Dave Foss, Missoula, and 14 grandchildren.
    The funeral will be Tuesday at 2 pm in the Federated Church with the Rev. Eugene Bartels officiating. Burial will be in Riverview Cemetery.
Abstract from: Ravalli Republic, January 8, 1979

Victor, February 15 - The funeral of Edward Richard Fowler, who died at Seattle, Washington February 7, was held at the Community Church here Saturday morning, Rev. H.H. Longnecker of Hamilton officiating. The church choir sang several selections. Interment was in Victor cemetery, and the pallbearers were Ralph McVey, Earl Redding, William Howard, John Smith, Albert Sestak, and Arthur Fifield.
    The deceased was born in Victor June 9, 1888. He was the eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. George Fowler of Yakima, Washington, formerly of this place. He was married August 5, 1908 to Ida Walker. To this union were born two sons, Harold and Edward. He is survived by his wife and sons, his parents, four sisters, and three brothers. Mrs. Leonard Burnett of Stevensville, Mrs. Ruby Cornett, Mrs. Grace Pratt, Mrs. Montana Ross and Charles Flower of Yakima; Jess Fowler of Missoula and Robert Fowler of Bakersfield, California; and by his grandmother, Mrs. M.E. Tucker, three uncles, William Tucker and Joe Miner of Victor. He was a member of the Odd Fellows' lodge, which order had charge of the funeral. He also belonged to the Rebekah lodge.
    Mr. Fowler resided southeast of town, where he took the management of the M.E. Popham ranch about a year ago. He consulted physicians in Missoula and Spokane, and with this brother, Jess Flower, when to Yakima, where his brother-in-law and sister, Dr. and Mrs. George Cornett, accompanied him to Seattle for the operation which proved to be a large tumor on the brain. He survived the operation 12 hours.
Ravalli Republican, February 16, 1928 

Mrs. Annie Fox, an old resident of the Bitter Root Valley, and bettern known as "Auntie Fox," died at the Sisters hospital in Missoula last Monday. The deceased was an aunt of Mr. Robt. Nichol, of Skalkaho, and Mrs. Henry Buck, of Stevensville. Her age was nearly four score years.    
Bitter Root Bugle, September 11, 1890, page 3

D.P. FREEZE, WHO CAME TO VALLEY IN 1902, TAKEN BY DEATH MONDAY
    David Paulsel Freeze died Monday morning at Daly Hospital in Hamilton. He was 89 years old. Funeral services were conducted at the Dowling chapel Wednesday afternoon with Rev. Charles D. West officiating. Burial was made in Riverview cemetery where Cora J. Freeze, wife of the deceased carpenter, is also at rest. Mrs. Freeze passed away May 5, 1945. The pallbearers were Wilbur Vallance, Walter Ash, Herbert Kress, J.W. Miles, Paul Kurtz, and Mike Barbouris.
    D.P. Freeze was born November 13, 1862 at Rockingham, Virginia. He was the son of the late James and Josephine Freeze. On December 9, 1896, he married Cora Jones, daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. John M. Jones, who later resided south of Hamilton for many years, Mr. Jones passing away in 1908 and Mrs. Jones in 1932.
    Left to survive Mr. Freeze are two children and one grandson. The children are Mrs. Roy Mabary, who resides south of Hamilton, and John Freeze, who operates a dairy farm east of Hamilton. The grandson is George David Leroy Mabary, who is a resident of Anaconda. Also surviving are a number of nieces and nephews who reside in the east and middle west.
    Mr. Freeze is the last of six children in his family to die. He had five sisters. He moved to the home of his daughter, Mrs. Mabary, to make his home following the passing of Miss Betty Freeze.
Abstract from: The Western News, January 10, 1952

