Montana Obituaries
The Helena Independent - Wednesday, December 13, 1933FRANK E. SMELSER STRICKEN BY DEATH
Frank E. Smelser, 62 of Deer Lodge died yesterday at St. James hospital in Butte, according to word received here by his brothers, W. W. Smelser, 1511 Lyndale avenue, and Arthur, a rancher on Clark's creek near Helena.
The funeral will be held Thursday afternoon at Deer Lodge.
Mr. Smelser was born in Nebraska. He came to Montana when 15 years of age. At one time he worked at the concentrator in Corbin. Later he ranched at Avon. Prior to establishing a hotel at Avon, which he operated for a number of years, he was engaged in contracting ties for the railroad. He had resided in Deer Lodge for the past 20 years.
Besides his brothers he is survived by his widow, Callie Smelser of Deer Lodge; two daughters, Mrs. Genevieve O'Connell and Alta Smelser, both residents of Deer Lodge, and a sister, Mrs. Addie Hanford of Los Angeles, Calif.
The Billings Gazette - Monday, October 9, 2000
Leland Smelser
GLASGOW – Leland Smelser, 69 of Glasgow, passed away Saturday, Oct. 7, 2000, at Frances Mahon Deaconess Hospital in Glasgow, from cancer.
Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 11, at Faith Lutheran Church in Glasgow, with Rev. George Draper officiating. Burial will be in Highland Cemetery in Glasgow. Bell Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.
Leland was born Nov. 7, 1930 in Sioux City, Iowa to parents Rex Leland Smelser and Apolonia Seefeldt Smelser.
Leland was raised and lived in Sioux City and later Bremerton, Wash. before moving to Miles City where he graduated from High School. He went to work with his dad, at the Pacific Hide and Fur Company in Sidney. Leland married Lucile Entzel on Aug. 3, 1952 in Sidney. They moved to Great Falls where he worked for Pacific Hide and Fur in Great Falls from 1954 to 1959. In 1959, they moved to Glasgow where Leland managed the Pacific Hide and Fur Company until he retired in 1986. He was a member and Past President of the Faith Lutheran Church and Board of Elders, served as Chairman of the Republican Central Committee, on the Valley View Nursing Home Board of Directors for nine years, six years as Chairman, and on the Pacific Hide and Fur Board of Directors for 18 years. He was also a charter member and past president of the Glasgow Wranglers Kiwanis Club and received Boss of the Year from the Glasgow Chamber 1978. Leland was very proud to be a Recovered Alcoholic for over 40 years.
Survivors include, his wife, Lucile Smelser of Glasgow; son, Paul Smelser and wife Joann of Glendive; daughters, Tamara Larson and husband Michael and Theresa Smelser McDaid all of Billings; six grandchildren, Megan Smelser, Nathan Smelser, Vanessa Larson, Christopher Larson, Brittany Larson, Morgan McDaid. Sisters, Beverly Becker of Polson, Frankie Morrison of Laurel and Anna Mindt and husband Delton of Polson; brothers, Jim Smelser and wife Shirley of Polson, William Smelser and wife Sharon of Sidney.
