Wanda Hansen, 61, of Williston, N.D., died Dec. 18, 2019. She was born Jan. 31, 1958, in Sidney to John and Blanche (Griggs) Otterstetter, the youngest daughter of nine children. After living in Froid, the family moved to Fairview in 1962. A member of choir, rodeo club, cheerleading and other activities, she graduated from Fairview High School in 1976. Upon graduation, she began working at Super Valu where she met Doug Hansen. They married Jan. 13, 1979, at Zion Lutheran Church in Fairview. In the early years of marriage, they enjoyed bowling league and she also enjoyed ceramics with friends. As they grew older, she enjoyed gardening and spending time with friends. They moved to Williston, N.D., in the mid-1980s where they raised their three children, Douglas, Jeramy and Miranda. She worked at Country Floral before taking time off to spend with her children at home. When the children got older, she worked at Dakota Farms for nearly 20 years, eventually becoming manager. A talented interior painter, her family and friends benefited from her steady hand and eye for color. In the final years of her life, she and Doug found their dream house and spent over two years making it their home. She is survived by her husband, Doug; three children, Douglas of Moorhead, Minn., Jeramy of Williston, N.D., and Miranda Streifel of Mandan, N.D.; siblings, Fran Lagerquist of Billings, Rae Jean Koch of Billings, Bonnie Moore of Joplin and Mike Otterstetter of Fairview; and eight grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her sister, Linda Morrison; and brothers, Jacky, David and Kelly Otterstetter. Cremation will take place. Her memorial service will be held Friday, Dec. 27, at 2 p.m. at First Lutheran Church in Williston. Pastor Brian Knutson will officiate. Inurnment will be in Hillside Cemetery in Williston.

Jeffrey Dean Stump, 60, of Fort Kipp died Dec. 11, 2019, in Poplar. He was born in Fort Kipp to Rocky Stump and Corrine Long Hair on June 10, 1959. He spent his life in Fort Kipp and went to Brockton High School, graduating in 1978. He attended college at UND in Williston, N.D., but finished his career at Fort Peck Community College in carpentry. He married Margie Buckles in 1979. They had two children, Cory Dean and Samantha Corrine. His hobbies were hunting, fishing and playing pool. Funeral services were held Thursday, Dec. 19, at the James Black Dog Center. Clayton Stevenson Memorial Chapel was entrusted with arrangements.

William Fast Horse, 43, of Brockton died Friday, Dec. 13, 2019, in Poplar. He was born in Poplar Nov. 24, 1976, to Keva Spotted Bird Ramsey and Edwin Fast Horse Sr. He was active in basketball. Survivors include daughter, Shania Dahlberg; sisters, Almyra Gray Hawk of Brockton and Amber White Bear of Fargo, N.D.; brothers, Lawrence, Edwin “Chief” Fast Horse of Poplar and Troy Fast Horse of Brockton; and numerous grandchildren. A funeral service was held Saturday, Dec. 21, at the Brockton Cultural Center. Interment was at the Riverside Presbyterian Cemetery. Clayton Stevenson Memorial Chapel of Wolf Point was entrusted with the arrangements.

John Edward Atchico, 60, died Dec. 15, 2019, in Billings. He was known for his quick wit, his infectious smile, his kind and compassionate spirit and especially his love for the Lord. He was born May 29, 1949, in Harrah, Okla., to Jenny Wiles and Edward John Atchico. He graduated from Harrah High School in 1967. He went to the American Indian Arts Institute in Santa Fe, N.M., for one year. He also went to Haskell Institute where he received his heating and air-conditioning certificate in 1970. He worked his whole life, starting at age 14. He worked two summers at the Grand Canyon, on and off during college years. Taking the BIA relocation program to Denver, Colo., in 1970, where he began his career in heating and air-conditioning. He moved to Poplar in 1972 and began working for CNM Construction. He then moved on to Service Soft Water Conditioning. From there, he went to the Fort Peck Tribes, working with furnaces, moving to the position of HIP director and Enterprise director. Leaving the tribes, he went to work at Dody Culbertson Plumbing. From there, he went to MDU, starting in 1985 and retiring in 2009 after spending 24 years as MDU serviceman. He also spent time volunteering on the Poplar ambulance crew in the 1970s. He enjoyed retirement. His highlights were his travels to Hawaii in 2016 and attending the NBA Playoffs Oklahoma Thunder vs. Portland Trailblazers In October 1968, he met Linda Red Thunder at Haskell. They married May 26, 1970, in Lawrence, Kansas, on the campus of Haskell in a little Baptist mission church, in front of their close friends and family. They just celebrated their 49th wedding anniversary this year. Together, they raised two daughters, Leslie and Jennifer, and one son, Lee Aron. His passions in life were his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. His family was everything to him. He looked forward to his Atchico family reunions every June in Oklahoma. He loved working and building things for his children to play. He loved old cars and his ‘60s music. He always put others before himself. He met the Lord in 1968 and was always willing to stop and pray for anyone who requested. He was a humble and selfless man. He was preceded in death by his son, Lee Aron Atchico; four older brothers; three older sisters; and granddaughter, Ashlee Ann Atchico. He is survived by his wife, Linda Atchico; two daughters, Leslie Todd and Jennifer Shrestha; and numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Funeral services were held Monday, Dec. 23, at the Assembly of God Church in Poplar. Cremation will follow. Clayton Stevenson Memorial Chapel was entrusted with the arrangements. in 2019.

