Fern Amber Whittle

Fern Amber Whittle, 91, died Wednesday, July 17, 2013, at the Frances Mahon Deaconess Hospital in Glasgow, Mont.

A vigil service was held Sunday, July 21, at 7 p.m. at the Bell Chapel in Glasgow.

Family graveside services were held Monday, July 22, at 10 a.m. at the Highland Cemetery in Glasgow. Interment was in the Highland Cemetery in Glasgow.

Funeral services will be held at a later date.

She was born on April 11, 1922, in Opheim, Mont., the daughter of Martin and Thea (Blikken) Risa. She attended schools in Opheim and graduated from Opheim High School in 1940. After attending Lutheran Bible Institute in 1940 and 1941, she returned to Opheim and worked at the Farmers Union Store until 1945.

On Dec. 16, 1945, she married Leroy Whittle in the Lutheran Church in Opheim. They lived in Fort Peck until 1946 when they moved to Glasgow.

After raising five children, she worked at Valley View Nursing Home. Later she volunteered in the hair salon and also in the gift shop at the hospital. As a member of the Lutheran Church, she helped with Luther League, Bible study groups, Bible School, Sunday School and the Women’s Circle. She also helped with the quilting groups.

She was preceded in death by her husband of 59 years, Leroy Whittle, on Jan. 30, 2004; three brothers, Martin, Albin, and Paul; and two sisters, Nellie and Helen.

Survivors include her children, John and Donna (Molvig) Whittle of Glasgow, Lois and Jim Davidson of Denver, Colo., Phil and Arlene (Allard) Whittle of Glasgow, Colleen Whittle Murray of Cheyenne, and David and Bev (Virts) Whittle of Powell, Wyo .; eight grandchildren, Adam Whittle of Glasgow, Amy Whittle of Billings, Meghan and Sean Rubidge of Gillette, Wyo., Amanda Davidson of Denver, Jason and Lindsay (Tweten) Whittle of Macon, Miss., Michael and Echo (Shoner) Whittle of Bigfork, Amber Whittle of Miles City, and JoAnna Whittle of Bozeman; eight great-grandchildren, Faith, Noah, Eli, Riley, Jason and his wife, Lindsay, Destiny, Brandon, John and his wife, Lilly, and Gaile; brothers, Theron Risa and his wife, Dorothy, of Glasgow and Don Risa and his wife, Pat, of Glasgow; and a sister, Jenny Panko, of Pontiex, Saskatchewan.

Bell Mortuary of Glasgow was in charge of arrangements.