The Billings Gazette from Billings, Montana • 8

Monday, July 24, 2006 2 Billings Gazette BILLINGS Mabel G. Schneidmiller, 86 STATE AND AREA DEATHS Belgrade: Patricia Wyer, 73 Buffalo, Wanda I. Nolan, 76 Harlem: Florence Irene (Lacox) Snider, 88 Julia Warrington, 73 Livingston: Lillian Johnson, 92 Noxon: Martin David Dickerson, 52 Red Lodge: Ronald Langstaff, 91 Martin David Dickerson Dickerson, 52, died July 20, 2006, suddenly due to coronary failure. Memorial services will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday, July 25, in Noxon, at the high school gymnasium and at 11 a.m.

Thursday, July 27 at the Wier Funeral Home in Roundup, with burial to follow at the Musselshell Cemetery. Bunch-Toews Funeral Chapel of Thompson Falls is in charge. NOXON Martin David Smith Funeral Chapels and Crematory Serving Billings Area for 110 Years Complete Funeral, Crematory and Cemetery Pre-Arrangements with Cremation Niches, Lawn Crypts and Mausoleum. Reception Facility at West Chapel TWO CONVENIENT LOCATIONS IN BILLINGS SMITH WEST CHAPEL Reception Facility at West Chapel Adjacent to Terrace Gardens Cemetery 304 34TH ST. W.

245-6427 4 Blocks N. of Central on 34th St. W. DAVISON Zeta Marie, 93, of Billings. Funeral services will be at 2 p.m.

Tuesday, July 25, at Smith's West Chapel; 304 34th Street West. Interment will follow at Terrace Gardens HEISER Hildegard "Hilda," 68, of Billings. Cremation is planned. A graveside memorial service will be held 11 a.m. Wednesday, July 26, at Sunset Memorial SMITH DOWNTOWN CHAPEL 925 S.

27th 245-6427 OT SCHNEIDMILLER Mabel 86, of Billings. Funeral arrangements are pending at Smith's Downtown SMITH FUNERAL CHAPEL LAUREL 315 E. 3rd. 628-6858 NELSON Roberta 72, of Laurel. Services 10 a.m.

Monday, July 24, at Smith Funeral Chapel-Laurel. Interment: Laurel Cemetery. Visitation one hour before service. Memorials: charity of SMITH OLCOTT CHAPEL RED LODGE 201 N. Broadway 446-1121 THOMPSON Arthur 89, of Bridger.

Memorial services will be held at 10 a.m. Tuesday, July 25, at Smith West Chapel, 304 34th Street Billings. Cremation has taken place. Memorials may be given to Beartooth Hospice, P.O. Box 590, Red Lodge, MT KOCH Emma Marie, 88, of Bridger.

Funeral Mass 10 a.m. Monday, July 24, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Bridger. Vigil at 7 p.m. Sunday, July 23, at Sacred Heart. Visitation for one hour before both vigil and mass at the church.

Memorials to Clark's Fork Valley Ambulance, PO Box 94, or Sacred Heart Parish, PO Box 309, both of Bridger, MT LANGSTAFF Ronald, 91, of Red Lodge, formerly of Bridger. Funeral services will be 10 a.m. Saturday, July 29, at Smith-Olcott Funeral Chapel. Luncheon to follow. Graveside service with military honors at 2 p.m.

in Bridger Cemetery. Visitation will be 1-5 p.m. Friday, July 28, and until service time. Memorials may be sent to Edyie Bolzer, 1085 Selms Bridger, MT 59014, to be used for the enhancement of Beartooth Long Term SMITH FUNERALCHAPEL COLUMBUS 35 N. Diamond St.

628-6858 How to submit obits For obituary information, call 657-1241 or (800) 543-2505 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. day -Friday; 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday and 3 to 6 p.m. Sunday.

The deadline is 4 p.m. for next day publication. Obituaries can be e-mailed to mailed to Obituary Billings Gazette, PO Box 36300, Billings, MT 59107, faxed to 657-1208 or brought to the Billings Gazette, 401 N. Broadway, during the hours listed above. All obituaries require verification from a funeral home.

Arthur P. Thompson BRIDGER Arthur P. Thompson, 89, of Bridger, died of cancer on Friday, July 21, 2006, at the Beartooth Hospital in Red Lodge. Arthur was born in Topeka, on Jan. 23, 1917.