Rites At St. Francis Monday For Mrs. J.C. Frey Of Hamilton
    Mass was said at St. Francis Church Monday for Mrs. J.C. Frey, 86, Hamilton resident for 30 years who died at Daly hospital July 16 at 2:40 a.m. I
nterment was in Holy Cross Cemetery in Butte where the Freys lied for 21 years. Pallbearers were Joe Leigh, Phelan Bailey, Michael Frey, Terry Frey, Dennis Frey and Frank Martz. Rosary services were Sunday evening at Dowling chapel.
    Bertha A. Frey was a native of Russian, born November 15, 1887 and came to the US as a child. She married Joseph Frey at Albion, Nebraska in 1909. They then moved to Butte. She was a Gold Star Mother, their son Joseph being killed in WWII. They moved to Hamilton and lived in their home on the old Grantsdale road. The couple spent about 25 years maintaining one of the most complete fruit and vegetable tracts in the Hamilton area.
    She is survived by her husband; sons, Ed, Hamilton; Richard, North Dakota; Phelan, Boulder, Colorado; daughters, Alice Rock, Mrs. R.J. Bailey, Livingston; Mrs. Walter Leigh, Butte; Mrs. Harry Worth, Las Vegas; 11 grandchildren, 12 great grandchildren.
Abstract from: The Western News, July 21, 1976

Joseph C. Frey, 89, dies in Hamilton
    Joseph C. Frey, a Bitter Root miner and rancher, died Wednesday at Valley View Estates at age 89. He was born December 23, 1886 at Elgin, Illinois. He married Bertha Sticka at Albion, Nebraska in 1909, and the couple lived in Butte for 21 years. They then moved to the Hamilton area and lived here for 30 years. Mr. Frey was a member of the Catholic Church.
    Mrs. Frey died July 16. Survivors include three sons, Ed of Hamilton; Richard, Great Falls, and Phalen, Boulder Colorado; four daughters, Alice Rock and Rachel Bailey, both of Livingston; Marcella Leigh of Butte and Wilma Worth of Las Vegas, Nevada; 11 grandchildren and 12 great grandchildren.
    Rosary will be recited at 7:30 p.m. Friday in the Dowling chapel. Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Saturday in St. Francis Church in Hamilton with the Rev. James Burns officiating. Burial will be at 11 a.m. Monday in the Holy Cross Cemetery in Butte.
The Western News, December 9, 1976   

    Chris V. Froehlich, 80, of Missoula, died Friday in a local hospital from natural causes. He was born April 15, 1905 in Richardton, ND, to Wendlin and Frances Froehlich. He moved to Hamilton in March 1920 with his family.
    He was preceded in death by his parents and two brothers, Michael and John. He is survived by his wife, Adelyne, Missoula; three sons, Fred Froehlich, Helena, Jim Froehlich, Bonner, and Steve Froehlich, Richland, Washington; three daughters, Delores Hovey, Spearfish, SD, Margaret Murdock, Bellevue, Washington, and Kathy Bradley, Cut Bank, three sisters, Rose Lanz, Mandan, ND, Amelia Geddes, Apache Junction, AZ, and Katherine See, Hamilton; four brothers, George Froehlich, Missoula, Pete Froehlich, Anaconda, Matt Froehlich, Helena; 22 grandchildren and four great grandchildren.
    Mass of Christian Burial will be conducted Tuesday at 11 a.m. at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Missoula. Cremation has taken place at Sunset Memorial Park. Arrangements are under the direction of Squire Simmons & Carr Funeral Home.
Abstract from the Ravalli Republic, May 28, 1985, page 2

Mrs. Froehlich Passes Away, Anaconda Rites
    Funeral rites will be conducted in Anaconda for Mrs. Peter (Lula Marie) Froehlich, former valley woman who died Wednesday at St. Ann's Hospital in Anaconda.Mrs. Froehlich was the granddaughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. John Kyle of Darby.
Survivors include the husband of Anaconda, sons, Gary Froehlich of Seattle and Loren E. Kraft of Woodland, WA; step children, Mrs. Bob Christ of Missoula, Mrs. Don Sawyer of Sangus, CA, and Donald Froehlich of Stevensville. Aunts in Hamilton are Mrs. Inez Wheeler and Mrs. Edna Kyle. Neal Kyle of Como area is a cousin.
Abstract from the Ravalli Republic, June 6, 1968

