By HDN staff
JOSEPH JOE BOY STIFFARM SR.
Joseph Joe Boy Stiffarm Sr., 57, Havre, died July 31, 1999 at Northern Montana Hospital after a short illness with renal failure.
Vigil services will be Tuesday, Aug. 3, at 7 p.m. in St. Jude Catholic Church and Mass will be recited there at 1 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 4, with a wake following at the Red Whip Center in Fort Belknap Agency Wednesday afternoon and evening. Burial will be Thursday, Aug. 5, at 10:30 a.m. at the Stiffarm Family Cemetery near Hays.
He was born to Thomas and Vina (Maloney) Stiffarm on Dec. 5, 1941 at Fort Belknap Agency. He attended schools in Harlem and served in the U.S. Marines before working for the Burlington Northern Railroad. He worked 33 years for the railroad and was a road master for a number of years before retiring in 1996.
He married Nancy White in September of 1961 and they divorced in 1972.
Stiffarm loved his family, freinds and railroad buddies and spending time with his grandchildren. He was an avid hunter and fisherman.
His Gros Ventre name was Nee Thone, his great-grandfathers name which meant Fork
Stiffarm is survived by two sons Joseph and LeRoy Stiffarm, both of Havre; two daughters, Deanna Stiffarm of Cass Lake, Minn., Theresa Stiffarm, Mora, Minn.; nine grandchildren, five brothers, Thomas Buzz Stiffarm Jr. of Great Falls, Bill and Preston Stiffarm, both of Fort Belknap Agency, Gerald Stiffarm of Billings, Doug Stiffarm of Clarkston, Wash.; two sisters, Margie Ironmaker and Delores Little Owl both of Fort Belknap Agency.
He was preceded in death by his parents, son Richard James Stiffarm in June 1979, three sisters and one brother.
Arrangements are by Edwards Funeral Home of Chinook.