He was raised by his grandparents until the age of 12. He graduated from trade school (Lathrop) in Kansas City, where he learned the skills of being an electrician. Art married Wilma Gamble on Sept. 14, 1940, in Kansas City. He served in the United States Navy during World War II, entering the service in September 1943, and being discharged in November of 1945.

He began working for Standard Oil Co. in 1939. He transferred to Billings in 1960 and retired in 1973. After retirement, they moved to their ranch, OLEO, near Belfry, Mont. His wife, Wilma, died in 2000.

He married Linda Lee Franzen on July 27, 2002. He is preceded in death by his mother; an aunt, Helen Graham; and a sister-in-law, Dorothy Jean Queen. Arthur is survived by his wife, Linda Lee Thompson, Bridger; his daughter, Teri (Chris) Avis Wichman, of Edina, a granddaughter, Cindy Boll and a great-granddaughter, Savanna Boll, both of Edina; a stepdaughter, April Cody of Cape Coral, two stepsons, Jeremiah Franzen and Jon Cory Franzen, both of Cody, two stepgranddaughters, Tyler Rain Cody and Jamie Cody, both of Cape Coral; two step-grandsons, Marshal Franzen and Sebastian Franzen, both of Cody; two nephews and several cousins. Arthur is also survived by his cats. Memorial services will be held at 10 a.m.

Tuesday, July 25, at Smith West Chapel, 304 34th St. West, Billings. Cremation has taken place. Smith-Olcott Funeral Chapel in Red Lodge is in charge of arrangements. Memorials may be given to Beartooth Hospice, P.O.

Box 590, Red Lodge, MT 59068. Wanda I. Nolan BUFFALO, Wyo. Wanda I. Nolan, 76, of Buffalo, died Sunday, July 23, 2006, following complications of surgery at the Johnson County Health Care Center.

Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10 a.m. Thursday, July 27, at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Buaffalo. Visitation will be held from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Wednesday, at the Adams Funeral Home, Buffalo. A prayer Vigil will be held at 7 p.m. Wednesday, July 26, at the Catholic Church. Burial will be in the Greenwood Cemetery in Upton, with graveside services to be held at 2 p.m. Thursday, in Upton.

The Source For More Local News Billings COMMUNICATIONS Church, The Source choice. Ms Michelotti Sawyers Mortuary and Crematory Serving All Faiths With Dignity since 1956. Continuous Family Ownership for 2 generations. 1001 Alderson Ave. 406-252-3417 MAGGARD Dr.

Robert DDS, 83, of Billings. Funeral Mass, 10 a.m. Tuesday, St. Thomas Church. Rosary, 7 p.m.

Monday, at Michelotti-Sawyers Mortuary. ENSLOW William "Bill," 76, formerly of Billings. Memorial Mass 11 a.m. Tuesday, St. Pius Church.

Memorials, Horizon Hospice, Meridian, PIERCE Matilda "Tillie," 84, of Billings. Visitation starts Sunday 2 p.m. Vigil service, 7 p.m. Tuesday, July 25, at Michelotti-Sawyers Mortuary. Funeral Mass, 12 noon, Wednesday, July 26, at St.

Patrick's Co-Cathedral. Rite of Committal, Mountview Cemetery. Reception to follow burial at Elk's Lodge, 934 Lewis Ave. Memorials, St. Dennis Parish, Crow Agency, or All Nations Church, Eunice Terry, 413 Everett Drive, Billings, MT 59102.

SELECTED Independent FUNERAL HOMES www.michelottisawyers.com Florence Irene (Lacox) Snider HOGELAND Florence Irene (Lacox) Snider, "Candy Grandma," 88, died of cancer July 21, 2006, at Sweet Memorial Nursing Home in Chinook. Florence was born May 4, 1918, in Nodaway, Iowa, to John and Bessie Lacox. Florence and her family arrived by train in 1929 from Iowa in Hogeland, where they settled and began farming. She attended both the East End School and the Hogeland School where she graduated high school i in 1936. Florence married Elmer Chapman Snider, March 30, FLORENCE SNIDER 1937, in Chinook.

At that time, they purchased 40 acres and launched their farming career. They had been married 60 years at the time of Elmer's passing, Oct. 11, 1997. Florence chose to remain on the family farm until 1998 and then moved to the Little Rockies Retirement Center in Harlem. She lived there for two years before moving to the Sweet Memorial Nursing Home in Chinook.