    Martha Froehlich, age 66, passed away early Saturday morning in a Stevensville nursing home. She was born September 26, 1914 in Hamilton, daughter of James and Bessie Marcum Hixon. She attended school in Hamilton. She married Pete Froehlich May 11, 1931.
    She is survived by four daughter, Betty J. Duncan, Sheridan, Wyoming; Frances Crist, Missoula; Lorraine Driscoll, Ogden, Utah; and Roberta Edwards, Ft. Worth, Texas; one son, Donald, of Stevensville; two brothers, Wesley Hixon, Eureka, California; Francis Hixon, Susanville, California; 21 grandchildren and 12 great grandchildren.
    Funeral services will be conducted Wednesday at 10 a.m. at the Whitesitt Chapel. Interment will be at the Riverview Cemetery in Stevensville.
Abstract from the Ravalli Republic, July 20, 1981, page 4

Mrs. Rosie Froehlich Rites Tomorrow
Stevensville - Funeral services for Mrs. Rosie Froelich, 91, who died Tuesday, will be conducted at 2 p.m. Thursday by the Rev. Clifford Christianson from the Whitesitt Mortuary. Burial will be in the Tree Mile Cemetery.
    Born March 12, 1867, she came to Montana in 1897, locating with her first husband, James L. Brown, in the Three Mile area. Mr. Brown died July 1917 and she married Curt Froelich, who died in 1931.
    Mrs. Froelich is survived by 176 relatives who include four sons, John and William Brown, Stevensville; Walter Brown, Deer Lodge, and Lafe Brown, Phoenix, AZ; a foster son, Harold Thornburg, Anaconda; three daughters, Mrs. Octavo Brechbill and Mrs. Rosie Good, Stevensville, and Mrs. Florence Wood, Kalispell, 49 grandchildren, 107 great grandchildren and 12 great great grandchildren.
Ravalli Republican, Wednesday, October 26, 1955

Mrs. W. Froelich, Resident of Hamilton For Many Years Succumbed
Local Lady Died Sunday in Garden City Hospital After Short Sick Spell; Had Many Relatives
    Mrs. Wendeln Froelich passed away at a Missoula hospital Sunday after spending a week there receiving medical treatment. The Froelich family have been Hamilton residents since 1919 and are well known in this section. Mrs. Froelich was born September 17, 1873 at Spaier, Russia, and came to Mandan, ND with her parents. She ws united in marriage to Mr. Froelich in 1892, and lived in North Dakota until coming to Hamilton about 17 years ago.
    Surviving relatives include the husband, three daughters, seven sons, three brothers and three sisters. The daughters are: Mrs. Sam See of Missoula, Mrs. Frank Lautz of Glen Ullin, ND, and Mrs. Albert Hunt of Yakima, Washington. The sons are: William and Peter Froelich of Hamilton, George John and Chris Froelich of Missoula, Matthew Froelich of Deer Lodge and Michael Froelich of Lemon SD. The sisters are: Mrs. Frank Dauenhauer of Yakima, Washington, Mrs. John Fleck of Selfridge, SD, and Mrs. J. Hiltzentagen of St. Paul, Minnesota. The brothers are Leo, Michael and Matthew Kuntz of Glen Ullin, ND.
Rosary services for Mrs. Froelich were held Tuesday night at 8 o'clock at the Lucy Chapel in Missoula by the Knights of Columbus. Funeral rites were conducted yesterday forenoon at 9:30 o'clock at St. Francis Xavier Church and interment was in St. Mary's Cemetery.
Ravalli Republican, Thursday, February 4, 1937, page 1

Corvallis Matron Taken By Death
    Mrs. Ella Frogge, 58, native of the Corvallis community, died about 8:30 a.m. Friday. She had been in ill health for several years but her condition became worse about six weeks ago and she went to the hospital a week ago for an operation.
    She was born November 23, 1884 at the ranch home of her parents, the late Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin Strange, near Corvallis, and her present home is about a half mile from where she was born.
    Survivors include her widower, Jasper, Corvallis; daughter, Mrs. George Logan, who went to Portland, Oregon with her husband about five weeks ago, and Mrs. Roy Hardin, Portland; sister, Mrs. M.L. Kelly, Hamilton, and brothers, William Strange, Hamilton; James Strange, Arlington, Oregon, and Luke Strange, ElMonte, California, and one grandson.
    Funeral services were held Tuesday afternoon.
Ravalli Republican, April 1, 1943

