By HDN staff
JOSEPH TOBINESS
ROCKY BOY -- Joseph Leslie Tobiness, given Native American name, Holy Thunder, 51, died Friday, Nov. 26, 1999, at a Great Falls hospital of kidney failure.
Wake and Rosary services were held Sunday. Funeral services were held this morning at the Rocky Boy Catholic Church with Father Pete Guthneck officiating. Burial followed at Rocky Boy Cemetery.
Tobiness was born Jan. 4, 1948, at the Crow Agency, to Lavern Collins and Joseph L. Tobiness Sr. He was an enrolled member of the Chippewa Cree Tribe of Rocky Boy. He grew up in Rocky Boy with his grandparents Edward and Anna Collins. He enjoyed his boyhood in Rocky Boy with his many brothers and sisters. He graduated from Great Falls High School in 1966. He served in Vietnam from 1967 to 1968, as a member of the 101st Airborne Division. He received the Purple Heart and was honorably discharged in 1968.
In Nov. of 1969, he married Terry Best in Butte. The couple divorced in 1993.
Tobiness worked as a construction laborer and heavy equipment operator. He had completed welding and civil engineering school. He attended Montana Tech in Butte and was a Chemical Dependency Counselor for 15 years. He retired from the State of Montana in 1997.
He enjoyed participating in Native American dances. He was a member of the Native American Church. Throughout his life he enjoyed his family and working with the youth. He worked with the Wa-ni-lnee-Git youth group in Butte and later as a counselor at Box Elder School. He enjoyed teaching young people traditional ways and how to love themselves.
He was preceded in death by his grandparents, Edward and Anna Collins, his father, Joseph L. Tobiness, step-father, Tom Putra, and brothers, Vernon Putra, Joseph Monteau and a sister, Verna Monteau.
Survivors include his mother, Laverne Putra of Butte; daughters, Carrie Lindstrand of Great Falls and Tonya Jo Falcon of Missoula; sons, Joseph Tobiness of Butte and Jeff Lake of Eugene, Ore.; brothers, James Montes and Robert Murie of Rocky Boy, Pete Putra of Nev., Steve Putra of Butte, John, Bob, Ed, Daryl and Mike Tobiness of Calif., Russell Tobiness of Minn., Richard Monteau of Colo., Harold Monteau of Kalispell, Curtis Monteau of Ariz., and John Monteau of Havre; sisters, Edwina Todd of Ariz., Valeri Putra of Wash., Linda Putra of Nev., Miriam Putra of N.M., Debbie and Kathy Tobiness of Calif., Twila Jones of Texas, Sandra Murie, Jill Monteau and Carol Henderson of Rocky Boy, Judy Henderson of Kalispell, Donna Divenny o Missoula, Tracy Monteau of Wash., Pam Aloiau of Hawaii and Gwen Hill of S.D.; five grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Memorials may be made to the donor's choice.
Arrangements are under the direction of Holland & Bonine Funeral Home.
