Kenneth GeorGe collinG obituary

Kenneth George Colling, 83; a former Burlington Northern Railroad Machinist, died on June 9, 2009, at Northern Montana Care Center.

Graveside services will be Thursday, June 18, 2009, at 10 a.m. in Highland Cemetery. Memorials are suggested to the Shiners Hospital of St. Paul or to the charity of one's choice. Arrangements are by Edwards Funeral -Home of Chinook. Ken was born to George and Alpha Colling on Jan. 8, 1926, in Hibbing, Minn. After his father passed away, he had a wonderful step-dad, Raymond Regan. Ken was raised in Kelly Lake, Minn., and attended Hibbing High School, graduating with the Class of 1944. He worked in Kelly Lake for the Great Northern Railroad as a machinist apprentice for four years and then worked in Superior for one year, before moving to Havre in March 1948. In Havre he worked for the Burlington Northern Railroad as a machinist, retiring in January 1986. On July 17, 1949, Ken married Mary Watson in Havre, Mont., and to this union three sons were born. Mary passed away Jan. 14, 1977. Ken married Martha Fisher Hanson on Aug. 2, 1982 in Havre. Martha passed away May 2, 1995, Ken loved to travel to visit his family and thoroughly enjoyed camping and fishing. For several years he and Mary belonged to the Red Dale Camping Club. He was an excellent woodworker, and his children and grandchildren still enjoy the wood crafts he had made them over the years. He loved his family, especially his grandchildren who he spent his final years teasing. Ken is survived by three sons, Thomas (Lulu) Colling of the Philippines, Michael (Marion) Colling of Havre and Lyle (Rosadel) Colling of Vallejo, Calif., and numerous grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents; step-dad; wives, Mary and Martha; his brother, Raymond; and his sister, Ruth Johannessen.