The Stevensville School Board has extended the offer of a contract to Kent Kultgen as their new Superintendent of Schools. The Board conducted interviews on Monday, March 12 with two candidates in open session.

"We were pleased we had the opportunity to interview candidates with very good backgrounds and experience," said Jim Cloud, Stevensville Board Chair. "We are very excited about the future with Mr. Kultgen as our superintendent. He demonstrated enthusiasm and passion for public education and has a great background in building a strong academic program for students. His leadership will serve our students, staff, and community well."

Kultgen is currently employed by the Choteau School District as the School Superintendent. He has served in that position for the past five years and served eight years as their High School Social Studies teacher. Kent also taught for three years in Hinsdale, Montana. Kultgen received his Masters degree from Montana State University and is currently working towards his Doctorate in Bozeman.

"We appreciated the involvement of our staff and the community in the process of considering these superintendent candidates," said Cloud.

Casino Night

The Corvallis Special Events Center held its annual Casino Night Saturday at the First Interstate Building at the Fairgrounds. An estimated 325 party-goers were given $500 in play money when they entered the building. The could use this money to play craps, poker, or any number of casino games. In addition there was a silent auction and a live auction with items such as a registered quarter horse and a trip to Chicago to see an NFL football game. According to Russ Hendrickson, one of the organizers of the event, more then $8,000 was raised on the auctions alone. He said this was the biggest Casino Night yet and the proceeds certainly echoed that. More than $30,000 was raised to help build a football field, track complex and bleachers east of the school.

One of the special events held Saturday at Casino Night was a special Texas Hold 'Em poker event. Corvallis alum and professional poker player, Huck Seed, was the guest of honor at the tables where 20 people paid $1,000 to play in the event. Seed is a former World Series of Poker champion and his earnings total more than $2 million. He didn't, however, win Saturday night. Don Schmaing of Hamilton was the eventual winner of the event.

Stevi to seek funds for new water well field

The Town of Stevensville has received assurances from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers that the agency could fund the town up to $30,000 in the coming fiscal year if the town would identify the scope of the water project it is considering and provide assurances that it could meet the 25 percent matching fund requirements of the grant.

Tom Hanson, of Professional Consultants Inc., recommended that the town apply for the funds for use in the development of the new well field which was identified in the town's preliminary engineering report as a priority.

Items remaining for completion identified in Phase I of the preliminary engineering report include: pump test well No. 1 and upgrade; identify lost water and repairs; consolidated well field testing; and an option storage tank site.

In addition, the Army Corps of Engineers also recommended that the town consider metering at least some of the current un-metered services with these funds in an attempt to identify other lost water. The town is losing almost half its water from the gravity flow system from up the Burnt Fork. Full metering of the town with radio read systems, identified in the report as Phase II improvements, were estimated to cost $327,000.

"The identification of a suitable long-term source of water for the town is paramount," said Hanson.

The Council moved unanimously to apply for the money following Hanson's recommendation about the proposed use of the funds.

The Council also accepted a letter of resignation from Hannah Jessop, Records Clerk for the Police Department.

The Council also agreed to allow George Wasser to use the town's waste water treatment facility to dispose of the waste water from his tannery.

Local developer John Anderson, who is planning a new development on Middle Burnt Fork Road, asked the Council for a letter stating that it would not require any additional fees for the sewer main being constructed on its property, and that only normal hook up fees would be required. After discussion it was decided that the Council would receive a plat map showing the exact location of the line before making any decision about his request.

The council also updated its personnel policy according to recommendations from MMIA.

Noted author brings message to Bitterroot

By Gretchen L. Langton

Madison, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, Pasadena, Portland, Spokane, LA, Chicago, New York—Hamilton, Montana? Yes, among the metropolises is our hamlet-in-comparison. We, too, were visited by renowned author and environmental thinker Bill McKibben. The Bedford building bent under the weight of 200+ people on Sunday, March 25. (I lost track after a third addition of chairs was added to the 150 set up.) The blossoming crowd was entertained by the Bitterroot’s own energetic Celtic gurus, The Crested Hens. (Catch more of this clan Tuesday nights at the Celtic Jam at Victor’s Hamilton House beginning at roughly 7:30 p.m.)

