Austin Monk, 91

Austin Monk, 91, passed away June 3, 2005, at the Immanuel Lutheran Home in Kalispell after a long and hard fought battle with old age.

He was born John Austin Monk on July 16, 1913, to Wallace and Grace (Haines) Monk in Kalispell. He attended local schools and grew up with the Valley. He married Mildred Knutson in 1938 and was preceded in death by her in 1996.

He began his younger years ranching and also in the timber industry, first cutting ties in his sawmill and later as a logger, back in the days when the timber was big. He later was a tie broker for the Burlington Northern Railroad. He raised cattle in Pleasant Valley for most of his life at the ranch he built from scratch.

He and Mildred blasted a canal with dynamite to drain the meadows, and then cleared the willows and trees to make his hay land. The ranch at Pleasant Valley is where he liked being the most.

He also did stints in the oil fields, as a road builder and a heavy equipment operator.

He owned and operated the Raven Mine in Thompson Falls for many years. Austin did a lot of prospecting, even searching for the Lost Dutchman Mine in Arizona several times. He had several mining claims in northwestern Montana and was a past president of the Montana Mining Association.

Many people will remember when he and Mildred owned and operated Boisverts Resort on McGregor Lake in the 1970s.

He had a lifelong fondness of guns, especially the Sharps Rifle, and was well known as a marksman at the black powder shoots. He was most recently known for his love and knowledge of steam traction engines. He had quite a collection that he assembled over the years and was at many of the plowing and steam shows both here and also in Pennsylvania, Ohio and Oklahoma.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his brother, Edward; his sisters, Doris Daley and Louise Monk; and his sons, Wallace "Wally" Monk and Jim Wehr.

He is survived by his daughter, Janet Monk, of Kalispell; and his brother, Bob Monk, of Pleasant Valley. He is also survived by 12 grandchildren and numerous great-grandchildren; and nieces, nephews and cousins.

Visitation will be from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Wednesday, June 8, at Johnson Mortuary.

Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. Thursday, June 9, at the First Presbyterian Church of Kalispell, 540 S. Main St., followed by interment at C.E. Conrad Memorial Cemetery, with a short memorial for his sister, Louise Monk, who passed away March 28.

Memorials may be made to Hospice, 175 Commons Loop, Suite 100, Kalispell, or a charity of your choice.Camille Cato Council D'Haillecourt, 82

Camille Cato Council D'Haillecourt died May 29, 2005, at peace in her home after a short battle with thyroid cancer. She was 82 years of age.

She was born in Jacksonville, Fla., on Sept. 4, 1922, and lived a long life, the final years of which were devoted to the Lord Jesus Christ and to her family near and far.

She married Edmond Jules D'Haillecourt on June 1, 1944, in Florida while he was in the U.S. Navy. Camille was a welder in the Pensacola ship yards during World War II. Upon Edmond's Naval discharge they moved to Louisville, Colo., with their young son Robert and daughter, Patricia. They lived many years in the Denver area where they raised a son, Robert, and three daughters, Patricia, Betty and Debra.

When Edmond retired from the plumbing supply business in 1984 they moved to Hemet, Calif., where they enjoyed their lives together.

Edmond passed away in 1998 and Camille moved to Eugene, Ore., to be near two of her daughters' families who lived in that area.

In 2000 she again moved to Whitefish, this time with her daughter, Betty and family. She loved the Flathead Valley, the people, the community, and the friends made here.

She was a homemaker through most of her life and was an expert at knitting, sewing and cooking. She enjoyed watching birds and deer from her home and made time daily to talk with Jesus.

She was active in her faith at the Nazarene Church of Whitefish.

She is survived by her brother, Henry Council, in Gulfport, Miss.; her son, Robert, in Lakewood, Colo.; daughters Patricia Mathis in Eugene, Betty Dustin in Whitefish, and Debra McMaster in Independence, Kan.; as well as their wives and husbands; 10 grandchildren, 14 great-grandchildren; nieces, nephews and many dear friends.

"She will be missed in body but we all know that she is with our Maker and will continue to smile in heaven."

The family suggests that donations be made to the Finger Tip Love fund in care of the Nazarene Church of Whitefish, which she founded to provide winter clothing for needy families.Tim D. Piland Sr., 56

Tim D. Piland Sr., 56, of Evergreen, passed away May 30, 2005, in Impire, Colo., of natural causes. He was born Sept. 9, 1948, in Pueblo, Colo., to Joseph Leonard Piland and Clara Lou Emond, and raised in Fort Collins, Colo.

He obtained his GED while serving in the U.S. Army and later attended Flathead Valley Community College.

Tim was a disabled Vietnam veteran and an expert rifleman with the M-14 and the APC 45.

He moved to Coram in 1976 and then moved to Kalispell in December 1992, when he met Alfreda M. Hamilton. They were married Dec. 21, 1998, in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho.

Tim was a member of Valley Victory Church. He did light maintenance work for the church, and was also their security man as well as for Head Start.

He enjoyed fishing and birdwatching. He and Alfreda kept four cockatiels which Tim dearly loved.

He was preceded in death by his grandparents, the Curtises; his father, Joseph Leonard; and brother, Steve; and a granddaughter, Daneya.

Tim is survived by his wife, Alfreda, M. Hamilton-Piland, of Kalispell; his four sons, Dale, Timothy, Cliff and Dwayne; his two daughters, Delane and Heather; his mother, Clara Lou Emond; his twin brother, Jim B. Piland of Wichita, Kan., and brothers, Max G. Piland of Aurora, Colo., and Randy Piland of Impire.; and 15 grandchildren.

Cremation has taken place.

A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. Thursday, June 9, at Valley Victory Church, 335 E. Evergreen Dr. in Kalispell, with Pastor William Lewis officiating. Interment will follow at Glacier Memorial Gardens.James Richard Lind,72

James Richard Lind, 72, "began his journey to his heavenly home" on Tuesday, May 31, 2005, at his residence in Lakeside.

He was born on Nov.18, 1932, at Green River, Wyo., the son of Cecil and Stella (Anastos) Lind.

After moving to Chicago he became director of maintenance at Northwestern Medical Center where he was employed until 1970, when he went into the leather business as Mustang Enterprises.

He spent the remainder of his life doing what he most loved, tooling leather and teaching young people leather craft.

He was an avid fisherman and loved being out on Flathead Lake.

He is survived by his loving wife of 47 years, Betty (nee Cristante) Lind, and close friend, Myrt Kochinsky, both of Lakeside; and many nephews, nieces and dear friends across the country.

A memorial Mass celebrating the life of James Richard Lind was held June 6 at St. Matthew's Catholic Church with the Rev. Vic Langhans officiating.

Johnson Mortuary & Crematory is caring for James' family.