GREAT FALLS TRIBUNE Saturday, January 14,
2006
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Sterling Wolery
JOPLIN - Sterling E. Wolery, 64, a lifelong
north Joplin area farmer, died of brain cancer Wednesday at Peace Hospice in Great Falls.
His funeral is 3 p.m. Sunday at Joplin Community Hall, with burial in Joplin Cemetery.
Rockman Funeral Chapel of Chester is in charge of arrangements.
The family requests that those attending the funeral dress in casual
attire.
Survivors include his wife of 42 years, Betty Ann (Burgess) Wolery of Joplin; daughters Jill (Greg) Miller of Billings,
Jane Wolery (Darren) Beadle of Choteau and Julie
(Nick) Erickson of Joplin; brothers Leroy Wolery of Gildford and Merlin Wolery of
Rudyard; a sister, Coleen Vestal of Aurora, Colo.; five grandchildren, Jessika and Christian Reinker,
Sydney Miller and Delaynie and Bellamy Beadle; five
nephews, two nieces, two dozen first cousins and three uncles and aunts.
Sterling Wolery, 64, left this earth for his
eternal home on Jan. 11, 2006, after a 23-month battle with glioblastoma
multiforme brain cancer.
Despite the severity of his diagnosis, he approached it fighting - with
the same analytical, problem solving skills he used throughout his life. Along
with the help of his family, he sought the latest, most advanced treatment
known for this type of cancer. His journey took him to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., a
national brain tumor conference in Florida,
and the Cedar-Sinai Medical Center
in Los Angeles, Calif. He ended his journey at Peace Hospice
in Great Falls, Mont., surrounded by his family.
Sterling Ernest Wolery was born Nov. 9, 1941,
in Havre, Mont., the second son of three boys born to Olyn
and Bernece (Shipman) Wolery.
He was named after his father's boyhood friend, another man of
"sterling" quality, Sterling Wardell. Three excited brothers and surprised parents later
welcomed a girl to the family.
Sterling
recalled an idyllic childhood spent on horse back. He was given room to roam,
which led to several boyhood adventures. One such adventure that he never
forgot was with his father and brother. They were caught several miles from
home in a sudden snow storm. The boys were freezing and several attempts to
move the wagon failed. Sterling's father eventually put the young boys on a
horse and turned it loose to find the way home, as he walked the remaining
miles alone in the blizzard. Other adventures were not as scary and typically
involved his many cousins. Throughout his life, he continued a love for horses
and his cousins and relatives.
When not on an adventure, Sterling
attended Grassy Butte School
near his country home. He later entered high school in Rudyard where he
graduated in 1960. With the exception of this past year, Sterling attended a class reunion every five
years. He was a committed friend.
After graduation, Sterling attended meat
cutting school in Toledo, Ohio. He returned to open a meat cutting
business on his parent's farm. Eventually it became so successful that it had
to be closed to make time for farming.
On Nov. 2, 1963, he married Betty Ann Burgess at the old Methodist Church
in Chester, Mont. After their marriage, they briefly
lived in Havre and Joplin,
as Betty taught school in those locations. Soon his home and farm called him
back. Their first daughter, Jill Ann was born shortly thereafter. Three more
daughters, Jane Amber, Jolene Alicia (who died as an infant in 1976) and Julie
Allyson joined the family. With the help of his good friend, Jesse Pimley, Sterling
built a home, across the road from his parents, to accommodate his growing
family. Sterling
lived 60 years of his earthly life on the place he loved.
Sterling's
vocation was farming and ranching, but his avocation was designing and
building. Among his original creations were drill markers, cycle gates, loader
tractors (beginning with a simple "bale hand," then a bi-directional
loader/tractor, known as the "Earthworm," and a larger loader tractor
called "Big Bert"), self-propelled augers and an unusual
merry-go-round for the Joplin
Park. He could build just
about anything and enjoyed working with both wood and metal. His creations were
featured in several farm publications over the years. His shop was his favorite
place to be.
Though he loved the farm, he also enjoyed traveling to new places. His
daughters fondly recall several vacations exploring such places as Canada, the western U.S.,
Disneyland and the Grand Canyon. On these
trips, he often invited his children's friends as guests.
He was known as an unselfish neighbor and friend, willing to lend a hand
to anyone for any reason. He and his wife opened their home and hearts to many
"extras" - mostly young men who worked for and learned from Sterling.
Sterling
was held in high regard by many because he was a decent, honest man.
Sterling
served on the J-I school board for nine years and was a 4-H leader. He also
supported the local country church, Immanuel Lutheran. He and his wife enjoyed
hosting a Christmas service on behalf of the church, which featured a live
nativity and was attended by neighbors far and wide. Most recently he has
attended the Chester
Assembly church.