Gauging by the lengthy book signing line that followed McKibben’s lecture, many in attendance were already familiar with his wisdom. He has been one of the bright stars in several American wake-up calls that have taken place in the last twenty years. McKibben was one of the first to write approachable prose addressing global warming ("The End of Nature", 1989). He also wrote one of the best books to challenge our TV-ized lives ("The Age of Missing Information", 1992). Now, he tackles human happiness, specifically the lack thereof, in "Deep Economy: The Wealth of Communities and the Durable Future." (2007).

For those of you who are about to stop reading because you’re thinking, "Oh, no, not another one of those godless liberals touting radical commie stuff," hold on. McKibben is a devout Methodist Sunday school teacher who sees no disconnect between his faith, his community, and environmental values. McKibben sees "localization," the practice of supporting one’s community spiritually, socially, environmentally, and monetarily, as a means of practicing more sustainable lifestyles without compromising our principals. In fact, in a recent interview he conducted with Russ Lawrence for the March edition of the Clark Fork Journal, McKibben states, "Localization is neither liberal nor conservative—it’s on a different scale." He equates this scale with the fading practice of being "neighborly." One of McKibben’s friends has turned this concept into a bumper sticker that McKibben speaks of which says, "Think Globally, Act Neighborly." Russ Lawrence liked this idea so much, he has bumper stickers available that read the same.

So, what does it mean to be neighborly? First, it means recognizing that in an era of rapid growth and change, the very concept of neighborliness falls victim to numerous villainous trends. McKibben mentioned a number of these trends focusing on the fact that "Americans isolate ourselves from other people." He says our culture is "not ‘Little House on the Prairie’ anymore, it’s big house on the cul-de-sac." Since the 1950’s, house sizes have tripled. He gives the example of current dream-home plans with plasma TVs in every room (because each member of the family likes to watch a different show), and dual master bedrooms (so husbands and wives can have their own private spaces). In one Nevada show-house, McKibben says the girl’s room had a secret cubby inside her room with a built-in karaoke machine, "so she could sing herself to sleep," he wonders aloud? As the houses get bigger, families need not spend as much time together and families leave their homes less often to socialize outside the homes. The catch is, to pay for our bigger homes, we must spend more time working, which exacerbates our isolation from family and friends.

Americans today report having "half as many close friends as they had in the 50’s." McKibben is not speculating these things. As the author of ten different books and a writer for numerous prominent magazines (see his most recent article in "Mother Jones"), he knows that writing is only as good as his research. He is meticulous in this department. He has been known to literally live his research. For example, while writing "The Age of Missing Information," he conducted his own experiment. He spent 24 hours watching 100 different TV channels, then spent the next 2400 hours (one year in all) going over videotapes. He then juxtaposed this research with a mountain top hike near his home. The results are both startling and telling.

His recent topic is tricky because, although he is dealing with empirical survey data, the focus of the questions is less tangible and more visceral. Do we all share the same notion of what a "close friend" is? How do we measure happiness? He relies on the extensive research of world famous thinker Daniel Kahneman. Kahneman, trained in psychology, won the Nobel Prize for Economics for his theories regarding hedonics, the study of human perceptions regarding their own well being. Surveys related to Kahneman’s studies deeply influenced McKibben; he tells his audience, "American happiness peaked in 1956 and has been decreasing ever since."

If the commercials are right and "Drive = Love", then we must drive the right car to feel love. Retail therapy has replaced relationships for many Americans and retail therapy is encouraged to keep our economy "healthy." The economy is king; McKibben points out that we measure our country’s general health according to whether the economy is "ailing" or "thriving," as if the economy was a living entity. Of course, the economy is important to us but imagine if we shifted our notion of economy by narrowing our scopes to a more local level.

One way to participate in a thriving economy and be neighborly at the same time is to support the burgeoning local farmer’s markets, according to McKibben. He cites a study that shows we are "ten times more likely to have a conversation at a farmer’s market" than we are at more commercial locales. McKibben, with his quiet, dry, humorous style, describes the trance-like shopping experience of many Americans. He says many shoppers’ conversations never extend beyond answering the question, "Paper or plastic?" (There are anomalies, my grandmother among them. She knows the intimate details of half the checkers at her favorite stores.)