Tragic Death Near Victor
Mrs. Monroe Fulkerson Thrown from her Buggy Yesterday Evening by an Unruly Horse and Death Resulted in a Few Minutes
    Mrs. Monroe Fulkerson was thrown from her buggy last evening near Victor and sustained injuries from which she died in a few minutes. In company with her son, Ray Fulkerson, she was driving from Victor to the Fulkerson ranch north of that town. Where the ditch from the Frank Tudor ranch crosses the road near the Clark ranch and the road that leads to the Victor Cemetery, they met Alexander Duffield, station agent at Victor. Mr. Duffield was driving across the bridge over the ditch at the time of meeting and for some unexplained reason the horse which was being driving by Ray Fulkerson began rearing and and plunging. In an effort to avoid a collision with the Duffield carriage, the boy pulled the horse our of the road to the side of the land. The horse jumped the ditch and when the front wheels of the buggy ran into the ditch, the occupants were thrown from the buggy.
    Mrs. Fulkerson was immediately placed in the Duffield carriage and driven to Victor, where she was placed in the Fulkerson store and Dr. T. H. Hanbidge was called. Everything possible was done to save her life, but she lived only about twenty minutes after reaching the store.
    The horse continued running after crossing the ditch and was not recovered last night. The animal was of a spirited and excitable nature and had on several occasions run away. Monroe Fulkerson had several times narrowly escaped injury while driving the horse.
    The funeral services will be held tomorrow afternoon at 2 o’clock., Rev. D.B. Price of Stevensville officiating. Mrs. Fulkerson ws a native of the Bitter Root and one of the oldest inhabitants. She was born at Fort Owen at the northern edge of Stevensville, February 7, 1857. Thirty one years ago she was united in marriage to Monroe Fulkerson and several children have blessed the union. The tragedy caused universal sympathy for the bereaved family and sorrow for the loss of a worthy life. Miss Maude Fulkerson, a daughter, is prostrated by grief.
Stevensville Register, July 27, 1904


MRS. FUNDENBERGER TAKEN BY DEATH DECEMBER 31 - STEVI RITES.
    Funeral services will be Friday afternoon at the Whitesitt chapel in Stevensville for Mrs. Elmer (Altha) Funderberger, 76, of Stevensville who died at Daly hospital December 31 after a long illness.
    She was a native of Lafayette, Iowa, married Elmer Fundenberger in 1908 in Rapid City, South Dakota, where they homesteaded. They came to Stevensville in 1916. In 1938, they built a motel which she operated until ill health forced her retirement in 1962. He died that same year.
    Surviving are sons Kenneth of Stevensville and Lyle of Las Vegas; and three grandchildren.
The Western News, January 1, 1964

Elmer Fundenberger Rites Saturday in Stevensville
Stevensville - Final Rites for Elmer Fundenberger, 77, are tentatively set for Saturday at 2 p.m. at the Whitesitt Funeral Home. Mr. Fundenberger died Monday night in a local rest home. Reverend Earl Matson will conduct the services and burial will be in Riverview Cemetery.
    A resident of the Stevensville area since 1916, Mr. Fundenberger was born December 23, 1885 at Fort Scott, Kansas. He lived on a ranch until 1938 when he moved to town and built a service station and motel which he operated for several years. He married Altha Bowen June 30, 1908 in Rapid City, SD.
    Surviving besides the widow are 2 sons, Lyle, Las Vegas, NV and Kenneth, Conner; 3 sisters, Mrs. Catherine Arnold, Parsons, KS, Mrs. Callie Kleth, Ft. Scott, KS, and another sister in OK; 3 brothers, Ray, Hutchinson, KS, Jake, Mapleton, KS, and William, Shawnee, KS, and 3 grandchildren.
Ravalli Republic, July 11, 1962