Celebrating Helena-area engagements, weddings, anniversaries and birthdays
We’re excited to celebrate your achievements.
McCahons celebrate 50th
Well, we made it -- 50 years. We met at Carroll College, Helena sometime in 1968 and married Sept. 12, 1970, in Havre at St. Jude's Catholic Church.
Dennis had transferred to University of Montana, Missoula, where he earned his forestry and liberals arts bachelor's degrees.
Charlotte earned her BA from Carroll and MS in biochemistry from UM. Immediately after school, we had the fun job of manning a Forest Service fire tower at Big Creek Baldy, in far northwest Montana. That season was rainy so we spotted only one fire using the alidade.Â
Dennis is fourth generation (Helena) and Charlotte is third generation (Havre) Montanan. We reside in Helena where Dennis was a city-county planner for seven years. He then turned to freelance art work, writing and consulting. He's written and illustrated several books and booklets.
Not finding work in chemistry, Charlotte switched to the technical computer field including coding, systems analysis and wiring. Her last 25 years of work were spent at the Federal Reserve Bank Helena Branch. During her career, she traveled to several cities including Philadelphia, San Francisco and Atlanta. She spent two weeks in Italy and Paris, France, and visited New Orleans with family.
Together, Dennis and Charlotte drove to Branson, Missouri, and visited Mount Rushmore and Devil's Tower, Wyoming, along the way.
At home we each got to artistically paint fiber glass theme bears for city promotions, and we painted a 19' x 30' outdoor wall mural featuring architectural elements in downtown Helena.
Intentionally, we didn't have any children. There are about 10 reasons why we did not, particularly a belief in zero population growth. We do have rescue cats and dogs. Our common interests include intellectual curiosity, wonder at the natural world, antiques and art, gardening, and refurbishing an old house.
We live in an 1890s shingle style, granite based mini-mansion, but it is a fixer-upper. There is a large, planted yard with at least 50 species of trees and shrubs including a Kentucky coffee tree, a honey locust, a black walnut, a horse chestnut, a buckeye and two or three oaks. It finally dawned on us that this project will never be finished, but provides a challenge to try. We have a wonderful art collection which includes many bears, other animals and landscapes. We just bought what we liked without any formal curation.
So for the rest of our years, sharing humor, we'll keep on restoring and gardening.
No reception is planned.
Hoadleys celebrate 74th
Lew and Damaris were married Sept. 1, 1946, in Dillon.
They have lived in Lima since that time. Lew worked for the Union Pacific for 29 years on the maintenance of way crew. Damaris was the school lunch cook for 25 years. She served 100-150 students daily with little help.
After retiring they enjoyed building unique Montana birdhouses, reupholstering furniture, and they raised pigs and sheep at different times. They hauled firewood to help heat their home during colder months.
They have been valued members of the Lima community and still remain active today. Mom writes for the local paper and recently had a book of history of the area published.
Four children were born to this union, Mel, Lynette, Cherry and Kyle. They have 11 grandchildren and 35 great-grandchildren. No celebration is planned due to the pandemic.
Bjerkes celebrate 73rd
Orin and Helen Bjerke celebrated their 73rd wedding anniversary on June 11, 2020, with a wonderful private family dinner.
Orin Bjerke and Helen Underland were high school sweethearts at Hettinger, North Dakota. They were married on June 11, 1947, in Miles City.
Helen Underland Bjerke was born and raised on a farm 18 miles north of Hettinger. After they married they lived in Ralph, South Dakota, where Orin was born and raised. They farmed with his father Olaf Bjerke until 1960 when they moved to Helena.
When they arrived in Helena, Orin became a carpenter. He retired in 1990. Helen was a partner in the Hi-Tri Drive-In and Diner and a homemaker. She retired in 1993.
Their children and spouses include Maureen and Chris Byrd of Martin City; Ardine (Dean) and Susan Bjerke, Errol and Barbara Bjerke, Brett (deceased) and Laura Bjerke, all of Helena; Debbie Bjerke (deceased); Cindy Bjerke of Lake Forest, California; Allison and Greg Rash of Ridgecrest, California; and Tawnee and Joe Walker of Kirkland, Washington.
Their 27 grandchildren are O'Brien, Tiffany and Brenden Byrd; Andrea, Leslie, Jessica, Meaghan and Maureen Bjerke; Greg, Trevor, Christel, Justin, Amanda and Diana Bjerke; Seth, Terah, Victoria and Levi Rash; Amber, Holly, Debbie and Rebecca Bjerke; Tre, Brett, Kayrene, Dante and Herja (deceased) Walker. They also now have 24 great-grandchildren.
Helen and Orin have worked side by side all their lives. Helen still does their income taxes as Orin watches on to make sure she does it right... lol! They enjoy their family and grandchildren. They still live in the same home they built themselves in 1975 at 900 Flowerree St. in Helena.
Wow, 73 years! What an amazing adventure. Thanks for being such incredible parents. We love you beyond words and are so blessed to be your children. May God continue to bless your marriage.