McKibben began his talk with the caveat that his latest focus is "kind of radical" because it seems to counter the very American notion of rugged individualism, as it has evolved into rugged consumerism, and been excused as innocent capitalism. But McKibben is not alone to suggest that there is a lack. "Things" are not making people happier; Americans have more things than ever and are the most unhappy that we have been in the last 50 years. Ray Oldenburg, in his essay on "The Problem of Place in America," concurs with McKibben; according to Oldenburg, the suburb generations lack "third places" (with home and work being our "first" and "second" places). "Third places" are clubs, grange halls, back-yard music jam sessions, church gatherings, barn-raisings, neighborhood barbecues, quilting sessions, card games, and on and on and on. You pick. Places of community. Of course, these places do exist but with less frequency than before because we have become "too busy" or "too tired" or "too scared" or "too engrossed in American Idol" to participate.

This is where the re-evaluation can begin. What is it that we really need? Can we tell our needs from our wants? Can we learn to adjust our wants to unselfish, sustainable levels? How can we maximize our neighborly potential while minimizing our global footprint? McKibben is practicing what he is preaching. He and a few thousand of his friends believe strongly that the federal government is sluggish to acknowledge data which credible scientists are now shouting from the rooftops; our earth is warming at an alarming rate. He cites new data from comprehensive studies of the Greenland Ice Sheet, as one such example, where the melting waters from the sheet have now been found to accelerate the melting process in ways scientists had been unaware of previously. A complete meltdown of the Greenland Ice Sheet would cause the world’s oceans to rise a whopping twenty-five feet, McKibben reiterates the scientific data. The water from one melting location, he points out, is capable of submerging massive coastal regions. But the rapid melting is not just occurring in Greenland. It’s happening worldwide.

Now, even if you still believe that global warming is "an inconclusive theory," you can still appreciate a man and his mission. McKibben has been thinking about, studying, and writing about this issue for twenty years at least. He and his friends began a movement by simply gathering and walking in his home state of Vermont. One thousand people joined them to beseech the government to reconsider a pointed reduction in emissions ASAP. On April 14th, voices in 1,037 locations around the US will simultaneously participate in grassroots demonstrations as a part of the Stepitup2007 Campaign he began with his walk to Vermont’s capitol. (See Stepitup2007.org for more details about nationwide events.)

In the Bitterroot, Stepitup2007 will be observed on April 14th with a Contra Dance/Pie Raffle at the Corvallis Grange Hall, at 7 p.m. It will be a five-dollar donation for individuals. Mark Matthews will be the caller. Contact Terri Vore, at 375-9577, if you can donate pie(s) for the raffle. Come be a part of the community.

Grazing bids open for Metcalf Refuge

The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service is opening one unit for grazing during 2007 on Lee Metcalf National Wildlife Refuge. The purpose of this grazing program will be to utilize grazing as a habitat management tool to meet identified habitat management objectives. Unit 1 (Pond 6) will be stocked at a rate targeting 2 AUM/acre (total of 32 AUM’s [Animal Unit Months]) beginning on May 1 and ending between August 1 through the 30th. Unit 1 is 16 acres in size and is mostly vegetated by cattails. Water is readily available because this unit encompasses a spring-fed wetland and supply ditch water. Portable electric fence will be provided by the Refuge. Bid application materials containing maps, instructions, and regulations are available at the Refuge Headquarters open Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Bids must be received by 1 p.m. on Friday, April 13. Bids will be accepted by mail or hand delivery, but must be in sealed envelopes. Mailed bids should be addressed to: Lee Metcalf NWR, 4567 Wildfowl Lane, Stevensville MT 59870. All envelopes must be marked Summer Grazing 2007. Cooperators will not have to be present at the bid opening however, it is strongly recommended. Cooperators present will have an opportunity to place oral bids on units that did not receive any bids. Questions can be answered by Refuge Manager Steve Whitson, 777-5552, ext. 205 or e-mail Steve_Whitson@fws.gov.

Public comments sought on wolf delisting

A U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service proposal to delist the northern Rocky Mountain's gray wolves may mean that changes in wolf management are in store for Montana. The public has until April 6 to comment.

Currently, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP) has a federally approved wolf management agreement that gives Montana the authority to monitor wolf populations, ensure human safety, help landowners reduce livestock-depredation risks and resolve conflicts and manage wolf numbers and distribution. However, while wolves are listed under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), they remain under two different sets of federal regulations in Montana. These regulations provide guidelines for what lethal and non-lethal tools landowners and others can use to protect livestock and domestic animals from wolves. Hunting is prohibited under federal regulations.