In the face of brain cancer, Sterling
left a lasting gift for his children and grandchildren by recording stories
from his life. He was able to attend the Wolery
Family Reunion this past summer where he
enjoyed the recollection and recording of more stories with his uncles and
aunt.
He was preceded in death by his daughter, Jolene; and his parents, Bernece in 2001 and Olyn in 2002.
Memorials are suggested to the Clergy Recovery Network (P.O. Box 313, Joplin,
MT 59531)
in honor of his dearly devoted friend, cousin and spiritual guide, Dale Wolery.
His illness afforded him an opportunity to
reflect on his life here and ever after. He was able to appreciate the richness
of this world and to show his deep love for his friends and family. Even as his
health deteriorated, he strengthened many relationships - most importantly with
his girls, his wife and with God.
-End-
...................
HAVRE DAILY NEWS Tuesday, January 17, 2006
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STERLING ERNEST WOLERY
|
STERLING ERNEST
WOLERY
|
Sterling Wolery, 64,
died Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2006, at the Peace Hospice in Great Falls after a 23-month battle with glioblastoma multiforme brain
cancer.
A funeral service was held Sunday at 3 p.m.at the Joplin Community Hall. The Rev. Dale Wolery officiated. A memorial luncheon followed at the
hall.
Ernest Wolery was born on Nov. 9, 1941,
in Havre, the second of three sons born to Olyn and Bernece (Shipman) Wolery.
The three excited brothers and surprised parents later welcomed a girl to the
family.
Sterling
was named after his father's boyhood friend, another man of sterling quality,
Sterling Wardell.
Sterling recalled an idyllic childhood spent
on horseback. He was given room to roam, which lead to several boyhood
adventures. One such adventure that he never forgot was with his father and
brother. They were caught several miles from home in a sudden snowstorm. The
boys were freezing and several attempts to move the wagon failed. Sterling's
father eventually put the young boys on a horse and turned it loose to find the
way home, as he walked the remaining miles alone in the blizzard. Other
adventures were not as scary and typically involved his many cousins.
Throughout his life, he continued a love for horses and his cousins and
relatives.
Sterling
attended Grassy Butte School
near his country home. Later he entered high school in Rudyard, where he
graduated in 1960. With the exception of this past year, Sterling attended a class reunion every five
years. He was a committed friend.
After graduation, Sterling attended meat-cutting school in Toledo, Ohio.
He returned to open a meat-cutting business on his parent's farm. Eventually it
became so successful that it had to be closed to make time for farming.
On Nov. 2, 1963,
he married Betty Ann Burgess at the old Methodist
Church in Chester. After their marriage, they briefly
lived in Havre and Joplin,
as Betty taught school in those locations. Soon his home and farm called him
back. Their first daughter, Jill Ann, was born shortly thereafter. Three more
daughters, Jane Amber, Jolene Alicia (who died as an infant in 1976) and Julie
Allyson, joined the family. With the help of his good friend, Jesse Pimley, Sterling
built a home, across the road from his parents, to accommodate his growing
family. Sterling
lived 60 years on the place he loved.
Sterling's vocation was farming and ranching,
but his avocation was designing and building. Among his original creations were
drill markers, cycle gates, loader tractors, self-propelled augers and an
unusual merry-go-round for the Joplin
Park. He could build just
about anything and enjoyed working with both wood and metal. His creations were
featured in several farm publications over the years.
Sterling served on the J-I school board for
nine years and was a 4-H leader. He also supported the local country church,
Immanuel Lutheran. Sterling and Betty Ann enjoyed hosting a Christmas service
on behalf of the church, which featured a live Nativity and was attended by
neighbors far and wide. Most recently he has attended the Chester Assembly
Church.
In the face of
brain cancer, Sterling
left a lasting gift for his children and grandchildren by recording stories
from his life. He was able to attend the Wolery
Family Reunion this past summer, where he
enjoyed the recollection and recording of more stories with his uncles and
aunt.
In addition to his
wife and three daughters, he is survived by sons-in-law, Greg Miller (Jill) of
Billings, Darren Beadle (Jane) of Choteau, and Nick Erickson (Julie) of Joplin;
five grandchildren; two brothers, Leroy Wolery of Gildford and Merlin Wolery of
Rudyard; a sister, Coleen Vestal of Aurora, Colo.; five nephews; two nieces;
two dozen first cousins; and three uncles and aunts.
He was preceded in
death by a daughter, Jolene; his parents, Bernece in
2001 and Olyn in 2002; and a beloved aunt and uncle,
Mary and Royal Wolery.
Memorials are
suggested to the Clergy Recovery Network, P.O. Box 313, Joplin, MT 59531,
in honor of his dearly devoted friend, cousin and spiritual guide, Dale Wolery.
Arrangements were
by Rockman Funeral Chapel of Chester.
-End-