Obit: Richard, George A. (1886 – 1965)

Contact: Shari (Volovsek) Hahn

 E-mail: Shari@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Richard, Gustafson, Robinson, Bartlett, McKeever, Johnson, Works, Worrall, Schlack, Leonard, Gerdes, Newhall, Huiken, Tschache, Armstrong, Diacon, Taylor, Crofoot, Miller, Parsons, Kuisken

Source: The River Press (Fort Benton, MT) , May 5, 1965, Page 1

George A. Richard, 79, Fort Benton resident and retired Loma area farmer, died Saturday morning at a Great Falls hospital following a short illness.

Funeral services were held from the Benton Funeral Home Tuesday with Rev. Dick Gustafson and Rev. Don Robinson officiating. Burial was in Riverside cemetery. Pallbearers were Irving Bartlett, Bob McKeever, Warren Johnson, Irvin Works, Fritz Worrall and Gordon Schlack. Honorary pallbearers were E.O. Leonard, John Gerdes, Ed Newhall, Ted Van Kuisken, Otto Tschache, Horace Armstrong, Walter Diacon, Charles Works, and John McKeever.

Mr. Richard was born April 14, 1886, at Thorp, Wisconsin, and moved with his family to Albany, Oregon, about 1896. As a young man he worked in logging camps in Oregon. He came to Montana in the fall of 1912 to file his homestead claim in what became known as the Oregon settlement, 12 miles north of Loma, and he was the last member of the settlement still living in Montana at the time of his death.

He settled his claim the following year and September 18, 1913, married Louise Schlack, also a native of Wisconsin, who came here from Albany. They lived on their farm until 1951, when they moved to Fort Benton. In September 1963, they celebrated their golden wedding anniversary at an open house in the Christian church here.

Survivors include the wife; two sons, Albert and Orval Richard, Loma; three daughters, Mrs. Robert (Betty) Taylor and Mrs. Howard (Florence) Taylor, both of Fort Benton, and Mrs. Gordon (Hope) Crofoot, of Arlee; a brother, William Richard, Spokane; two sisters, Mrs. Florence Miller, Hillsboro, Oregon, and Mrs. Malinda Parsons, Salem, Oregon, and 18 grandchildren and one great grandchild.