George H. Dolezal

HAVRE - George H. Dolezal, 94, a veteran of the Marine Corps and a Pearl Harbor survivor, died of natural causes Sunday, Nov. 20, at his home in Havre.

His funeral is 2 p.m. Tuesday at Holland & Bonine Funeral Home, followed by burial with military honors in Highland Cemetery, and then fellowship at St. Jude Parish Center.

George was born Oct. 9, 1917, on the family homestead farm 15½ miles north of Hingham, to Jerry and Grace (Lehmann) Dolezal. He attended Mariner Elementary School north of Hingham.

He entered the Marine Corps when he was 21 years of age in September 1940. He served in the artillery, then the 2nd Engineers. His tour of duty included Pearl Harbor, the South Pacific, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Guadal-canal and Guam. On Dec. 7, 1941, George was one of the few active-duty servicemen to be armed and readily active in providing anti-aircraft artillery during the bombing of Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. His niece Penny Velk has re-corded George's oral history of these events.

He was honorably discharged in spring 1946 as a sergeant. Returning to Montana after World War II, he attended Northern Montana College, majoring in welding and carpentry. In 1951, he worked for Ross and Powers on the welding crew, building natural gas lines from north of Chester to Havre. He worked for Montana Dakota Utilities as service crew foreman from 1953 - 1954. In the late 1950s, he worked as a welder for Clyde Sutter, building grain elevators at Gilford and Kremlin.

He married Betty Montgomery of Havre in 1952, and they had one son, Jerry. The couple purchased and operated the Lariat Bar at Kremlin in 1954. Later in the 1950s, George joined his two younger brothers in operating the Dolezal Brothers Ranch in the Sweetgrass Hills east of Whitlash until 1978, when he retired to his current home in Havre. George was once quoted as saying that the Sweet Grass Hills had priceless scenery. It was like you walked into heaven.

George enjoyed playing games, cards (especially Solitaire), attending teatime at 4Bs, taking long walks and telling stories, and was known for his funny one-liners.

He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Betty; his son, Jerry; and his daughter-in-law Debbie.

George is survived by his granddaughter, Stacey Dolezal; great-granddaughter Harper Dolezal of Havre; sister Frances Ordway of Chinook; brothers Robert Dolezal of Chinook, and Valerian "Jack" Dolezal of Chester; 14 nieces and nephews; and numerous great-nieces and great-nephews.

Memorials in George's honor may be made to Disabled Veterans of America.

Condolences may be posted online at hollandbonine.com and/or gftribune.com/obituaries.