Bernadine Catherine Dostal

Mary Catherine Bernadine Dostal was born on February 27,1931 in St. Clare Hospital, Fort Benton, Montana, to Cornelius and Mary (Dickman) Bogner and baptized into the Catholic Church at Immaculate Conception Church in Fort Benton shortly thereafter.
She grew up in the Elim District 18 1/2 miles East of Fort Benton on the family farm, just down the road from the Elim schoolhouse where she went to school until 8th grade. Bernadine joined her sister, Therese, in Great Falls for her first two years of high school at the Ursuline Academy while living at St. Thomas Orphanage then returned to Fort Benton High School and graduated in 1949.
Upon graduation, she attended the College of Great Falls (now Providence University) where she received her Elementary Teaching Degree. She went on to teach in the Walla Walla, Washington elementary schools for two years.
The Catholic Extension Magazine had a pen pal program for soldiers. Bernadine, as many young women at that time, decided to send a letter. This started a writing campaign where she was introduced to a young man from Buehl, Idaho (well, actually Coffee Creek, Montana).
Bernadine married her pen pal, Stanley J. Dostal on June 3, 1954 at Immaculate Conception Church in Fort Benton. They settled on the Frank Taborek farm on Square Butte Bench, East of Geraldine, where they farmed,, and raised their family. In 1988, they retired and sold the farm/ranch moving to Geraldine. They lived there until Stanley's passing in 1999. In 2001, Bernadine moved to Fort Benton to live with her daughter, Cecilia, where she enjoyed her large yard and many flowers.
In 2009, she decided it was time to retire, so she moved to Sunrise Bluff Estates, the original site of the home her father built many years before. She enjoyed living at the Bluffs and was a member of the Resident's Council, played pinochle, bingo and attended Mass. She made many friends there until her health declined and she had to make the move in the fall of 2019 to the Missouri River Medical Center where she resided until her death.
Bernadine kept very busy working alongside Stanley on the farm and raising their 12 children. She was a member of Tuesday Club, Altar Society, 4-H Club Leader, Religious Education Teacher, PTA Member, School Board Member, Senior Center Board Member, Area Agency on Aging Representative, as well as an active member of Marriage Encounter, her church and community.
She loved to play dominos, scrabble, pinochle, the daily crossword and read her daily Gospel and reflection. Bernadine and Stanley dedicated their married life to Mary and praying the Rosary every night and she continued to pray the Rosary until a few days before her death.
Bernadine is survived by her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren:
Theresa Rodriguez of St. Louis, MO; Kristen (Roberto) Ibarra-Castro, Carlos, Jose, Cristian, Izabel; Thomas Johnson, Tiffany (Luis) Valdez, Alydia, Eva;
Michael Dostal of Fort Benton; John (Weng) Dostal, Cody; Heather (Jesse) Enriquez, MacKenzie Bolender, Jazmynn & Hadleigh Enriquez; Dustin Dickey, Kayden and Destiney Butler.
Kathryn (Tony) Poelman of Helena; Monica (Christopher) of Anchorage, AK, James, Alma, Anna Maria, Gregory, Thomas; John Paul (Ali) Poelman of Helena; Benedict, Steven; Jane Poelman, Mary (Matt) Simes, Walter, Eleana; Sr. Maria Jerome, OP, of Phoenix, AZ, Angela (Ted) Farrington of Philmoth, OR, David Poelman of Helena, Anton Poelman of Havre
Helen Tobiason of Kalispell; Cassandra Hansen of Columbia Falls, Christopher (Virginia) Tobiason of Missoula, MT, Matthew, Shay, Charlotte; Dennis Mason Tobiason of Livingston, Kesse; Alexandria (Scott) Warren of Anchorage, AK, Claire (Connor) Murray, Michael, James; Joseph (Elizabeth) Warren, Owen, Avery; Kelley (Michael) Walden, Nathen, David; Catherine LaCourreye Warren; Jennifer Tobiason DVM of Anchorage, AK, Bartholomew (Fresa) Tobiason of Kalispell, Bartholomew II, Lilian, Sebastian; Veronica (Joshua) Roberts of Kalispell, Kaden, Payton
Cecilia Dostal of Fort Benton,
Stanley (Ginger) Dostal of Stanford; Gwen of Billings, Levi (Keeley) Dostal of Laurel, Lyam, Alaina, Huxley
Janet Dostal of Seattle, WA
Christine Dostal of Wickenburg, AZ
Mary Jo Dostal of Seattle, WA,
Anita Dostal of Fayetteville, NC,
William (Kathy) Dostal of Billings, Garrett, Olivia, Jace
Brian (Sarah) Dostal of Battle Ground, WA, Eve, Isaiah, Samuel, Soloman, Rebekah
Brothers, Paul (Frances) Bogner of Berwyn, AB and Don (Josie) Bogner of Rocky Mountain House, AB Canada, Michael (Rita) Bogner of Great Falls and Sister, MaryAnne Kostelnick of Great Falls
She is preceded in death by her husband of 45 years, Stanley, her parents, Cornelius and Mary Bogner, brothers, Vincent and Cornelius, and sisters, Cecilia and Therese, son-in-law Dennis Tobiason, her father and mother-in-law, Frank and Mary Dostal, and all her brothers- and sisters-in law.