Obituaries

Life was a beautiful ride for Robert “Bob” Devero Keller. He passed away Sept. 24, 2022, in Lewistown with his family by his side. Bob was born to William Whitford Keller and Dorothy Devero Keller March 6, 1941, in Saint Louis, Mo. He joined an older twin brother, Bill, and older sister, Susan. Bob was very young when the family moved to Webster Grove, Mo., where he attended grade, middle, and two years of Webster Grove High School. His father was transferred to John Manville facility at Waukegan, Ill., in 1956. The family moved to Libertyville, Ill., where he graduated from Libertyville High School in 1959.

Shirley May Degele, 83, of Lewistown passed away September 19, 2022. She was born May 20, 1939, in Worden, Montana to Edwin Klein & Mildred Rackeliff Klein. She married Paul Degele, August 2, 1954 in Columbus, Montana. Shirley left school early. She returned to finish her education in 1966 and graduated from Judith Gap High School in 1968. Shirley worked in the Judith Gap Post Office for two years. She also baked pies and cinnamon rolls for Noonan’s Café in Judith Gap. Shirley was a member of the Moose Club and enjoyed playing pinochle, cribbage, and bingo, rock painting, crafting, bowling and all kinds of flowers. Shirley is survived by her children, Rose (George) Huston of Mesquite, NV and Paul (Joan) Degele, Jr. of Great Falls, MT; grandchildren, Paul (Heather) Epperle and Ben Epperle; great-grandchildren, Josh and Jared Epperle, Gavin and Kayden Epperle, Isabelle and Evelyn Epperle; siblings, Dee Williamson, Virginia Olson, Rex Klein and additional step-siblings. She is preceded in death by her husband, Paul Degele, Sr.; son, Gene Degele; her parents; and brother, Buster Klein.

Joanne (Wyman) Songer, 85, of Lewistown joined her husband Jack in heaven on Sept. 20, 2022, while staying with her youngest daughter and son-in-law in Billings. Jack and Joanne are now waltzing across heaven’s floor, and watching them dance was a picture of graceful love. Joanne was born Dec. 23, 1936, in Billings to Margaret (Harms) and Harry Wyman. She grew up attending schools in Billings, Lavina, Shawmut, Cohagen, graduating from Townsend High School in 1954. She attended Eastern Montana College for journalism. In 1956 she met and married the love of her life, Jack L. Songer, and were united in marriage on Nov. 11, 1956, at the Antelope Ranch in Hobson; they were married for 57 years. From their union they were blessed with children: Gwen, Kim, Larry, Linda, and Loretta. After having five children in seven years, Joanne went back to college and received a teaching certificate. She taught first through eighth grade in the one-room school houses of Beckett and Glengarry. She was in banking for 20+ years, working at First National and Norwest/Wells Fargo in Lewistown. In addition, Joanne was an officer with the Lewistown Toastmasters and a Home Interior consultant. As if that wasn’t enough for our “Big Momma,” Joanne was Deputized by Sheriff George Stephens in 1963, and served as an overnight matron for Fergus County. After retirement, Jack and Joanne loved to travel, snow-birding in Arizona for several years.