If wolves are delisted, FWP will implement its full management plan, and wolves would be reclassified as a species in need of management. The plan calls for maintaining at least 15 breeding pairs of wolves in Montana. Above that number, harvest seasons to adjust wolf numbers and distribution may be implemented, similar to how Montanaís other wildlife is managed. Below the 15 breeding pairs benchmark, regulations would be more restrictive. Montanans statewide would also have more tools available to protect livestock and domestic animals from wolves.

The proposal to delist wolves in Montana, Idaho and Wyoming and parts of Washington and Utah is based on the USFWS's determination that the Rocky Mountain population has exceeded recovery goals and all potential threats to it, except inadequate state regulations in northwestern Wyoming, have been resolved.

Comments on the proposed delisting can be sent via email to NRMGrayWolf@fws.gov; through mail to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Wolf Delisting, 585 Shepard Way, Helena MT 59601. Comments will be accepted through April 6 with the possibility that the comment deadline may be extended through early May. For more information on the federal proposal, visit www.fws.gov/mountain-prairie/species/mammals/wolf/.

Library seeks substitute staff

Do you like books and reading? Are you organized? Do you have excellent customer service skills? Do you have a flexible schedule and some free time on your hands? If you can answer yes to all of the above, the North Valley Public Library would like to consider you for a library substitute.

Substitutes would be responsible for running the library in the absence of regular staff or in addition to regular staff on particularly busy days. Successful candidates would be required to complete a paid training and then their names would be put on a list that library staff could call if someone is sick or on vacation. Substitutes would not need to commit in advance to work or be “on call” during particular times.

To apply, submit a resume and cover letter to the North Valley Public Library, 208 Main St., Stevensville MT 59870, by Wednesday, April 11. For more information, call or e-mail Renee McGrath, Library Director, at 777-5061, reneemcgrath@northvalleylibrary.org.

Public can help determine how climate affects plants

Is spring coming earlier? When are plants leafing out and blooming around Montana? This spring, the public can help answer these and other questions through a new national science project.

Project BudBurst is designed to document when plants leaf and bloom in North America, and the initial campaign of the project will began April 1.

During the campaign, scientists are asking people throughout Montana and beyond to take walks in nature to gather data for the nationwide research project to study the effects of climate change on native plants.

University of Montana biological sciences Professor Carol Brewer leads the project in conjunction with a group from universities, botanical gardens and research institutes around the country.

The annual field campaign was conceived and developed by the Citizen Science working group of the National Phenology Network.

“Project BudBurst is about phenology – the timing of when plants put out leaves and flowers,” Brewer said. “We like to say that phenology is nature’s clock. Watch it and use it.”

From April through mid-June, Montanans will help collect valuable information that can then be compared to historical records to illustrate the effects of climate change, Brewer said.

“We need data over many years to sort out the influence of year-to-year variation from the influence of a warming earth,” she said. “That’s why programs like Project BudBurst are so important.”

The project is an ideal activity for outdoor family adventures, for gardening and botanical clubs, and for projects in schools or with organizations such as 4-H and scouts. Anyone who enjoys taking walks and observing nature can participate. Brewer said teachers and students from several local schools already have signed on to help out with the project.

Those who choose to participate will be asked to observe when leaves and flowers first start to come out. Between April and June, they will continue to collect data as plants they observe fully leaf out and flower.

“It’s as simple as that,” Brewer said.

Thirty native trees and shrubs, 24 wildflower species, two common exotic weeds and two common exotic ornamentals have been targeted for the initial field campaign of the project during spring 2007. The species were chosen because they are easy to identify and widespread, spanning the continental United States.

The first step to become involved is to log on to the project web site at www.budburst.org to get a list of species for your region. The site has specific information about how to document observations, as well as clear descriptions and photos that make it easy to identify the targeted plants.

Data collected will be summarized and mapped at the end of the initial campaign in late June or early July. Participants will be able to go online to see maps depicting the timing of leafing and flowering for all species monitored.

Project BudBurst is funded by the National Science Foundation, the Bureau of Land Management and the Plant Conservation Alliance to bring people interested in the study of the timing of events in the life cycles of plants and animals together to share data and collaborate in future research.

For more information, call Brewer at 243-2632 or e-mail her at carol.brewer@umontana.edu.

