Obituaries

Alfred Lodge

Alfred Lodge, 78, of Harlem passed away on Friday, Aug. 22, 2014, at Fort Belknap Indian Health Service of natural causes.

Wake services will begin at 5 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 25, 2014, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Fort Belknap. A rosary service will be held at 7 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 25, also at Sacred Heart Catholic Church. Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 26, 2014, at Sacred Heart, with burial to follow in Pony Hill Cemetery. A feed will follow the burial at bingo Hall.

Holland & Bonine Funeral Home has been entrusted with arrangements. Please visit Alfred's online memorial page and leave a message of condolence for the family at http://www.hollandbonine.com.

Alfred was born on April 3, 1936, in Fort Belknap to Robert and Winnie (Walks Slow) Lodge. He was raised in Fort Belknap, attending school in Harlem.

Alfred graduated from Harlem High School in 1954, and he entered the U.S. Army, serving as a paratrooper for three years before his discharge.

He returned home and married Bernadette White Cow in 1958, and their union was blessed with nine children. The family made their home in Harlem, raising their children there. Alfred worked as a carpenter for Fort Belknap Tribal Builders for many years before leaving the Builders to work from home, making furniture. Alfred had a lifetime love of learning, and attended Northern Montana College from 1991 to 1995, receiving a bachelor's degree in community service.

Alfred was a jokester who enjoyed reading Westerns and watching Western movies, hunting, listening to country music, playing cards, bingo, horseshoes and Yahtzee, and attending pow-wows and basketball and football games. He loved woodworking and mechanics, but he adored his family. His greatest joy was caring for his children and grandchildren.

Alfred was preceded in death by his children Alfred "Popeye" Lodge Jr., Georgia White Cow, Clifford "Fred" Lodge, and Ben Lodge; his grandchildren, Thomas M. "Murph" Walker and Josh Healy; his adopted daughter, Venus Crantz; his brothers, Ben, Leon, Wallace "Gizmo," Kenneth, Robert Jr., and his infant twin brothers, Hyram and Iram Lodge; his sisters Florine Snell and Doris Lodge; and his parents, Robert and Winnie Lodge, Sr.

He is survived by Bernadette White Cow Lodge, his beloved wife of 56 years of Harlem; his daughters Caroly Healy of Fort Belknap, Amanda (Lonnie Cliff) Lodge of Lodge Pole, Theresa (Matt Dillon) BearCub of Harlem, Jasmine Lodge of Chinook and Sydney and Casey Lodge of Harlem; his adopted daughter Theresa BearCub of Harlem; his sons Leon "Stooge" (Deanna) Lodge of Havre, Robert "Wishbone" Lodge of Harlem, Robert "Waldo" (Dawn) BearCub of Harlem, John "Hen" Lodge of Missoula, Mitchell "Shafter" (Michelle) Healy of Fort Belknap and Robby Johnson of Fort Belknap; his adopted sons, Michael LongKnife of Arizona and Sherman LaVallie of Fort Belknap; his two sisters, Yvonne Martin and Rose Sullivan, both of Fort Belknap; his 29 grandchildren; numerous great-grandchildren; and numerous beloved nieces, nephews, cousins and other extended family and friends.