Helen Lovfald

WEBSTER, Texas ? Helen Lovfald, 95, passed away Nov. 16, 2005, at the Regency Village Care Center, Webster, Texas. Helen was born in rural Carter County of eastern Kentucky to Mark and Alice (Shuff) Haley on June 26, 1910. In 1915, her parents and three children, Shirley (6), Helen (5), and 3-week old baby Clyde, came via a special homesteader's train to Miles City and settled on land about 10 miles north of Jordan on Frazer Creek in then western Dawson County. Infant brother Clyde died the following year during the beginning of the world-wide influenza epidemic. Helen graduated from Jordan High School in 1927 and attended Normal School at Miles City. Following receipt of her teaching certificate from Eastern Montana Normal School in Billings in 1928, she taught four years in one-room country schools along the Musselshell River in western Garfield County; first at the Ross School north of Mosby and later at the Anderson School in the Mecaha area. Helen was married to Anton Lovfald on May 17, 1932, in Malta. Anton, a native of Sande Sunnfjord, Norway, was a nephew of the Edward Anderson family, with whom she boarded while teaching. Following their marriage they ranched for six years in southern Phillips County along the Missouri River until displaced by construction of the Fort Peck dam and reservoir. In 1939, Anton, Helen, and 4-year old son Lorin moved to the Gallatin Valley where they ranched north of Belgrade for 30 years, building a quality herd of registered Angus cattle.

Upon their retirement in 1969, Anton and Helen moved to Bozeman where they lived until his passing in 1988. They enjoyed traveling the U.S. and visited all but the New England states and Alaska. In 1995, following a brief illness, Helen moved to the Village on the Park Retirement Home in Friendswood, Texas, near Houston and close to her son and family.

Her Christian faith was of prime importance to Helen, being active in the Dry Creek Baptist Church while on the ranch and later with the Christian Missionary Alliance Church in Belgrade. In her years in Bozeman, she worshiped at the Evangelical Free Church in addition to participating actively in home Bible study groups. She enjoyed harvesting her garden, visiting old friends and acquaintances, and spoke often of her extended family of aunts, uncles and cousins back in Kentucky. She especially looked forward to attending high school class reunions in Jordan, the last being in 1996, where she was one of five remaining from the original 15 in the Class of 1927. She often reminisced of the pioneering life while growing up in eastern Montana during the teens and early 1920s, the hard times, as well as participating in more adventurous events such as community cattle drives to the nearest shipping railheads at Ingomar and Sumatra.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Alice and Mark Haley in 1951 and 1970, respectively, her husband Anton in 1988, and her brother Shirley Haley in 1993. She is survived by her son Lorin and his wife Audrey of Seabrook, Texas; her grandsons, Michael, at sea with the US Navy, and Mark of League City, Texas; her granddaughter, Marcelle Ho and husband Tommy; great-grandson, Braeden Michael Ho, and great-granddaughter McHaley Lorann Ho, all of Houston. Surviving also are nephews Bill Haley and family of Miles City, Bruce Haley and family, and niece Helen Haley, all of Ashland, Mont.

Memorial services will be held at the Dokken Nelson Sunset Chapel in Bozeman on Monday Nov. 21, at 11 a.m. Visitation will be 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. Monday, Nov. 21. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests a memorial in Helen's honor to the Yellowstone Boys and Girls Ranch Foundation, P.O. Box 80807, Billings, MT 59108, or to a charity of the donor's choice.