C. Bob White, 77,
“went to be with his Lord Jesus” on Saturday, March 3, 2007, at his home in Ferndale from congestive heart failure, The son of Bill and Emma White, Bob was born Jan. 11, 1930, in Great Falls.
Rob wore many hats in his life. At 9 years old he was a shepherd for three bands of sheep. He counted elk with his father and a game warden in what is now the Bob Marshall. He enjoyed a long career of bull riding, starting at age 9 and ending at 36.
Bob was a Naval radar man and was connected with the U.S. Marines during the Korean Conflict where he was also a member of the Naval Under-water Demolition Team. In 1952, he was honorably discharged as a chief warrant officer.
Bob decided Montana was the place he wanted to live. He married Rose Gelinas and raised five children. He supported his family by working at various auto parts houses, driving truck, building wooden boats, and wood carving.
In 1985, he married Jeanne McEwen and they raised two boys. After a 1989 fire destroyed their Bigfork home, Bob moved his family to the mountains just out of Trego.
In 1996, he and his family returned to Bigfork where he resumed his passion of working on wooden boats, including one for Doug Averill.
In 2000, he was elected to the Ferndale Fire Department board where he became an active member and was instrumental in the modernization of the department.
Bob was fortunate to he able to fulfill many of his dreams. He cherished building many wooden boats and loved operating his sawmill. Following the example of his Lord Jesus, he treasured helping others, spreading his faith, and passing on his Christian beliefs.
He was preceded in death by his parents; sister, Virginia; former wife, Rose; infant son; and son, Rob White Jr.
He is survived by his wife, Jeanne; three daughters, Alice Ganz, husband, Scott, and their children, Shane and Shanna; Lisa Berryman, husband, Troy, and their children, Chelsea and Emily; and Victoria Hullett, husband Barry, and their children, Kayla, Jenna and Alyssa; three sons, Scott White, wife, Dawn, and children, Sean, Shelby and Danielle; Jason May, wife Ginger, and children, Kaitlyn and Kassidy; and Jordan White, and wife, Laura. He is also survived by two sisters, Emma June and Caroline; and many nieces and nephews.
There will be a celebration of life at 3 p.m. Friday, March 9, at Crossroads Christian Church in Bigfork.
In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the Bigfork Ambulance, 810 Grand Drive, Bigfork, MT 59911.
James Seymour Fulford, 86,
“went home to be with the Lord” on Feb. 20, 2007, the day after turning 86. James was born Feb. 19, 1921, in Monroe, La., and was raised in Bastrop.
He joined the U.S. Navy at 18, and served from 1940 to 1946. He served as an airplane mechanic aboard several aircraft carriers but while serving on the Wasp at Guadal Canal, at the height of World War II, it was sunk. His story was reported in The Daily Inter Lake last summer, when he and his fellow shipmate, Russ Roy, of Kalispell were reunited.
He met and married Betty Rose Kudlacek in San Diego where Betty Rose was a true “Rosy the Riveter.” They married in 1943 and lived separate lives while Jim finished out the war.
They moved to Longview, Wash., where they raised two girls and two boys before retiring from the U.S. Post Office. They moved to Bigfork in 1976, and three of their children moved with them. Jim was a lover of the outdoors, especially hunting and horseback riding. Jim was a former member of the Back Country Horseman. He raised and rode horses as long as his health would allow him.
He was a long time member of the First Christian Church in Longview, Wash., serving as an elder until he moved to Montana where he again served as elder of the Little Brown Church. He later attended the Bigfork Chapel. Jim and Betty Rose left a legacy of faith with all their offspring to the third generation serving God.
He is survived by his wife, Betty Rose; and children, Linda Bradford and her husband, Del, of Olympia Wash., Rosemary Lafever and her husband, Jim, and Kirk Fulford and his wife, Debbie, all of Bigfork, and Brian Fulford and his wife, Gina, of Kalispell. He is also survived by seven grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his grandson, Kyle Fulford.
A memorial service was held at 2 p.m. Saturday, March 3 at the Bigfork Chapel to celebrate his life.