E. Berniece Hossler

E. Berniece Hossler E. Berniece Hossler, 78, a respected member of the Livingston community, died Feb. 11, 2008 in Livingston, Mont. She leaves behind her two children, Roland E. Horst and his wife Ann Bukacek, M.D. of Kalispell, Mont.; Victoria H. Jensen and her husband Peter E. Jensen, M.D. of Boise, Idaho; five grandchildren, Rebecca Horst; Naomi Lange and her husband Cliff Lange; Louis Poppler; Sunny Sinclair Poppler; M. Maximillian Poppler; and step-grandchildren, Anne May Macy-Horst and Brenda Hedrick and her husband Boris Boir as well as her older two sisters, Grace Lemon and Gladys Smithand and her special friend Dr. Robert Kahle. She was born on Feb. 28, 1929 in Livingston, Mont. to Thomas and Ethel Speith Hossler. Berniece graduated in 1948 from Park County high school and from Butte Business College in '49. She worked for the Northern Pacific Railroad in the accounting office. In 1950 she was crowned Livingston Roundup Rodeo Queen. Berniece was a member of VFW and the American Legion. On Sept. 16, 1950 she married Albert G Horst, a pharmacist at Trower Drug, and together they raised three children. Although the marriage later ended in divorce, a lasting friendship redeveloped in Al's final years. In Billings she taught knitting at Sears as well as the YWCA and enjoyed designing and creating sweaters and afghans throughout her life. Her father taught her to hunt which she pursued until 1971. Berniece loved to fish the rivers and streams of Montana and caught her last rainbow trout, with her grandson Max and daughter Vickie, in the Yellowstone this summer after spending the day swimming at Chico Hot Springs. She loved walking and hiking in the mountains or taking a trips through Yellowstone Park hoping to see a grizzly or brown bear. One of her greatest joys was watching her grandchildren grow up. She was so very proud of each one of them. Berniece leaves behind many friends from each of the communities she lived, Livingston; Lewistown; Roundup; Billings; Wilsall, Mont.; Boise, Idaho; Sun City, Ariz.; and Las Vegas, Nev. Her beauty and spirit lives on in all who knew her as a noble example of trusting in God, remaining positive in spite of hardship, being kind and pleasant, and thinking of others. She was truly a great lady with a Montana spirit to the end. She was preceded in death by her son, Dean Horst in 1974. Cremation has taken place and a memorial service will be held 2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 16, 2008 at Redeemer Lutheran Church in Livingston. In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to Livingston Hospice (Livingston Hospicie c/o Livingston Memorial Hospital, 504 South 13th Street, Livingston, MT 59047) for a special project created in Berniece's name. Arrangements by Stenberg Funeral Home.