Pub. 2 2023 Issue 1

Darlene Fay Flesche, 77, of Malta passed away peacefully on Monday, Jan. 2, 2023, at her son’s home in Hamilton, Montana.

Awards will be presented at the Convention & Trade Show in Miles City. 1963 — 60 yearsJered Scherer 1973 — 50 yearsTerry Bullis 1978 — 45 yearsDick BrownGreg Kirkwood 1993 — 30 yearsDenis PitmanDan Whitted 1998 — 25 yearsJennifer KinsellaKeith Kneeland 2003 — 20 yearsBrian BellJulie BriggsShawnee KrauszerJohn RaeFred Thompson 2008 — 15 yearsMatthew O’Brien

Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen and a coalition of 21 state attorneys general called on President Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken to designate Mexican drug cartels as Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTOs) under federal law. The FTO designation will make additional federal resources available to confront the fentanyl crisis head-on and save American lives.

Jessie Billquist was born and raised in Anaconda, MT. Upon graduating from high school, she attended Montana Tech and earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Occupational Safety and Health. She then attended the University of Montana and earned a Master’s in Physical Therapy.

Monica Silvernale-Miller Monica Silvernale-Miller, age 96, of Glendive, Montana, passed away on Sunday, Nov. 20, 2022, at the Glendive Medical Center. The family received friends Friday, Nov. 25, 2022, at the chapel of Silha Funeral Home, followed by a Graveside Funeral Service in Dawson County Cemetery. Silha Funeral Home of Glendive was entrusted with the

Sightlife is the world’s leading eye bank and a global nonprofit organization dedicated to eliminating corneal blindness. For over 50 years, they have been preventing blindness, restoring sight, and transforming health systems to address the inequities that contribute to and perpetuate corneal blindness globally, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.

2023 MFDA Convention & Trade Show June 11–13, 2023 Miles City Event Center Award CeremonyService of RemembranceCE ClassesVendors on ExhibitGolf Tournament Click the link below to register.https://montanafda.org/new-page-1

The Foundation offers dozens of academic scholarships to full-time or part-time students who are enrolled in ABFSE- or Canadian-accredited institutions/programs.

NFDA Scholarship Submission CycleFebruary 15–April 1Click the title link to submit Applications accepted through April 1, 2023. MFDA Board Meeting April 6Virtual NFDA-Advocacy SummitApril 19–21Washington, D.C. District MeetingsMay 1 – Miles CityMay 2 – BillingsMay 3 – Great FallsMay 4 – ButteMay 11 – Missoula, Springhill SuitesSpeaker: Sgt. Jay Nelson, Active Shooter Training MFDA Convention & Trade

The 2023 MFDA Mid-Winter Conference was held February 8–9 in Helena at the Best Western Great Northern Hotel.

TJ Stevenson PresidentStevenson & Sons Funeral Home, Miles Citytj@stevensonandsons.comCell: (406) 853-1860Office: (406) 232-4457 Tyson Moore Vice PresidentGarden City Funeral Home, Missoulatyson@agelessinc.comCell: (505) 985-2712 Steve Kirkegard TreasurerCloyd Funeral Home & Cremation Service Lewistownskirkegard@yahoo.comCell: (406) 868-5437Office: (406) 538-8711 Brianne Mulvaney SecretaryAxelson Funeral & Cremation Services, Buttebri@axelsonfuneralhome.comOffice: (406) 494-4264 Chris Holt Immediate Past PresidentAnderson Stevenson Wilke Funeral Home,

Each year, MFDA works hard to make a positive impact on the laws and regulations that directly affect funeral service professionals in our state. This year is no exception, and we have two priority bills.

Now that the calendar has rolled over into another new year, I am reflecting on the importance of focusing on what members of MFDA do for a living and what the funeral profession does for Montana’s local communities. This is because, as the author E. Stanley Jones stated, “Whatever gets your attention . . . gets you.”

It is hard to believe that we are well into the new year already. With our fall district meetings in both Great Falls and Missoula getting canceled, I look forward to seeing everyone at the spring district meetings in May.