James C. ”Jim” Soft, 78, of Billings died Oct. 29, 2024. He was born July 24, 1946, in Williston, N.D., to Bernard and Clara (Graber) Soft. He was the youngest of three brothers and grew up in Richey. He was incredibly athletic and excelled in basketball, football and track and field in high school. In January 2005, he was inducted into the 10th annual Montana High School Association Athletic Hall of Fame. He was a rebounding machine, averaging 20 rebounds per game during high school. His basketball talent earned him one of the first full-ride basketball scholarships offered at Eastern Montana College. His collegiate career was a prestigious one, an All-American twice (1966 and 1967) and All-Frontier Conference three times and was named MVP of the league in 1968. While at EMC, he set season and career rebounding records and currently is the Yellowjackets’ third all-time leading scorer. In 1994, he was inducted into the Eastern Montana College Athletic Hall of Fame and Distinction and his #50 jersey was retired. He earned a bachelor’s degree in 1968 from EMC. He holds a certified financial planner designation and a master of science degree. He also has a master of arts from Dallas Theological Seminary. He is a four-time published author. After college, he went to play for Athletes in Action, a division of Campus Crusade for Christ. On Aug. 23, 1968, he married Linda Jo Schneider at the Evangelical United Brethren Church in Billings. They resided in Billings with their two children, Max and Brook. His life work was dedicated to the Yellowstone Boys and Girls Ranch. He began

The best educators view their profession as a calling, not a craft, inspire in and out of the classroom, and never really leave the profession, seeing every individual encountered as a potential student. By this measure, Jack was among the best of educators, and we were all his students. George Bernard “Jack” Copps Jr. was born and raised in Rapid City, S.D. His parents Ruth Schmadlewsky Copps and George Bernard Copps Sr. raised Jack along with his twin sister, Jean, two additional sisters and two brothers. Jack graduated from Rapid City High School and earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Black Hills State College. He completed additional studies at Montana State University in Bozeman, and he also taught several courses at MSU and MSU Billings. In 1960, he married Donna Reid. They raised three children and later divorced. In 1982, on the banks of Holland Lake, Jack married Penny Clark Bullock, spending the next 42 years as one another’s biggest fans. Together, they enjoy five children, 11 grandchildren (two deceased) and four great-grandchildren. Jack began his teaching career on the Fort Peck Reservation in Poplar, Mont., teaching and serving as high school principal for 16 years. To this day, tribal leaders and members recall it was Jack’s firm guidance and love that helped direct their lives. Jack then moved to Lewistown, serving as high school principal from 1976 to 1979. In 1979, he and his family moved to Helena, joining School District 1 as an administrator. In 1989, Jack resigned as Helena Superintendent of Schools to serve as Deputy State Superintendent of Schools under Superintendent Nancy Keenan. After 10 years of serving all students in the state, Jack retired … for the first of many retirements. Jack couldn’t leave education behind, assuming several leadership roles in the state, including with Northwest Accreditation and serving as the first Executive Director of the Montana Quality Education Coalition, fighting to ensure funding to fulfill our state constitution’s aim of establishing a system which will develop the full educational potential of each person and guaranteeing equality of educational opportunity to each person of our state. Then, he retired. Again. From 2006 to 2011, Jack came out of retirement to serve as Superintendent of Billings School District 2. He retired yet again, but after only a year, was asked to once again return as Billings Superintendent, serving until 2013. Jack was more than just

Newton Cantrell, 85, of Wolf Point died Oct. 25, 2024, at Trinity Hospital in Wolf Point. He was born March 21, 1939, to Marie and Otto Cantrell Sr. He attended the Poplar school system until he

Ivan P. Roberts, 75, of Poplar died Oct. 30, 2024, at Billings Clinic in Billings. A wake will be held on Thursday, Nov. 7, at 7 p.m. at the Poplar Cultural Center. Funeral services will be held on Friday, Nov. 8, at 11 a.m. at the Poplar Cultural Center. Interment will follow at Poplar City Cemetery.

Iola Bighorn Scott, 81, of Poplar died Oct. 31, 2024, in Poplar. A wake will be held on Friday, Nov. 8, at 7 p.m. at the Brockton Cultural Center. Funeral services will be held on Saturday, Nov. 9, at 11 a.m. at the Brockton Cultural Center. Interment will follow at Fort Kipp Cemetery.

