Mary Mecchi
Mary Ellen Doyle Mecchi, 85, went to be with her Lord on Jan. 5, 2009.
Born in Dodson and raised in Whitefish, Mary was the sixth of 11 children born to Della Myrtle Manary Doyle and James Charles Doyle. Mary graduated from Whitefish High School in 1941.
While working in Seattle, Wash., she was introduced to Enzo “Mickey” Mecchi. They were married in Jackson Heights, N.Y., raised five children and celebrated their 57th wedding anniversary on Nov. 28, 2000.
Mary and Mickey, and their five children, lived in New York until they moved to Nesquehoning, Pa., in 1961. After Mickey’s death in 2001, Mary lived in Allentown, Pa., before moving to Plano, Texas, in 2006.
Mary was preceded in death by her husband; son Roger; daughter Mary Anne Mecchi; grandson Peter Mecchi; and brothers James, David and William Doyle.
She is survived by sons Robert, of Island Lake, Ill., Raymond, of Bethlehem, Pa., and Michael, of Allentown, Pa.; grandchildren Elizabeth Mecchi-Sanders, of Rockwall, Texas, Marilu Mecchi (Sexton) Lee-Sue, of Allen, Texas, Robert Mecchi ll, of Island Lake, Ill., Raymond Mecchi Jr., of Bethlehem, Pa., Jason Mecchi, of Easton, Pa., Erin Mecchi, of Allentown, Pa., and Elena Mecchi, of Allentown, Pa.; great grandchildren Miranda Sexton, of Allen, Texas, R. Ryan Mecchi, of Island Lake, Ill., A. Dylan Mecchi, of Island Lake, Ill., Terasita Mecchi, of Island Lake, Ill., and Jacob Mecchi, of Easton, Pa.; siblings Stella Holyk, of Hot Springs, Theresa Gano, of Polson, Barbara “Betty” Ahrens, of Tacoma, Wash., Leonard Doyle, of Whitefish, Frances “Frankie” Byrne, of Kalispell, Agnes Palmer, of Helena, and Patricia “Patsy” Chamberlain, of Great Falls; and numerous nieces, nephews, friends and other loved ones.
Services were held Jan. 10, 2009, with interment at Gate of Heaven Cemetery, in Nesquehoning.
In lieu of flowers, donation may be made to the American Heart Association, where a fund has been set up in her memory.
Earl Sands
Earl “Swede” Sands, 83, passed away Dec. 26, 2008, at his home in Whitefish with his wife, Liz, and family by his side.
Earl was born to Ingvald and Henrietta in Strathcoma, Minn., on April 25, 1925. At a young age, he moved to the Lake Blaine area in the Flathead Valley. He attended school at Cayuse Prairie and Flathead County High School.
At 16, he was inducted into the Marine Corps, and he served four years overseas during World War II. Upon his return home, he received his high school diploma and heavy equipment operator license.
Earl was also a cartoonist for a San Diego paper. He enjoyed hunting, fishing and traveling, and took his daughter out target practicing. His many stories about his adventures in life will be missed.
In 1982, he married Mabel “Liz” Rath. Liz and Earl traveled for seven years, working on various construction sites, constructing bridges and public buildings in the southern states. They attended The Assembly of God churches, and enjoyed attending the Christian Center in Kalispell for the past 20 years.
He was preceded in death by his parents; brothers Lawrence and Gordon Sands; and sisters Elizabeth Johnson, Beatrice Gordon, Olga Stahlberg and Eunice Johnsonn.
He is survived by his wife, Mabel “Liz” Sands; sons Gary, Dwight and David Sands, along with their families; daughter Tana Langlois, and grandsons Jeremy and SCP Justin Langlois, of the Army, and his wife Kim and their children Diego, William and Nicole; stepdaughter Julie Singer and husband Ed, and their daughter Sarah Emmert; sisters Gladys Milam and Clarice Hewitt; brother-in-law Clyde Johnson; and many nephews, nieces and friends.
A celebration of Earl’s life will be held Jan. 17, 2009, at 11 a.m. at the Christian Center in Kalispell. His ashes will be scattered on Sands Mountain in the spring.
The family suggests memorials be sent to The Yellowstone Boys and Girls Ranch, or the Christian Center in Kalispell.