During Florence's life she was very active, holding offices in the Hogeland American Lutheran Church women's group and served as Sunday School Superintendent and teacher. She held offices with the Hogeland PTA and was a 4-H Leader for 15 years. She was a member of and held several offices in the Hogeland Happy Housewives Extension Club for 54 years. Florence served as a Blaine County Election Judge for many years. She strongly believed in the privilege of voting and proudly voted in the last Presidential election and the 2006 Primary election.

Survivors include daughter, Beverly Darlene (Ken) Butzine of Houston, sons, Ralph (Nancy) Snider of Turner, Roger (Penny) Snider of Hogeland, Edward (Vicki) Snider of Harlem; 16 grandchildren, and 34 greatgrandchildren; sisters, Hazel Allen of Great Falls, Beverly Billings of Great Falls and sisterin-law, Ruth Lacox of Billings; and numerous nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, John and Bessie Lacox, brothers, Dean Lacox and Aaron Lacox and sister, Floy Lacox Cannon. Celebration of her Life services will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday, July 27, in the Harlem High School Gymnasium with Pastor Cheryl Hoops officiating. Luncheon will be served at the Harlem American Lutheran Church immediately following interment at the Harlem Cemetery.

Visitation will be at 7 p.m. Wednesday, July 26, in the Edwards Funeral Home Chapel in Chinook. Memorials may be sent to Gift of Life Housing in Great Falls, Hogeland American Lutheran Church, or the charity of one's Lillian E. Johnson LIVINGSTON Lillian E. Johnson, 92, of Livingston, died Wednesday, July 19, 2006.

Cremation will take place. A memorial service will be held later. Cremation or Funeral Gallery in Belgrade is in charge. Dahl Family Funeral Cremation Service Since 1939 Billings 10 Yellowstone Avenue (406) 248-8807 COURTNEY- Kenneth "Kenny" 58, of Billings. Memorial service, 1:30 p.m.

July 30, at the home of Vera Courtney Luraas, 2302 2nd Ave. S.W., Great Falls. 30 Bozeman 300 Highland Blvd. (406) 586-5298 Red Lodge 708 South McGillen (406) 446-1800 Hardin 524 N. Cheyenne (406) 665-9014 Cremation vint OR Funeral Gallery A Full Service Mortuary Eliminating Extreme Expense Jerry Nordquist Sharon Brown 29 8" St.

Billings 254-2414 388-2800 WARRINGTON Julia, of Laurel Funeral arrangements are pending 24 SWANSON Neil, Memorial 1pm Tuesday at St. Luke's Episcopal 25 Eunice, Inumment 10am Thursday Memorial 26 HARDING Dr. Dale, Memorial Mon-St. Be EGGUM Artelle, 93, Memorial Pending-Atonement Lutheran Church24 JOHNSON James, Harlowton Cremation. Memorial to be held later 24 WYER Patricia, 73, of Belgrade Memorial to be announced.24 Cal 7 1806 William Clark's signature is seen at Pompeys Pillar.

Clark signatures across area prevelant but in doubt Story By TOM HOWARD Photos By LARRY MAYER Of The Gazette Staff A graffiti-scarred patch of sandstone on the Rimrocks bears an inscription similar to Capt. William Clark's famous signature at Pompeys Pillar National Monument. Is it an artifact from the Lewis and Clark expedition? A Billings woman believes so. Doubters say it's a hoax concocted by somebody with a sense of humor and a passing knowledge of Montana history. Whatever the truth, the city of Billings, which owns the property where the inscription is located, has made an effort to protect it from weather and vandalism while attempts are made to determine its authenticity.

As at Pompeys Pillar, the inscription is carved in a looping cursive script with Clark's first name abbreviated "Wm." The date attached to the Billings inscription is July 24, 1806. The date would mean that Clark landed near the site of Billings, hiked nearly two miles to the top of the Rims, carved his signature, hiked back and traveled to Pompeys Pillar the next day. Gene Blackwell, the city's interim director of parks and recreation, said he agreed to protect the rock inscription after a Billings woman, Wanda Larson, brought its existence to the city's attention about a year ago. A padlocked concrete steel cover is in place, and Blackwell said he issued a key to Larson, who said she has sent photographs to experts. "I just told her if she could find a credible expert with an interest in taking a closer look to go ahead," Blackwell said.

Blackwell said he has contacted a number of experts, but so far nobody is willing to invest a lot of time looking into it. Larson believes the inscription could be authentic. She said she has been in touch with a scientific expert, whom she declined to name, who has mentioned a variety of scientific methods to verify its age. After an initial inspection of the photograph, the expert said he couldn't rule out its authenticity based on what he had seen, she said. The carving is located in a frequently traveled area of Swords Park where generations of Montanans have carved messages into the soft sandstone.

