Charles Henry Gantka, 98

Charles Henry Gantka passed away peacefully on Wednesday, Aug. 24, 2005, at Kalispell Regional Medical Center a few weeks before his 99th birthday.

He was born on Sept. 5, 1906, in Hazelton, N.D., the son of Charles Henry and Magdelena (Preszler) Gantka. He grew up on a farm near Hazelton.

Charles married Winifred Julia Ross on Sept. 18, 1940. They had three daughters, Linda Mae, Rita Frances, and Janet Sue.

Charles worked for the Northern Pacific Railroad as a section worker until his retirement, residing in Mandan, N.D. He was a longtime member of the Lutheran Church of the Redeemer in Mandan. In November of 1997, Charles and Winifred moved to be near their daughter, Linda.

Charles taught by example. He passed on his Christian faith by seeing to it that the family was always in attendance at church and Sunday school, even in a North Dakota blizzard. With a meager income, he put his daughters through Lutheran colleges, determined that they would have the education he never had. He also left a legacy of gardening behind, as he often planted three large gardens each summer. He loved to play cribbage and was winning cribbage games a few days before his passing. He also loved baseball, especially the Minnesota Twins.

The family wishes to thank the staff at Buffalo Hill Terrace, Immanuel Lutheran Home, and Kalispell Regional Medical Center for taking such good care of Charles in the last years. A special thank you to Jerry Schreck from Trinity Lutheran Church for his visits where he shared the Gospel, prayed, and encouraged.

Charles was preceded in death by his wife, Winifred, in 1998; four brothers, Llewelyn, Fred, Lynn, and Floyd; three sisters, Adeline Perry, Inez Crimmins, and Velma Dietzman; also a grandson, Joel Nathan Hillstrom.

Charles is survived by three daughters, Linda Jackson and husband, Verdell, of Kalispell, Rita Kenniston and husband, Stan, of Bend, Ore., and Janet Hillstrom and husband, Rod, of Plymouth, Minn.; two sisters, Beryl Kiefer of Bismarck, N.D., and Eula Hagge of Roseburg, Ore.; five grandchildren, Lori Forrest and husband, Dan, Paul Kenniston and wife, Amber, Julie Clemens and husband, Dirk, Jessica Hillstrom, April DeZell and husband, Jason; and six great-grandchildren, Zachariah and Gabriel Kingston, Erin and Emily Forrest, and Jacina and Josiah DeZell.

Funeral services for Charles Henry Gantka will be held 11 a.m. Monday, Aug. 29, at the Trinity Lutheran Church with Pastor Mark Cutler officiating and Jerry Schreck as liturgist. Burial will precede the service at the Trinity Lutheran Cemetery at 10 a.m. Visitation will be from 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. Monday at Johnson Mortuary Chapel, prior to burial and funeral services.

Johnson Mortuary & Crematory is caring for Charles' family.