Remember When?

50 YEARS AGO • JULY 24, 1969

JOHN MUSTER WEDS MISSOULA GIRL

Sandra J. Scott became the bride of John Muster in a single ring ceremony in Missoula July 12.

The bride is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph G. Scott of Missoula. Mr. and Mrs. Ed Muster of Thompson Falls are the groom’s parents.

Attending the bride were Mrs. David R. Cloninger, matron of honor; Miss Melissa McGrath and Miss Shari Livingston, bridesmaids.

David R. Cloninger was best man. Mark Harbine, Gene Mogus, Mark Scott and Ronny Pearson were attendants.

The bride is a 1962 graduate of Missoula County High School and a 1966 graduate of the University of Montana. She was employed as a teacher in Los Gatos, Calif. From 1966 to 1968 and is presently a UM graduate student.

Muster is a graduate of Thompson Falls High School and Montana State University. He is engaged in the contracting business with his father.

Following a wedding trip to Lake Pend Oreille, Idaho. In the fall they will move to Thompson Falls.

Congratulations John and Sandra on your anniversary.

40 YEARS AGO • JULY 19, 1979

HS CHURCH HONORS VETERANS OF WWI

The Hot Springs Presbyterian Church chose July 1 to hold an extra event after church to honor the people who had gone to war from the valley.

Klonda Howser couldn’t remember whether it was the Red Cross or the Community Club that had started a flag during World War I. She said they had met at the VonSegen home, where there were several sewing machines placed in one big room. They had done a great deal of sewing for the Red Cross but she thought it was the ladies of the Community Club.

These ladies made a flag in the center of which was one gold star for Simon Hoye, brother of Marias and Ton Hoye, who had died in France. The other stars were for: Jack Colt, uncle of Gerald Sutton. He had homesteaded the Franklin Place; Rodney Holmberg, who had been a resident of Hot Springs and Lonepine; Harry Fredenberg, homesteaded close to Roy Bras; George Ippish, Philo and Earl Gregg, brothers of Ollie Gregg of Lonepine; Enoch Cluzen, still living, Jim Howser, who helped tell the story, living with his sister Klonda, in Hot Springs; Glenn Mountjoy, who had many relatives in Hot Springs and died in the Old Soldiers Home. Claude Dewey, homesteaded near Lonepine store; Roy McKenry, John McCoy, father of Alan McCoy and Shirley Kontos of Hot Springs, and a very good school master at Lonepine for many years; Dick Whitehead, 14, and Robert Whitehead, 17 – two brothers who swore they were 18 and enlisted in the Navy.

The flag after it had been made hung in the Little Community Hall on the 40 acres on which stood the Lone Pine tree which was moved when the Lonepine Hall was built.

Then the ladies decided it should be put in the Lonepine Church after that was built; but one minister objected to its being in the church. It eventually wound up in a box and when the Lonepine Church was moved to Hot Springs it was brought along.

Recently the Rev. Jerry Boles and a work crew were going through old things and came across this flag plus one of the Honor Rolls for World War II made up by Dorothy Von Segen in which 72 signatures had been placed. Rev. Boles felt that these should be brought to the attention of the parishioners, so a program was prepared.

During World War II the Little Bitterroot Grange, which now is the Nyah Grange, had two prolific letter writers – Vern Dondanville and Jim Howser. Each month they would put out a letter that was sent to all the servicemen from this vicinity. It showed the boys that they weren’t forgotten and what the home folks were doing.

The audience felt this was one of the best programs they had had in a long time. It is too bad that room prevents naming the 72 from the valley who fought WWII; but if interested the Rev. Jerry Boles will show you the honor rolls. They are in the family room of the Presbyterian Church, which is part of the old Lonepine Church.

When the Lonepine Community church was brought to Hot Springs, it was halved. Part of it was placed for a family room on the south side; and the remainder was put on the north side for recreation, study hall, choir room and ministers study.