Thursday, May 21, 2009 - Merval Dusty Rhodes, Marjorie Virginia Wilkerson, Amy Stroud, Frank E. ‘Bocco’ Braceful

Merval Dusty Rhodes

FLORENCE - Merval Dusty Rhodes, 71, died at his home in Florence Saturday, May 16, 2009 of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Merval was born Nov. 6, 1937 in Scobey, to Bob and Ingeborg Rhodes. He was the 11th of 12 children.

As a young boy and teenager, he worked on his family farm, raising sheep. He also went to a lot of community dances, transported moonshine over the Canadian border on horseback, snuck cigarettes, and raised heck with his brothers and sisters. His attitude helped him to decide to quit high school in Scobey. He tried the rodeo circuit but didn’t like the taste of the dirt and one day he decided to join the U.S. Army even though he was only 14 but could pass for older. He ended up fighting in the Korean War, a boy doing a man’s job, and did well proving himself. He was captured by the enemy and sustained minor injuries. He and a few others managed to escape. The deception about his real age worked well until he was promoted. When the Army did a background check on him for security clearance, they discovered he was underage! They sent him home at the tender age of 16, a war veteran, a boy in a man’s world. Merval kept the experience to himself for 50 years before telling his family. He was ashamed that the Army had sent him home.

After moving back to Florence to finish his high school education, he learned to play the guitar, a skill that he made much use of over the rest of his life. His family moved to the Bitterroot Valley in 1955, and Merval graduated from Florence-Carlton High School in 1957. He attended one semester at the Eastern Montana College in Billings but quit because of financial hardship. In 1958, he joined the Navy, serving on the USS Magoffin for four years after completing basic and one year of Electronics School at Treasure Island. He also completed Navy SEAL training. His service in the Navy was extended for a year because of the Cuban Missile Crisis. He left the service as a Petty Officer Second Class, specializing in electronics.

Upon honorable discharge in June 1962, he went to work on the Minuteman Missile Program for Boeing Aircraft.

He married Dorothy Bolin on April 13, 1963, in Salmon, Idaho. Over the next 30 years, he worked as a quality control inspector and field engineer on both Minuteman Missile Program and later the Apollo project at White Sands, New Mexico. When the Apollo project was phased out, Merval chose to move his family back to Montana rather than go back East with Grumman Aircraft. He worked as a truck driver, a crane operator, a construction worker and maintenance man. He was injured in an auto accident in 1969 and was recovering and in therapy for a year. He and his wife Dorothy had a country band, “The Nightriders,” and played in the area for 11 years. He worked as a driver/partner with R&L Trucking in Stevensville to deliver jet fuel to airports throughout the area. His last job was with Drinkwalter Trucking of Billings.

In October 2002, he hit a horse with his car and suffered horrible injuries (broken C-1 and C-2 vertebrae shattered T-3 vertebra, skull and facial fractures, brain and lung trauma) which he miraculously survived. The three weeks in intensive care were followed with months of physical therapy and he wore a neck brace 24/7. A heart attack in December 2003 ended his driving career. From that point, his health steadily declined.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Bob in 1968 and Ingeborg in 1992; his brothers, Raland, Curt, Bobby and Bernard (in infancy); and his sisters, Pluma, Goldie and Rilda. He was also preceded in death, tragically, by his oldest son, Dan in 2004 in a trucking accident.

Merval is survived by his loving wife of 46 years, Dorothy, of Florence; daughter, Jackie (Aurora), of Redlands, Calif.; sons, Jim (Becky), of Butte and John (Krys), of Kent, Wash.; and three granddaughters, Vanessa, Madalynn and Hannah. He is also survived by sisters, Viola Holum, of Scobey, Berdella (Orville) Olsen of Lewistown, Myrna (Bill) Krantz, of Florence and brother Burnell of Florence; dozens of nieces, nephews and many personal friends, fellow truckers and musicians whose life he touched.

A memorial service will be held Tuesday, May 26 at 11 a.m. at the Whitesitt Funeral Home in Stevensville, with family officiating. The American Legion Post 94 and National Guard will present military honors. Honorary Pallbearers will be Jim Rhodes, John Rhodes, Don Rhodes and Burnell Rhodes.

A reception will follow at the IOOF Hall in Florence.

The family suggests that instead of flowers, memorial donations be given to the Florence Volunteer Fire Department.

Marjorie Virginia Wilkerson

HAMILTON - Virginia Wilkerson passed away peacefully May 20, 2009 at Discovery Care Centre in Hamilton. She was born Feb. 3, 1917 in Great Falls to Earl and Alice (Williams) White.

Her first home was living on a homestead in the Black Eagle area she shared with her parents and her four brothers, Harry, Kenneth, Ernest and Alan. The family later moved to the Bitterroot Valley in the Charlos Heights area where her two sisters, Jean and Josephine were born.

Virginia went to grade school in Charlos Heights then to Darby High School where she graduated in 1935. She married her high school sweetheart, Sidney M. Wilkerson May 18, 1935.

Their first home was on the Manley Sheep Ranch in the Helmville area where Sidney was working.

They moved to Charlos Heights and then the Darby area later that year. In 1941 they moved to the home Sid built on the Old Darby Road where they lived until 2000. At that time they moved to Hamilton where Virginia has resided since.

Virginia was involved in many community activities which include; 4-H leader, Superintendent of Darby Baptist Church Sunday School and long time member of the church choir, member of the Como Schoolhouse committee, head cook at the Darby School lunch program, active member of the Golden Age Senior Citizens club, and the Darby Garden Club. She enjoyed dancing, potlucks, playing cards, sewing quilts, all kinds of crafts, fishing with Sid, growing flowers and vegetables in her gardens, oil, acrylic and watercolor painting which provided many pictures and saws for family and friends.

Virginia is survived by her four children, Gwendolyn (Jack) Meskimen of Kalispell, Roger (Kay) Wilkerson of Cove, Ore., Jerry (Diane) Wilkerson of Helena, and John (Maryellen) Wilkerson of Dillon; 13 grandchildren, 20 great-grandchildren and four great-great grandchildren.

She is also survived by sisters Jean (Ed) Kinsman of Kalispell, and Josephine Cruson of Lyons, Ore.

Virginia was preceded in death by her husband, Sidney; parents, Earl and Alice White; and her four brothers, Harry, Kenneth, Ernest and Alan.

Cremation has taken place. A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m., Saturday, May 23, 2009 at the Daly Leach Chapel in Hamilton. A reception will follow in the Daly Leach Community room. Family graveside services will be held at a later time at Lone Pine Cemetery in Darby. Condolences may be left for the family at www.dalyleachchapel.com.

Memorials may be made to: Marcus Daly Hospice, Como Schoolhouse, Golden Age Club, or to the charity of choice.

Amy Stroud

MISSOULA - Amy Stroud, 79, of Missoula passed away Tuesday, May 19, 2009 at St. Patrick Hospital.

Arrangements will be announced by the Daly-Leach Chapel in Hamilton.

Frank E. ‘Bocco’ Braceful

DARBY - Frank E. ‘Bocco’ Braceful, 66, passed away early in the morning, Wednesday, May 20, 2009, at Valley View Estates Health Care Center in Hamilton. Memorial services will be announced. Services are entrusted to the care and direction of Brothers Mortuary and Crematory. Condolences and memories may be e-mailed to brothersR@msn.com.