Teller Refuge receives wetlands conservation grant

The Teller Wildlife Refuge in Corvallis announced the receipt of a $75,000 North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA) Grant. The grant was awarded to Teller along with seven private and three public partners in support of the Wetlands Conservation Corridor Partnership Project submitted by the Teller in 2006. With 71 applications submitted nationwide, the Bitterroot Wetland Conservation Corridor proposal ranked 15th, and was the first NAWCA Grant to be awarded in the Bitterroot Valley. Nearly $2 million was awarded to 31 applicants nationwide.

NAWCA provides matching grants to organizations and individuals who have developed diverse partnerships to carry out wetlands conservation projects that protect and/or restore priority wetland habitats and wildlife species. To be successful, partners must demonstrate the ability to leverage federal grant dollars with non-federal dollars for projects. The Bitterroot Corridor proposal met that challenge by bringing together 11 partners with a non-federal match of $384,200. The project partners will use the $75,000 in NAWCA Grant funds to restore and enhance nearly 150 acres of wetlands and riparian habitat in the Bitterroot Valley.

"This award is outstanding," said Sam Lawry, the Director of Conservation Programs at the Teller. "This project represents weeks of hard work, and each of the partners involved should be proud of this accomplishment," added Lawry.

While each of the partners is vital to the project, the proposal was greatly strengthened by the non-federal partner match provided by the Tucker Crossing Ranch and the Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks (MT FWP). Wetland restoration and enhancement elements from the Tucker Crossing Ranch added nearly 200 acres to the wetland footprint outlined in the proposal, while bringing nearly $60,000 of match to the table. The $75,000 match provided by MT FWP was for wetland restoration work completed at the Teller in 2005.

"It is these kinds of conservation partners that really make NAWCA proposals work," Lawry said. "The Tucker Crossing Ranch did not want anything in terms of grant dollars, yet their involvement strengthened the proposal significantly. They added match dollars and acres restored through work that was done solely by the ranch."

Other partners in the project include the Lee Metcalf National Wildlife Refuge, the Friends of Lee Metcalf National Wildlife Refuge, the Bitter Root Land Trust, Geum Environmental Consulting, the V.C. Hollingsworth Estate, Ducks Unlimited, the Teller Wildlife Refuge, Teller Volunteers, and the Natural Resource Conservation Service.

Projects that will be funded by the NAWCA award include: The Lee Metcalf NWR will use $30,000 to restore 63 acres of emergent marsh on the Lee Metcalf NWR; the Bitter Root Land Trust and Geum Environmental Consulting will use $15,000 to restore portions of an 80-acre wetland and riparian habitat on private lands; the Teller Wildlife Refuge will apply $30,000 in grant funds to restore an additional 30 acres of wetlands, in their Phase II Wetland Restoration.

NAWCA grant proposals undergo a rigorous technical review and approval by the North American Wetlands Conservation Council, and ultimately the U.S. Migratory Bird Conservation Commission. On March 13, the Commission met in Washington, D.C. to give final approval to the Council's recommendations on funding NAWCA projects that were submitted in 2006.

"NAWCA has been a tremendous tool for wetland protection and restoration throughout North America. To date, nearly 23.6 million acres of wetlands and associated uplands have been restored across the continent. It is nice to see such a remarkable place like the Bitterroot Valley be added to that impressive wetland footprint," Lawry added.

The Teller Wildlife Refuge is a private, non-profit conservation organization located near Corvallis. Through its mission, the Teller is dedicated to conserving and enhancing wildlife habitat in the Bitterroot River corridor, serving as an outdoor classroom for all ages to learn about conservation and the natural world, and providing recreational opportunities for a diverse public. Its goal is to connect people to the land through programs that will further the conservation ethic for generations to come. For more information on the Teller, visit www.tellerwildlife.org.

Raffle winner donates award

At the Ravalli County Spring Fair on March 24, May Simmons registered for Rocky Mountain Bank's drawing and won a DVD/VCR combination player. She decided to donate it to Jenny Heck, who lost everything when her house burned down just a few days earlier. Jenny Heck’s sister Peggy Guerrero has been collecting donations for her. For donation information, contact Peggy Guerrero, 251-0208.

