Verle Follette
Verle Follette, 57, of Poplar died at the Harbor View Medical Center in Seattle, Wash.
He was born in Havre April 13, 1963, to Dennis Follette of Helena and Carmelita Lambert. He had five brothers and five sisters.
He attended many schools in his younger years. For high school, he went to school in Culbertson. He enjoyed running and various sports. At Culbertson High School, he held two track records, one record still unbroken. The one record is still listed at the school for the 3200m time of 10:37. After high school, he attended college at Montana State University in Bozeman.
He married Mary Buck Elk Feb. 19, 1983. Together, they raised four daughters and one son. They also adopted two other children, one son and one daughter. As a family, they enjoyed spending time together. They made many memories by fishing, camping and traveling together. He instilled the word of God into his children and grandchildren.
Another major part of his life was he was the pastor of the House of Prayer Church. He became a spiritual leader in the community. People would come to him not only at the church but at his home, where he would offer prayer, counseling or any other assistance that was in needed.
He was employed at the Indian Health Service at the Fort Peck Service Unit in Poplar. During his employment, he served as the National Federation of Federal Employees Union president for the Billings area, which serves service units throughout Montana and Wyoming. He worked diligently for union members and any employee that asked for assistance.
He was preceded in death by his step-father, Robert “Bob” Lambert; daughter, Sierra Follette; brother, Dennis Follette; sisters, Denise Follette and Lisa Lambert.
He is survived by his wife, Mary Follette; children, Jennifer Gong, Verle Follette Jr., Erin Follette, Lana Follette, Trent Follette and Blake Shya Follette; father, Dennis (Flora) Follette; siblings, Darlene Follette, Leonard Follette, Jackie Follette, Darrel Follette, David Follette, Lexi Follette and Neal Follette, numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren; adopted father, Larry Little Owl Sr.; and adopted mother, Gloria Deserly.
Services are pending under the direction of Clayton Stevenson Memorial Chapel.