Gerald 'Gerry' Anthony Unruh, 76, of Billings died Sept. 25, 2024. He was born Aug. 20, 1948, in Glendale to Anthony and Frieda (Schmidt) Unruh. He grew up on the family farm in Bloomfield, the youngest of five brothers and four sisters. Hey had a fun childhood creating all kinds of mischief to keep his parents and sisters on their toes. He attended school in both Richey and Glendive, where he became an outstanding athlete, especially in football, basketball and track. Football took him to Bethel College in Newton, Kansas, but a broken back his freshman year made him rethink his plans. If he couldn't play football, he was out of there. He was a force, larger than life with a big personality. He was someone who took chances and lived at full-throttle. His post-college plan included roaring up to his niece's house on his Ducati motorcycle and racing top-fuel dragsters until he decided to move back to Billings to try his hand at raising race horses. He loved to see his work explode out of the racing chute. Then he took another leap, a blind date set up by friends, where he met Michal Evitt, and they were married six months later. Two years following, their daughter Danielle was born. In subsequent years, his fearless ambition took the family to Wyoming, Louisiana and back again to Montana. Throughout it all, he showed a fierce determination to provide for his family and demonstrated ingenuity in doing that. He believed failures are risks that go untaken (and sometimes failures themselves need to be taken) and he never shied away from taking risks in pursuit of a better life. Sometimes the risks ended in triumph and other times in epic disasters. However, he also maintained an unwavering belief that hard work, continued problem solving, and a 'head on straight' were the

Richard Fewer, 60, of Glasgow died Oct. 24, 2024. He was born prematurely on Dec. 30, 1963, at Northern Montana Hospital in Havre, weighing in at 3½ pounds. He was the sixth child of William “Bill” and Shirley (Tribby) Fewer. Older siblings were Marie, James, FayeAnn, Paula (who died at birth) and Ronald (who is only 10½ months older). Older sister Marie picked out his name, because she wanted to call him 'Ricky' and to this day no one has ever called him Ricky. He attended Glasgow Schools, graduating in 1982. He was a Glasgow Scottie wrestler for a couple of years. He then went on to receive his associate degree from Dawson Community College. Growing up, he traveled with his family to many O-Mok-Sees. He rode bulls for a while which did not work out well for him. He then became interested in team roping. He became a pretty good team roper and won many awards for his heading ability. A timeless cowboy, he was a man of the land. A relic of a bygone era, his heart was vast as the plains he roamed. He was rough around the edges, his hands worn and calloused were a testament to a life spent outdoors. Yet, beneath his weathered exterior lay a heart full of love, a gentle soul with a deep appreciation for life’s simple pleasures. Family was his anchor. His love for his wife was unwavering a bond forged in the heart of the American West. He was a man who worked hard all day every day. He

Bennie Baker Finnicum, 91, died Oct. 15, 2024, at St. Vincent’s Healthcare Center in Billings. He was born on March 8, 1933, to Frances (Harkins) and Ross Finnicum in Clinton, Iowa. He moved to Andes community, Richland County at the age of three months. He attended school at Andes School until the third grade and Mona School until Christmas of seventh grade when he then stayed home to help on the farm while his brother was deployed. In 1951, he met Anne Ochs. They dated for two years before getting married in the courthouse in Sidney on Aug. 22, 1953. They made their home on the family farm seven miles west of Andes. It was the beginning of a long and happy life, raising their five children and then enjoying the many grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He enjoyed feeding the cows in the winter and tinkering in the shop. He was always happy to help the neighbors. His favorite time was harvest. He was a strong and quiet man and had a passion for local history. He enjoyed roller skating and ice skating in his younger years. His eyes

William Edward Tronson, 93, of Medicine Lake died Oct. 16, 2024. He was born June 14, 1931, to Melvin and Lula Tronson at their farm west of Medicine Lake. He moved with his family in 1936 to the farm east of Medicine Lake, where he grew up, attending school and working on the farm. As a boy, he spent many weekends with his grandfather, Edward Spencer, at his farm six miles to the northeast. He enlisted and served in the U.S. Army from November 1951 to November 1954. He attended basic training at Fort Ord, Calif., and Airborne School at Fort Benning, Ga. He served in the Korean War with the 187th Airborne Regimental Combat Team. After the Korean War, he was stationed in Japan with the 187 RCT, Sergeant and Qualified Jump Master. Returning home in 1954, he began raising cattle along with custom grain harvesting. His cattle were well cared for and handled gently. His grain harvest run each year began in Texas, working his way north through Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, Montana and into Canada. He acquired lasting friendships on his harvest run over the 34 years. He was a fair man, respectful