Inscriptions such as "Brandi," A William Clark signature in an area of other graffiti is visible on the Rimrocks overlooking Billings. The site is near Kelly's Grave on Black Otter Trail and has been protected with a concrete cover. No one is certain if the signature is authentic or a copy of the one "NAHUNZEO" and "I LOVE JESUS" are carved into the rock within 20 feet of the markings that say Clark. The rock surrounding the inscription is also scarred with deep, straight cuts, as if someone had attempted to remove it with a power saw. Gary Smith, state archaeologist for the Bureau of Land Management, said he is skeptical of the Billings inscription.

"It has the appearance of resembling other Clark signatures, but it was carved on a very flat surface up there, one that would erode quickly," Smith said. "Given its position on that rock, I doubt that it's authentic." Smith noted that Clark's signature at Pompeys Pillar, located on a sheltered, vertical surface, was deepened twice, in 1880 and again in 1926, because it had faded from weathering. A name carved on a horizontal surface of sandstone would have little chance of surviving for 200 years, he said. Because the area atop the Rims is so heavily used, Smith believes it's more likely that somebody familiar with Clark's journey down the Yellowstone carved the name and date. The Lewis and Clark journals contain about a dozen instances in which Clark mentions leaving his signature or other marks along the trail.

Earlier in the expedition, Clark wrote that he carved on a tree near Fort Clatsop: "William Clark December 3rd 1805. By land from the U.States in 1804 1805." That inscription didn't survive. Clark's journal entry for July 24, 1806, when his party was on the river in the area that would become Billings, describes river conditions and mentions sight- "These things crop up periodically." Dick Kodeski manager, Pompeys Pillar National Monument Hogeland ing a lodge left by American Indians. He also describes how he "killd the fatest Buck I ever saw, Shields killed a deer and my man York killed a Buffalow Bull, as he informed me for his tongue and marrow bones." Smith believes it's unlikely that the meticulous Clark would have engaged in a time-consuming task like carving his name without mentioning it in the journal. When Clark's party visited Pompeys Pillar the following day, he wrote extensively about the area and mentioned his inscription.

Peyton "Bud" Clark, a greatgrandson of William Clark, examined a great photo of the Billings inscription Thursday at Pompeys Pillar, shortly after he arrived with a troupe of Lewis and Clark reenactors. He called the inscription interesting and wondered how one could accurately measure the age of such a carving. Dick Kodeski, manager of Pompeys Pillar National Monument, said two women brought a photo of the Billings inscription to him about 10 years ago. He doubted its authenticity then, and he hasn't changed his mind. "These things crop up periodically," Kodeski said.

In fact, a copy of the Clark signature appears elsewhere on Pompeys Pillar, he said, and was carved in the 1950s for the filming of a movie. Panel to consider closing rivers MISSOULA (AP) State fish and wildlife commissioners are being advised to close stretches of the Clark Fork and Blackfoot rivers for five years, because of safety concerns related to the Milltown Dam project. The Protection U.S. Environmental Agency ing a $100 million project to remove the dam, remove some of the toxic mud behind it and undertake environmental restoration. The dam is near the confluence of the Clark Fork and Blackfoot rivers.

The Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks staff has recommended commissioners close 3.5 miles of the Clark Fork and 1.5 miles of the Blackfoot, beginning this September when work on bridges upstream from the dam may start. Closures are necessary for "The bottom line is this closure will be for all waterrelated activities. It will limit all access." Pat Saffel Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks public safety because of work by crews, because water levels may change rapidly and because river debris may be exposed, said Pat Saffel, regional fisheries manager for Fish, Wildlife and Parks. Saffel said that "for waterrelated recreation activities, we don't want anyone in these sections during the construction process." "The bottom line is this closure will be for all water-related activities. It will limit all access." Commissioners will take up the proposal on Aug.

3, when they meet in Missoula. The Clark Fork closure would extend from about half a mile below the dam to about three miles above it. The Blackfoot closure would run about 1.5 miles upstream from the rivers' confluence. Permanent drawdown of Milltown Reservoir began in June. Eventually the reservoir will be drained so workers can start excavating millions of cubic yards of mud contaminated by mine and smelter waste that washed downstream during a 100-year span.

The dam will be removed after the mud work..