Thomas Joseph “TJ” Payne Sr., “Wamni Wagan Hokshina,” High Eagle Boy, 39, died Dec. 12, 2019, at his home in Wolf Point. He was born Nov. 21, 1980, to Thomas Franklin Payne and Darla Jackson. He grew up in Oswego and Wolf Point area. He attended school in Wolf Point and Frazer. He worked for A& S Industries as a machine operator and as a ranch/farm hand for the Fort Peck Tribal Ranch and along with other farmers on the river bottom including his uncle Carl. He moved to Louisiana and returned back to his home where he spent time with his daughter, Kaelyn, and his nephew, Jaxon. He played baseball youth sports in Wolf Point and was a fan of the Chicago Bears. He enjoyed spending time with his family and friends. He grew up with his siblings and cousins. He enjoyed hanging out with his cousin Carl “Kid” Payne. He was always laughing and had a great sense of humor. He is survived by his children, Tommy Payne, Kaelyn Payne and Dakota Payne. He took good care of his nephew, Jaxon. He is also survived by his father, Thomas Franklin Payne; and siblings, Olyn Payne and Jeanette Payne. Funeral services were held Friday, Dec. 20, at the new Community Hall in Wolf Point. Interment was at the Oswego Presbyterian Cemetery. Clayton Stevenson Memorial Chapel of Wolf Point was entrusted with arrangements.

Thomas Eugene Nyquist, 88, died Dec. 2, 2019, in New Paltz, N.Y. He was born June 20, 1931, at home on a wheat farm and cattle ranch homesteaded by his parents, northeast of Froid. He lived through the Depression and the Dust Bowl, rode a horse to the one-room Hammond country grade school and graduated valedictorian of a class of seven. He had big dreams and headed to college planning to major in journalism. But, after serving in the Army on Okinawa during the Korean Conflict and traveling to Japan and Taiwan, he returned to study political science at Macalester College in Minnesota. There, he met his bride and subsequent wife of nearly 63 years, Corinne, who was studying international relations. He earned a masters at the University of Montana in Missoula, worked two years as a social worker, then finished a PhD in African studies at Northwestern University in Illinois. He pursued his PhD research in rural Sudan during its civil war, with wife and children in tow. After graduation, a Fulbright Scholarship took them to Apartheid South Africa for 18 months. The family moved to New Paltz in 1968 where he was professor of African studies at the State University of NY in New Paltz and later an administrator at SUNY Central in grants development. He had a strong desire for a life of meaning lived for society and mankind. He served on and then chaired the New Paltz Village Planning Board and the New Paltz Police Commission, was elected to the Ulster County Legislature and the New Paltz Village Board becoming deputy mayor, acting mayor, then elected mayor for four four-year terms. As mayor, he was concerned with infrastructure, but also livability. He oversaw construction of miles of beautiful brick and stone sidewalks and brought into being three village parks. He maintained his international interests by forming a sister city relationship with Niimi/ Osa, Japan, and by hosting a delegation from the USSR. He served on the boards of the YMCA, Ulster Performing Arts Center, Wallkill Valley Rail Trail, Historic Huguenot Street, and was a member of Rotary International and the Paltz Club. On the Board of the International Partnership for Service Learning, he and Corinne traveled to the Czech Republic, Ecuador, England, Jamaica, Mexico and the Rosebud Indian Reservation, S.D. They were founding members and on the executive of the New York African Studies Association, and he co-edited its newsletter for nearly 50 years. In (semi)retirement, he authored a subscription newsletter on grant opportunities for community colleges which he transitioned to a free on-line newsletter he maintained until he was 87. He and family formed the Tom and Corinne Nyquist Foundation in 2004 using the yearly income off the inherited wheat farm in Montana to give small grants to deserving charitable groups in New Paltz and the Froid area. It also funds scholarships and an essay contest in Montana. When a small oil lease on the Montana property came to fruition, they used proceeds to purchase the Nyquist-Harcourt Wildlife Sanctuary in New Paltz which he maintained nearly single-handedly. He took his last walk to check the sanctuary the day he died. He is survived by his wife, Corinne (Johnson) Nyquist; son, Jonathan Nyquist; daughter, Lynn Nyquist); and four granddaughters. He was predeceased by his brothers, Dick Nyquist of Detroit and Bob Nyquist of Bainville. Memorial services will be Saturday, Dec. 28, at 4:30 p.m. at the Reformed Church in New Paltz. An internment service will be held July 18 in Froid.