Stevensville residents asked to submit recipes

From Dutch-oven Elk Chili to Wild Huckleberry Pie, you are invited to submit your most scrumptious family recipe(s) for the "Where Montana Cooking Began" cookbook project. The Stevensville Main Street Association is sponsoring this effort to collect recipes of culinary delights from Stevensville residents and local businesses, including a wide array of delicious appetizers, salads, main courses, side dishes, Dutch-oven recipes and desserts.

The Stevensville Main Street Association is excited to have the support of local businesses and community members in this endeavor. The cookbook will debut at Stevensville's Western Heritage Days and will also be available at the Main Street's office, First Friday events and Creamery Picnic.

Submit your recipes by May 9 to Renee Ruprecht, c/o Stevensville Main Street Association, P.O. Box 18, Stevensville MT 59870 or e-mail your recipe to reneeendicott@yahoo.com. Your contribution will help make the cookbook a success. For more information call 777-3773.

Spotlight on Victor

By Louise Langton

James and Jill (Langton) Peddie from Chiang Mai, Thailand and their new baby son William Brian Peddie have arrived home for a visit with their parents at Lolo and Corvallis.

Buzz and Jannette Hale are visiting their Bitter Root property from their home in Dubai, on the Persian Gulf. Buzz is a pilot and Jannette is a flight attendant in Dubai.

Births

Births at Marcus Daly Hospital, Hamilton

3-27-07
Girl, 8 lbs., 2 oz., 20 inches, to Jordan and Ashley Summers, Corvallis

Obituaries

Justin Chad Moore
1978-2007

Justin Chad Moore, 28 of Florence, passed away on Friday, March 23, 2007 at Community Medical Center, of natural causes.

He was born October 31, 1978 in Missoula. Justin was very active in 4-H and gardening as he grew up in Florence, graduating from high school in 1997. He attended the University of Montana, graduating with an art major.

Justin was a very accomplished artist, making a living selling many of his beautiful paintings. He always looked forward to all the art shows he attended, including the Western Heritage Art Show in Great Falls at which he won the best of show with his lobby piece 5 out of 6 years. He also won the quick draw contest competition, completing his piece in only 30 minutes instead of the 60 minute requirement.

His most favorite time of year was Christmas. He collected and decorated his home with not less than five perfectly designed Christmas trees, each tree having its own theme, and unique character. Many of the ornaments were antique and crystal that he collected throughout his life. He also had a passion for Christmas villages and prided himself on his own lifelike displays, adding pieces each year making it seem as big as New York. He put his whole heart into making them absolutely perfect and enjoyed showing family and friends.

Justin also was an avid antique furniture and art collector. He refinished many of the pieces himself, and furnished his home with the beautifully restored furniture.

He had an incredible knack for designing and building many rock and flower gardens, surrounding ponds and waterfalls throughout the Florence community. They are a great joy to all who see them. Justin spent many hours with his mother, who was his best friend; they had a most special relationship. Justin was soft-hearted as a teddy bear. His quick wit brought laughter to everyone. He will be greatly missed.

Justin is survived by his parents, Robert and Joanne Moore, brother Weston Moore, Grandpa and Grandma Mikesell, all of Florence; Grandma Lois Moore, Victor and many aunts, uncles, and cousins.

A graveside service was held on Wednesday, March 28, at the Florence/Carlton Cemetery.A memorial service was held at the Florence Carlton Community Church, followed by a potluck reception.

The Whitesitt Funeral Home in Stevensville is in charge of arrangements.Memorials are asked to the Florence-Carlton Community Church.

FRAGRANT GARDEN

Forever-fragrant garden
with beauty all around
Blossoms of the rarest kind
can easily be found
No winter's chill now comes to me
No need to be disheartened
I'll rest now, forevermore
In God's eternal garden.

--Author unknown

Opal Haley
1918-2007

Opal Haley, 89, passed away at her home in Stevensville, on Tuesday, March 27, 2007, of heart valve failure.

Opal was born on March 19, 1918 on the family farm near Emporia, Kansas to Ernest and Susie (Clark) Hill.

She graduated from Emporia High School and soon after left to begin a new life of adventure. Her first job was driving a city bus in Wichita, Kansas. After that endeavor she moved to Denver, working for a pharmaceutical company for a year before transferring with the company to Sacramento, California.

After the beginning of WWII, Opal felt the need to help serve her country. She attended school and became a certified welder. She used her new skills helping build warships in the San Francisco Bay area. It was there Opal met a soldier and the love of her life, Vernon Haley. The couple married on her birthday in 1943, before Vernon had to go overseas for war duty in the Army.

