Sherry Kline

On Jan. 7, 2005, God gazed down from Heaven in search of a helper with a good heart and called upon Sherry Kline.

Sherry Ann Carter Kline was born Feb. 14, 1952, in Whitefish to Ray E. Carter and Gladys V. Johnson Carter.

A Valentine's baby, Sherry enjoyed collecting anything and everything "heart-shaped." The youngest of four children, she and her older brothers grew up learning to fish and swim in the Flathead River and roaming the foot of Columbia Mountain at the Carter and Johnson family farms.

She attended Columbia Falls schools and later attended Flathead Valley Community College, majoring in human services. Sherry worked in customer service all over the valley for the majority of her life while raising her three children, Shellie, Renae and Jason.

Sherry found her soul mate in Greg Kline, and they married in July 1986. Greg and Sherry were an invincible duo and could always be seen hand in hand and obviously in love. He cared for her with empathy and grace the remaining months of her life, never failing to tell her each day how beautiful and cherished she was.

Sherry will always be remembered for her generosity of spirit, her perseverance, her sense of humor and her vivacious and tenacious love of life. She taught those around her that you always keep your chin up and a smile on your face, dare to believe in yourself and never give up, and when all else fails grab a star and hang on.

To all of those who knew and loved her, Sherry will always be remembered as "one tough Norwegian woman," and to those who knew her best of all, it is no surprise that she lived her last moments the way she lived her life - fully, with dignity, and most of all, "her way." She will be greatly missed and remembered always, for the person she strived to be, and in the process, taught us all how to become. While she was here, she made the grass greener, the lights brighter, the tastes sweeter, and the nights warmer.

Sherry was preceded in death by her mother, Gladys (Johnson Carter) Kile; an infant daughter, Tina Rae Sibley; her father, Ray E. Carter, Sr.; and grandparents T.S. and Bessie Carter and Nicolai and Winnie Johnson.

She is survived by her husband, Greg, of Columbia Falls; daughters Shellie Spilis and husband Chucko, and Renae Gugler and husband Rocky, of Kalispell; son Jason Polensky, of Wichita, Kan.; grandchildren, Justin, Kasmir, and Amaia Spilis and Hannah Lou Gugler; brothers Ray Carter, Jr., of Pierre, S.D., Larry Len Carter, of Newton, Kan., and Jack Carter, of Tulsa, Okla., and numerous other relatives.

Cremation will take place under the direction of Columbia Mortuary. Services were held in Kalispell at Northridge Lutheran Church on Jan. 12, 2005 with fellowship following.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in Sherry's name to the Northridge Lutheran Church general fund or the charity of your choice.

Chet Ross

Longtime Kalispell veterinarian, Dr. Herman "Chet" Ross, 87, passed away Jan. 2, 2005, at his home in Somers.

He was born Sept. 15, 1918, in Naugatuk, Conn., to Samuel and Gussie (Eisen) Rosenstein, the younger of two boys. After high school, he enrolled at the University of Alaska from 1936-1939, studying geology. In his final year, he enlisted in the service and became a member of the fabled Devil's Brigade, a Canadian/American Special Forces Unit.

After the war, Chet went back to Alaska to finish his education in mining engineering but eventually decided to go into veterinary medicine. He earned his doctor of veterinary medicine degree in 1950, graduating from Colorado State University.

Chet and his former wife Georgiana Powers met and were married in 1947 at Fort Collins, Colo. After his graduation, they moved to the Flathead Valley in 1950 and started one of the first veterinary clinics. Chet and his very good friend Dr. Phinney helped control the wild horse population on Wild Horse Island.

It was in those years that Chet became active in what he saw as two basic community needs-transportation and education. He became a member of the Flathead County Airport Authority in 1969, and served in that capacity for 12 years, and was a member of the Kalispell Airport board for seven years. In 1967, he became founder of Flathead Valley Community College and was chairman of the board from 1967 until 1972. He remained an active board member for 34 years. He related to FVCC as "the big thing in my life."

In 1974, Chet was recognized by the citizens of Flathead County for his leadership in civic affairs by naming him Flathead County's Outstanding Citizen. In September 2004, the college board voted to name the Science and Technology Building as Ross Hall in his honor.

Chet was preceded in death by his parents.

He is survived by his brother, Dr. Sid Ross, and his wife in New York; his daughters, Carie Ross and Mary Ross-Goodnough and her husband, Norm, of Kalispell; two granddaughters, Jill Goodnough and Katie Goodnough, both of Kalispell; and his former wife, Georgiana Ross, of the family home in Kalispell.

Memorial services for Chet Ross will be held at 1 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 14, 2005, at St. Matthew's Catholic Church in Kalispell with the Rev. Matthew Huber (Chet's nephew) officiating. A reception will follow at the Elks Lodge in Kalispell. There will be no visitation. Military honors will be conducted by the United Veterans of the Flathead.

The family suggests that any memorials be made in Chet's honor to the Science and Technology Building (the future Ross Hall) at FVCC, 777 Grandview Drive, Kalispell MT 59901.

Charles Mercord

Frederick Charles "Chuck" Mercord died Dec. 31, 2004, at his residence in Lakeside after a three-month battle with cancer.

Chuck was born Dec. 5, 1931, in Kalispell. His parents were Milton and Louise Mercord, both deceased. He was a fourth-generation resident of the valley-his great grandparents homesteaded south of Somers in 1894.

After graduating from Flathead High School, Chuck commenced a five-year architectural program at Montana State University. He joined the Air Force and flew jets for three years.

In 1961, Chuck began a 31-year career in banking as a teller for First Federal. He served as president and managing officer of the organization from 1977 to 1989. Chuck stepped up to the role of chairman and CEO of the institution, by then named Glacier Bank, in 1989, and served in that capacity until his retirement in 1992. He continued as a director until April 2004.

Chuck married Kathryn Jasken on March 20, 1965. They had two children. They were unselfish contributors to the area's betterment and well-being throughout their marriage, which has been duly recognized by the community. They were designated to receive the United Way Points of Light Award in 2003. Last year, The Flathead Valley Community College Foundation bestowed its Eagle Award on Chuck, and this fall the couple were named recipients of the 33rd Great Chief Award by the Kalispell Area Chamber of Commerce.

Chuck and Kathy were early supporters of the community college and were instrumental in its growth and the move to its present campus. Chuck served on its foundation board for years. His other board and community committee memberships included Northwest Healthcare Foundation, the Flathead Lakers, the Hockaday Museum of Art, the Kalispell Chamber of Commerce, the Central School Museum, the Immanuel Lutheran Development Advisory Committee, the Kalispell Development Corporation, and the Northwest Trade Adjustment Assistance Center [TAAC] in Seattle.

In addition to his immediate family, Chuck is survived by his brother Brice and sister-in-law Melissa, of Colorado, and their three children and their two grandchildren.

Services took place Jan. 4, 2005, at Northridge Lutheran Church in Kalispell.

At the family's request, memorials may be sent to Northwest Healthcare Foundation, 310 Sunnyview Lane, Kalispell MT 59901 with designation to the ALERT program or the cancer center; to Flathead Valley Community College Foundation at 777 Grandview Drive, Kalispell MT 59901; or to the Flathead Lakers, P.O. Box 70, Polson MT 59860.