Jeremy Blaine Erbelding, 33
Jeremy Blaine Erbelding, 33, of Missoula passed away on Jan. 31, 2005.
Blaine had the heart and soul of a giant and will be missed desperately by all of those that know and loved him so very much. With his gentle nature, quick smile and wonderful sense of humor, he touched the life of every person who had the great honor to know him.
He was born on Jan. 25, 1972, in Johnson Bayou, La., to JB Erbelding III and Elsie J. Erbelding, Johnson Bayou. He grew up in the bayou, chasing alligators and hiding behind his duck blinds.
After high school, he then started a career in welding. When Blaine was not welding, he was cooking for hours for anyone who would eat his food or listen to his stories that he so loved to tell. However, if you wanted to hear the juicy stories you had to get up pretty early to hear them down at the local coffee shop outside on the front bench. At night, you could find him out on the beach pulling out all those crazy "Cajuns" that could not hang.
It was during a shutdown in Texas City where he met the love of his life and soulmate, Kera Ann Wisher. He thought that this Montana girl was just a little welder's helper. Little did he know that on April 20, 1996, he would be marrying that little welder's helper. Blaine's main passion now became Kera Ann, which later would include two wonderful children, a daughter, Bryce, and a son, Blaynton. They continued to live in Johnson Bayou where Blaine tried to teach his new Montana wife how to hide behind a duck blind and reel in a gator or two. On his days off you could find the four of them on the family horse, Dusty, or his daddy's four-wheeler riding and exploring the bayou with their two dogs, Bingo and Blue, at their side. In addition, if you ever found yourself wanting a veggie or two you could walk outside and find Blaine's enormous and very well-kept garden.
Blaine had been to Montana a few times to visit and to go hunting, fishing, camping, and most importantly, cooking, with his many stories to tell. He would love to cook for the Yankees who had never really experienced true Cajun food, which he took so very long to prepare. He knew the Yankees had no choice but to listen to his many truly amazing stories.
In August 2004, he decided to move back to his wife's hometown in Montana. He began working as a journeyman millwright at Simpson Lumber in Bonner, September 2004. Blaine was so excited about the new job, and the new friends he had to tell his stories. Blaine was also excited to become a proud brother of Local 3038.
His father JB Erbelding III preceded him in death.
Survivors include his wife, Kera Ann; daughter, Bryce; and son, Blaynton; mother, Elsie J. Erbelding; grandmother, Thelma Jinks; sister, Patricia and husband, Roby Jones; brothers, Wallace and wife,
Kathy Erbelding, and Dwight and wife, Judy Erbelding; father and mother-in-law, Jerry and Donna Wisher; mother-in-law, Patti Wisher; sisters- and brothers-in-law, Sabrina Wisher and John Hahn,
David and Leslie Wisher, Amanda and Matt Erickson, and Shane Amundson; nieces, Mikayla "Spark Plug" Wisher, Audrey Hahn, Alyssa Wisher, Janet Theriot, Tracy Erbelding, Pam Suire, and Karen Davis; nephews, Hunter and Steel Hahn, Joseph and Aaron Wisher, Lance and Justin Jones, Ethan Erbelding, Garrett, Grant and Ryan Erbelding; and 10 great-nieces and nephews.
Services will be 1 p.m. Saturday at Garden City Funeral Home, 1705 West Broadway, Missoula.
In lieu of flowers, a trust fund has been set up for his family at the following: Bryce and Blaynton Erbelding No. 947107, c/o Whitefish Credit Union, P.O. Box 37, Whitefish, MT 59937.
Honorary pallbearers: Eddie Patterson, John Hahn, Shane Amundson, Otis Seal, Travis Trahan, Travis Brennan, Wallace Erbelding, David Wisher.