Joshua Lengstorf

Sgt. Joshua "Link" Allen Lengstorf, 24, died on Jan. 3, 2010, in Ashoque, Afghanistan. He and three other soldiers were on foot patrol when they struck an improvised explosive device and came under small-arms fire.

Joshua was born Dec. 3, 1985, in Cottage Grove, Ore., the son of Eric and Rhonda Lengstorf. He was raised in Elkton, Ore., and raised in Yoncalla, Ore. Joshua lived in Whitefish during his early childhood.

Joshua and Jesse Lengstorf were married in Idaho on Feb. 14, 2008.

He was remembered by family and friends as a smart, fun-loving, loyal young man who had a great zest for life.

About 500 people turned out for his memorial service at the Douglas County Fairgrounds in Roseburg, Ore., where Brigadier Gen. Thomas Cole described Joshua as a 'soldier's soldier" who embodied the traits of "duty, honor, integrity, courage, loyalty, self-sacrifice and respect."

Oregon Gov. Ted Kulongoski also attended the service and said he wished he could have known Joshua because they shared a common love of the outdoors, sports and small-town roots.

Joshua was preceded in death by his grandfather Walter Lengstorf Sr. and his uncle Brett Lengstorf.

He is survived by his wife Jesse Lengstorf and their 15-month-old daughter Kadence, of Roseburg, Ore.; parents Eric and Lisa Lengstorf, of Lacey, Wash., and Ronda Crewse and Chuck Collins, of Yoncalla, Ore.; brothers Brian and Corey Lengstorf, of Yoncalla; grandparents Barbara Lengstorf, of Whitefish, and Ron and Marge Crewse, of Yoncalla, Ore.; aunt Yvonne Slaybaugh and husband Kendall, of Whitefish; uncle Walter Lengstorf and wife Wendy, of Whitefish; aunt Cecelia Ohs and husband Kim, of Ridgefield, Wash.; and sister-in-law Melissa Lengstorf and sons, of Reserve, N.M.

Funeral services took place in Roseburg, Ore., with full military honors on Jan. 16, 2010. Burial followed at Yoncalla Masonic Cemetery, in Yoncalla.

Verdas Reed

Verdas Henry Reed, 96, passed away peacefully at his home in Kalispell on Jan. 12, 2010.

He was born July 19, 1913, in a log home in Lorenzo, Idaho, to James Henry and Maud (Armstrong) Reed, the first of 10 children. He graduated from Ucon High School in 1932 and attended Ricks College for one quarter, but had to return to the farm to help his family.

Verdas always loved the Gospel of Jesus Christ and served with all his heart in the work of the Lord. He served his first full-time mission in 1935-1937 in the Southern States Mission. It was there that he met Bardella Bulkeley, from Burley, Idaho. After their missions, they became reacquainted and eventually married on Oct 6, 1938, in the Salt Lake Temple.

They moved to Leslie, Idaho, until 1950, when the family moved to a farm outside of Arco, Idaho, and Verdas went to work for the Atomic Energy Commission as a carpenter. After injuring his back, he found other work. In 1971, he was offered employment with the LDS church in Independence, Mo., where he became responsible for all the church's historic sites in Missouri.

He retired in 1978, and he and Bardella returned to Burley to care for her aging mother. While in Burley, Verdas worked for the state sampling potatoes. He retired again at age 86. In 2005, he decided to move to Kalispell to be close to three of his girls.

He is preceded in death by his parents, his wife, his brother Glenn, his sisters Eloise and Eleanor, one grandson, and two great grandchildren.

He is survived by his children Camille Gloschat and husband J.A.,of Bigfork, James Reed and wife Velma, of Burley, Marie Love and husband Larry, of Kalispell, JoAnn Hudson and husband Mark, of Whitefish, Verdella Grout and husband Richard, of Driggs, Idaho, and Frank Reed and wife Claudia, of Tooele, Utah; sisters Ruth Withers and Carol Sue Nef, of Rexburg, Idaho, Delaine Young and husband Mick, of Idaho Falls, Idaho, and Barbara Clarke and husband J. Richard, of Salt Lake City; brothers Clare Reed and Gale Reed and wife Delilah, of Ririe, Idaho; 40 grandchildren; 116 great grandchildren; 22 great great grandchildren; and many other family and friends.

Visitation will take place at Johnson Gloschat Funeral Chapel on Thursday, Jan. 21 (today), from 4-8 p.m. Funeral services will be held at the LDS Fourth Ward Church, in Burley, on Saturday, Jan. 23, 2010, at 11 a.m. with burial to follow at the Pleasant View Cemetery.

Kenneth Mast

Kenneth Gordon Mast, 76, passed away from complications of COPD and heart failure on Jan. 17, 2010, at his home in Whitefish.

Ken was born Feb. 22, 1933, in Los Angeles, Calif., to Bernice Stevens and Sam Mast. He grew up in Southern California.

When the Korean War started, Ken joined the Army and was sent into battle in Korea, where he spent Thanksgiving and Christmas in minus-35 degree temperatures. Ken took part in the battle of Inchon and was one of the "Chosin Few" who survived the battle at the Chosin Reservoir.

His troop consisted of 300 men, but in the end only three made their way back to their ship at Inchon harbor. Ken was awarded two bronze stars and was honorably discharged from the Army in 1953.

After the war, he worked for the government in Kansas, California and Nebraska. He was later hired by AeroJet. Ken was instrumental in the manufacture of the different stages of the MX missile. He led a team that inspected the missile stages for conformance as a quality engineer. He retired as quality director.

Ken loved Alaska and traveled there many times with his wife, Donna. He very much enjoyed fishing and boating there. Traveling in his trailer to Alaska was a dream that came true many times for him. One of his wishes was to someday live there. He was a resident of Whitefish since 1996.

Ken is survived by his wife Donna; sons Ken Jr. and wife Judy, of Indiana, Sam and wife Patti, of Idaho, Howard, of Indiana; daughter Vicki, of California; seven grandchildren; one great grandchild; and many cousins and other family members in Colorado.

Services will take place Thursday, Jan. 21, at 11 a.m. at St. Peter Lutheran Church with Pastor James Maxwell officiating. Inurnment and burial will take place at a later date in LaJunta, Colo. Memorials may be made to St. Peter Lutheran Church or to Hospice.