Arlee Riley, 88
Arlee Riley, 88, passed away on Wednesday, June 10, 2009, at her residence in Lakeside. She was born on Sept. 12, 1920, at Menomonie, Wis., the daughter of Francis Richard and Helen Evelyn (Olsen) Foate.
She grew up in Phoenix and graduated from Phoenix Union High School and Lamson Business College. She worked at Post Engineer office during World War II.
She married Robert "Bob" Riley on Aug. 20, 1944, in Coffeyville, Kan. They moved to Kalispell in 1946.
She was the mother of three daughters: Carol, Robin and Vicki.
She worked at JCPenney for 21 years, retiring in 1980.
She loved flowers, hummingbirds, knitting, sewing, cooking and playing bridge and her cat, "Lily."
They moved to Lakeside in 1972, and Arlee lived there until her death.
She was a member of Lakeside Chapel since 1972 and also a member of the International Chapter of PEO Sisterhood, Chapter AB.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Robert W. Riley, on Feb. 21, 2001; and a son-in-law, Michael Tappan.
She is survived by her three daughters, Carol Tappan of Lakeside, Robin Riley and her husband, Lon Eliason, of Kalispell, and Vicki Lyons and her husband, Bill, of Enon, Ohio; six grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren.
Memorial services for Arlee were held at 1 p.m. Monday, June 15, at Lakeside Chapel, with Pastor Dennis Reece officiating.
The family suggests that any memorial contributions be sent to Home Options Hospice, 175 Commons Loop, Suite 100, Kalispell, MT 59901; or Lift, Inc., 5600 U.S. 93 S., Whitefish, MT 59937.
Johnson-Gloschat Funeral Home and Crematory is caring for Arlee's family. You are invited to go to www.jgfuneralhome.com to offer condolences and sign Arlee's guest book.
Mona Lee Ellsworth Lytle, 89
Mona Lee Ellsworth Lytle passed peacefully to Heaven on Friday, May 29, 2009 at the Immanuel Lutheran Home. Mona was born on March 1, 1920 in Great Falls, Montana the second child of Charles and Ina (Washburn) Spence.
Mona was born at home due to the flu epidemic that was at its peak in Montana at the time. Mona grew up in Lewistown, Montana, where her father managed the Pacific Fruit and Produce Company, and moved with her family to Grand Junction, Colorado for her high school years. There she played the alto saxophone in the high school band, and met her first love, Paul Ellsworth, whom she married following high school. Mona and Paul, along with Paul's parents and brother and sister-in-law, they ranched the Ellsworth family cattle and sheep ranch high in the Colorado Rockies near Glenwood Springs for many years.
Although they did not have children, Mona was very involved in the raising of Paul's two nieces and a nephew, and she nurtured many baby animals in this remote and somewhat primitive setting. Her wisdom and tenderness toward all living creatures continued to her very last day, although in her last years most of the nurturing was poured on her stuffed animals that were always with her.
In approximately 1965, the family sold the ranch, and Mona and Paul moved to Lakeside, where they purchased some acreage and were wonderful stewards of their land, working side by side to thin timber, build roads, an apartment building and five mobile home lots. Mona again was a second mom, this time to her sister's two children, and looked after her mother, doing daily care for her during her last years. Mona was the best one to ask about baking, canning, growing fruit, or anything to do with animals, wild or tame.
She raised baby kittens on bottles, rescued orphaned fawns, and nursed birds with broken wings back to health when they hit her windows. Paul was stricken with Lou Gehrig's Disease in his 50's, and the couple became even closer partners, continuing to do the road maintenance and other tasks with amazing teamwork and creativity, until Paul's death in 1982. A few years later, Mona married Cecil "Pete" Lytle, and supported him through open heart surgery a short time later, and encouraged his interests in gem cutting, hunting and fishing until his death.
In 2005, dementia caused the need for more care than could be provided at home, and Mona moved to the Immanuel Lutheran Home in Kalispell.
Mona was preceded in death by her parents, her older sister Rose Ann Cox, and her younger brother John R. Spence, her husbands Paul Ellsworth and Cecil "Pete" Lytle, niece Becky Hauser, and nephews Joe Cox and John Spence.
She is survived by her sister-in-law Betty Spence from Tacoma, Wa., two brothers-in-law, Donald and George Ellsworth, nieces Libby Moothart and Boyd of Lakeside, Debbie Bledsoe and Paul of Spanaway, Wa., Margie DeMoss and Mel of Texas, and Jackie King and Zane of New Mexico, and nephew Charles Ellsworth, great nieces Amanda Moothart of Lakeside and Jamie Morris of Roy, Washington, and great nephew Jason Moothart of Bullhead City, Arizona. She is also survived by Tim, Jan, Jarret and Ian Twamley of Lakeside who were faithful partners for many years in the care of her property, and whom she considered her family.
Memorial services for Mona will be held in July and will be announced at a later date. In honor of Mona's two greatest interests, music and animals, memorials may be given to Somers School District, 315 School Addition Road, Somers, MT to provide instruments or music for the band program, or to Human Therapy on Horseback at PO Box 5565, Kalispell, MT 59903.
William Kenneth "Bill" Colvin, 81
William Kenneth "Bill" Colvin, age 81, died, March 13, 2009 in Liberal, KS.
He was the owner of High Plains Pizza. He opened the 18th Pizza Hut in the country in Liberal, KS. The business continued to grow to its' current status of 76 restaurants in 5 states.
Survivors include his wife-Virginia Colvin, 4 sons - Kent, Mike, Greg and Tracy Colvin,
12 Grandchildren, 4 Great-Grandchildren and a sister - Ann Minnich,.
A Memorial Service was held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, June 13, 2009 at the Rollins Community Building / Country Club in Rollins, MT with fellowship with the family immediately following the service.