Gary Lee McCrea died peacefully at home in Wolf Point on Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2019. Gary was born at Trinity Hospital in Wolf Point on Nov. 30, 1940, to Lee and Virginia McCrea. He grew up on the family farm in the Nickwall community of McCone County and attended the Nickwall School through seventh grade. Gary graduated from Wolf Point High School in 1959, where he played football, was editor of the school newspaper Wolf Talk, participated in Allied Youth, and was a member of the Dramatics Club and acted in several class plays. On May 28, 1959, Gary married Shirley Spitzer at Trinity Lutheran Church in Wolf Point. Gary began working for the Montana State Highway Maintenance Department in 1961 and they lived in Glasgow, Mont., for a short time before moving back to Wolf Point in the fall of 1964. Gary and Shirley built their home on Crescent Drive in 1968 and raised three daughters there. Weekends were often spent helping at the McCrea farm. Gary left the highway department in 1974 to begin working full-time on the farm, enabling Lee and Virginia to vacation south in the winter months. In November of 1983, Virginia and Lee were ready to retire so they moved to Gary and Shirley’s Crescent Drive house and Gary and Shirley moved to the farm. Gary and Shirley continued raising grain and cattle, expanded the farm property, and also installed several center- pivot irrigation systems on the river bottom fields. Grandson Lee Loendorf began helping on the farm during his high school years. In 2008, Gary and Shirley decided to sell the cattle and lease out the pasture. They greatly enjoyed the new freedom to travel during the winter months and took vacations to Fiji, New Zealand, Australia, Italy, and Mexico, as well as numerous road trips visiting historic and cultural sites throughout United States visiting friends and family along the way. After 30+ years on the farm, Gary and Shirley decided to semi-retire and, in 2015, grandson Lee Loendorf and wife Erin moved to the farm to become the fourth generation on the land. Gary and Shirley moved closer to town to 7009 NB Loop near the Missouri River Bridge. Gary continued to help on the farm as needed and able, passing down his knowledge to Lee. Gary was an active coop supporter and served on the Farmers Union Elevator board for a number of years including serving as director through the merger with Equity Elevator and the formation of Farmers Elevator. Gary also was an active member of Trinity Lutheran Church and served many years as president and elder. In his early years, Gary enjoyed hunting, fishing, and playing cards with good friends, competing and often placing in whist tournaments. Gary was also an excellent dancer and he and Shirley were a common sight on the dance floor. Gary took up golfing in midlife and played both socially and in a men’s league; he especially enjoyed golf trips with family and friends. After moving closer to town, morning coffee with “the guys’ jump-started most days. Gatherings with family and friends were an important part of Gary’s life, especially getting to see grandchildren and great-grandchildren grow and follow their activities. Gary inherited his honesty, integrity, and work ethic from his father, Lee McCrea, and was also known for his great sense of humor. Survivors are Gary’s wife, Shirley; daughters, Kimberly (Kevin) Frazer of Lakewood, Colo., Debra (Gene) Loendorf of Wolf Point, and Julie Mc-Crea of Tucson, Ariz.: grandchildren, Lee (Erin) Loendorf of Wolf Point, Loni Loendorf of Billings, Mont., Justin Frazer and Cassie Frazer of Lakewood, Colo.; and great-grandchildren, Emma and Evan Kawasaki and Jordyn Loendorf of Wolf Point. Viewing will be Sunday, Dec. 22, from 2 to 6 p.m. at Clayton Memorial Chapel in Wolf Point, and the funeral service will be Monday, Dec. 23, at 11 a.m. at Trinity Lutheran Church in Wolf Point. Burial will be at Nickwall Cemetery in McCone County south of Wolf Point. The family would like to thank everyone for their many kindnesses, including visits and gifts, and especially for the numerous calls, texts, cards, and Facebook comments. This outpouring greatly helps ease the emptiness left by Gary’s passing. In lieu of flowers, the family invites contributions to Faith Home, the Wolf Point 100 Club, or Bigger Sky Kids. (Paid Obituary)