All Obituaries

Margaret Schneider Renner passed peacefully at her home in Laurel on Oct. 16, 2018. Born July 23, 1914 to Leopold and Barbara (Huffman) Schneider, first generation German-Catholic immigrants to the United States. Her father crossed the ocean from Odessa, finally settling in Yucca, ND. The windy, treeless farm is where Margaret, the seventh child of twelve brothers and sisters, learned the value of hard work and self-sufficiency. In 1934 Margaret moved to Billings to work in the home of a...

COLUMBUS — June Ivy Cumin, of Rapelje, passed away peacefully on August 14, 2018. She was born on Shane ridge near Columbus on July 1, 1932 to Severin (Sam) and Ivy Mae Jensen as the 9th child in a family of 13 children, which included Sam, Ellen, Betty, May, Melvin, Wayne, Jimmy, Johnny, June, Annie, Darlene, Florence and Billy. She attended Tutt Creek School, then Edgar High School. She worked as a telephone operator in Billings and as a waitress in Columbus when she met K.C. Cumin...

Duane Franklin Temple, 96, of Laurel, passed away surrounded by his loving family on September 13, 2018. He was born on November 13, 1921 to James H. and Adrienne M (McCleery) Temple. On July 5, 1941 he married the love of his life, Louise Henry Temple. Together they had six children. Duane joined the Marines on September 10, 1943 during WW II. He was honorably discharged as a Corporal on February 11, 1946. He was Superintendent of the Union Tank Car Company, retiring in 1982. Duane was...

Charley died on September 4th, 2018, just days after his 94th birthday, at the Powder River Manor where he had resided for four years.  The loving care provided by the Manor staff filled his time there with smiles and good memories.  The daily visits by his wife Betty and daughter-in-law, Theresa Alderman & her family, brightened his days along with greeting nearly everyone who visited the Manor. Charley experienced his childhood on his parents’ homestead in the Boyes...

Cynthia Eve Reifert Mahan, 60, of Ballantine, died Tuesday July 31, 2018 at St. Vincent Healthcare   in Billings.  Cindy was born in Muscatine, Iowa November 3, 1957 to Gerald and Ann (Kramer) Reifert.  She graduated from Muscatine High School and went on to complete a Master’s Degree in Social Work from the University of Iowa.  Cindy was a medical social worker for twenty-two years at St. Vincent Hospital.  She married John Mahan at Faith United Church of...

Margaret Jean Barnes,  72, of Laurel, died Wednesday July 11, 2018 in Billings.  She was born September 26, 1945 to Charles Albert and Elizabeth Rebecca (Berg) Phillips in Cheyenne, Wyoming. Margaret married Ralph Barnes July 31, 1983 in Cheyenne.  She worked for Walmart for 20 years and truly loved her job.  She also assisted in opening of the Laurel Walmart location. She enjoyed collecting figurines and loved her grandchildren.  Margaret attended First Baptist...

Melva was born January 21, 1945 to Alvin and Neva Gearey where she became little sister to Marilyn.  She grew up in Miles City, Montana, leaving for a short time to California and settling in the Billings/Laurel area. Melva graduated in 1963 from Billings Senior High School.  She married Gary Kallem in November, 1963.  From that union came Kevin, Kari and Ken.  Melva and Gary divorced in 1983.  In 1984 she met the love of her life, Douglas Cowper, married on October...

Allen Lee Ruff, 21, of Laurel, born Friday, Sept. 13, 1996. Parents David and Lynnette Ruff. Siblings Anna, Austin and Adam Ruff. Grandmother Shirley Ruff. Cousin Jake Ronan, that was like a brother. Fiance Cadie Frickel, daughter Paisley Ruff and baby on the way. He passed away Friday in a dirt biking accident having the ride of his life with good friends Robert and Aaron. Allen had such amazing talents in life from being a great farmer, mechanic, artist, friend, son, brother, husband, and...

Vivian Marie Martin passed away on Thursday, April 12, 2018 at Morning Star Senior Living. She was 97. Vivian was born June 19, 1920 in Golden Valley, North Dakota to Alpha and Pearl Barker. She was their first child and only girl. Five brothers followed Vivian: Dean, Bob, Stan, Keith and Max. Only Max survives her. As the oldest, and a girl, she had a lot of practice with childcare and homemaking; lessons that stuck. The family moved to Scobey when mom was a sophomore, where she graduated...