By HSN Staff
BIG SANDY Alfred S. Ophus, 83, died of complications from Alzhiemers disease Sunday, April 30, 2000 at a Havre nursing home.
His funeral will be 2 p.m. Thursday at Rohrer Memorial United Methodist Church in Big Sandy.
Ophus was born Aug. 8, 1916 to Pearl and Anton Ophus at the farm home of his parents near Big Sandy.
He graduated from Big Sandy High School in 1934. He then worked in Havre at J.C. Penney clothing, Hub clothing, and graduated from Northern Montana College in 1938. He continued his education in Missoula and earned a degree in business administration from the University of Montana in 1941.
On June 9, 1941, he married Lois Littlefield, from Big Sandy. They moved to Havre where he worked for H. Earl Clack.
Ophus was inducted into the Army in April 1942 at Fort Lewis, Wash. He spent about a year at Camp Roberts, Calif. before being discharged in the spring of 1943 to go home and help his parents with the family farm.
Ophus taught seventh- and eighth-grade math at the Big Sandy School and drove school bus in 1944. He moved to Great Falls in 1946 and began working with the Finley, Renman & Misfeldt accounting firm.
He bought and moved onto a farm southeast of Big Sandy in April 1948. He then received certification as a public accountant (CPA) in December 1949. He worked with Rolf Svennungsen for a while, accounting and preparing taxes before starting his own CPA accounting firm. While continuing o farm and keep the CPA office going, he taught at Northern Montana College in the fall and winter of 1951 and '52.
Ophus was one of the founders and served as president of the Big Sandy Grain Co. for 21 years, and was Big Sandy town clerk and/or treasurer for more than 40 years. He retired from farming in 1979 when he sold the farm to his oldest son. He turned the reins of the accounting office over to his daughter in 1998.
Ophus was a member of Masonic Treasure Lodge #85 AFAM since 1961, where he served as Worshipful Master. He was a member of Bear Paw Chapter #100, Order of Eastern Star, and served as Worthy Patron for several years. He also was a member of Rohrer Memorial United Methodist Church in Big Sandy.
He enjoyed reading and learning, camping and fishing with grandkids, family and friends, family get togethers, Masons and Eastern Star, and visiting and helping friends and neighbors.
Ophus was preceded in death by his parents, three brothers, one sister, and one grandchild.
Survivors include his wife, Lois, of Big Sandy; daughter, Joanne Kibbee of Big Sandy; sons Glenn Ophus of Big Sandy and Gary Ophus of Great Falls; brothers, Ben of Hinsdale, Laurence and Lyle of Big Sandy, Vernon of Arvada, Colo., and Lester of Havre; sister, Evelin LaBuda and Ruth Pegar of Big Sandy, Jeanine Liquin of Great Falls, and Loretta Murphy of Reno, Nev.; seven grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Memorials are suggested to the Rohrer Memorial United Methodist Church in Big Sandy or the Shriner's Hospital, Box 2472, Spokane, WA 99210-2472.
Holland & Bonine Funeral Home of Havre is handing arrangements.