After the war ended Opal and Vernon returned to Vernon's hometown of Stevensville. They purchased a home there where Opal has resided for the past 60 years. She became a homemaker and a wonderful dedicated mother. Through the years, she so loved the many wonderful neighborhood friends and the numerous children that enjoyed the goodies she provided them. Until her health started failing, she loved playing cards with the "Burnt Fork Bunch."

Opal was preceded in death by her parents, husband Vernon (Bill) in 1986, and three sisters, Lottie Childers, Margaret Houk and Mable Bullock.

Opal is survived by her son and his wife, Bill and Peggy (Whitesitt) Haley; a step-grandson Ryan Roycroft and great grandchild, Skyler Roycroft, and numerous nieces and nephews. Also surviving is a sister-in-law Helen Jenkins, and a longtime friend, Ernie Smith and some of Bill's childhood friends, Ken, Bruce and Marshall, who were so special and dear to her heart.

Funeral services were conducted Monday, April 2, 2007 at the Whitesitt Funeral Home in Stevensville with Pastor Bruce Ekkelboom officiating. Internment was at the Maplewood Cemetery. A reception was held at the Community Baptist Church in Stevensville.

Should friends desire, memorials may be made in Opal's name to the Bitterroot Humane Society in Hamilton.

Donald F. Park
1926-2007

Donald F. Park, 80, long-time Stevensville resident, died on Sunday, March 25, 2007 at St. Patrick Hospital in Missoula.

He was born on July 11, 1926 in Anderson, California and was the son of Leo Homer and Ella B. (Jewart) Park.

Don was inducted into the U.S. Army in 1945. He served in Chonju, Korea with the 96th Military Government Group and was honorably discharged in 1947.

Don and Janet Prigmore were married in Anderson, California in 1948, the couple were later divorced. Don worked in the sawmill and owned a sheep ranch in Anderson until 1963. The family moved to Stevensville where he continued to raise sheep.

He was an active director for the Ravalli County Rural Electric Co-op for 30 years and was recognized many times for his contributions. Don was active in the Grange, Stevensville Rural Fire Dept., Wool Growers Association, Landowners Association, Burnt Fork Water Commission, Old Time Fiddlers, Square Dancers, Director of the Montana Electric Co-op for 29 years, Democratic Precinct worker, 5-Valley Accordion Club, Bitterroot Community Band, Ravalli County Museum, and the Stevensville Senior Citizens, and he played music at Fort Owen Inn from 1964 until 1974 in the Burnt Fork Trio.

Don shared his natural talents of music, horticulture and politics with many. He was happiest playing the piano, saxophone, and accordion at a wide variety of community organizations statewide. No holiday passed that Don wasn't involved in multiple community events. He also played at many local benefits. He shared his love of gardening with many floral arrangements delivered to brighten lives. His grandchildren received many lessons and tips on planting and harvesting gardens and flowerbeds.

Baling wire was his tool of choice, while harvesting his garden became his hobby.

Don was preceded in death by his son Larry Park, his parents Leo and Ella Park, and his eight brothers and sisters.

He is survived by his son Bruce (Lori) Park, Salmon, ID; granddaughters Cori Park (fiancé Ryan Allen), Salmon, ID, and Jenna (Chuck) Sonefelt, Great Falls; daughter Vonnie Nagel, Bismarck, ND; grandchildren Dionne (Shawn) Smith, Canton, OH and Nicole (Dallas) Hinderer and Richard Nagel of Bismarck, ND; daughter Lettie (Peri) Henderson, Stevensville; grandchildren Angie Fairchild, Avondale, AZ and Lee (Melissa) Henderson of Stevensville; and four great grandchildren. Also surviving is a close friend Lance Marshall, and sisters-in-law Florence Park and Joyce Park of Anderson, CA.

At his request, a celebration of Don's life, with all his friends and family, was held at the Jukebox Florence on Sunday, April 1. Memories, music and stories were shared.

Memorials may be made to a program that was dear to Don's heart: St. Patrick Hospital, c/o Montana Cancer Center Fund (Compassion Care), P.O. Box 4587, Missoula MT 59806.

The Whitesitt Funeral Home in Stevensville is in charge of cremation arrangements.

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