GILES WILLIAM GREGOIRE obituary

Giles William Gregoire, 86, died Tuesday morning, Oct. 6, 2009, at Northern Montana Care Center of natural causes.

Viewing will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday,Oct. 9, 2009, with a prayer service beginning at 7 p.m. at the Holland & Bonine Funeral Chapel. His funeral service will be 11 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 10, 2009, at St. Jude Thaddeus Catholic Church with Father Pete Guthneck officiating. Burial will follow at Highland Cemetery. A fellowship luncheon will be held at the St. Jude Thaddeus Catholic Church Parish Center immediately after the services at the graveside. Memorials in Giles's honor may be made to the NMCC/Special Care Unit, P.O. Box 1231, Havre, MT 59501. Services and arrangements have been entrusted to Holland & Bonine Funeral Home. Giles was born Jan. 9, 1923, in Havre, Mont., to William and Sarah (Giles) Gregoire. He attended country school at South Mountain View and then Havre High School, graduating in 1943. His father died when Giles was just out of high school, and he then took over the operation of the family farm. Giles married Lenora Horinek on June 5, 1948, in Havre. Together they made their home on the farm and started their family. They had eight children with a son Francis passing away as an infant. Lenora died in 1983. Giles was very active in the Havre community, serving many different organizations. He was the fire chief for the Bear Paw Volunteer Fire Department for many years, served on the St. Jude Parish Board, was a charter member of the Knight of Columbus, a founding member of the Montana Land and Minerals Association, member of the Bull Moose Investment Club, served on the Hill County Electric Board for 32 years, was a member of Toastmasters, served as a 4-H leader and was a member of St. Jude and Rocky Boy Catholic churches. Giles married Ann-Marie O'Leary on Aug. 29, 1992, in Rocky Boy. The couple enjoyed working together on the farm and with the cattle. They attended many dances and games of cribbage. Giles was quite a jokester and enjoyed teasing everyone. He also enjoyed singing and would always sing a little song as he worked. Giles and Ann-Marie traveled a little bit with Giles's favorite place being Australia. He was preceded in death by his parents; infant son, Francis Joseph Gregoire; and his first wife, Lenora Gregoire in 1983. Giles is survived by his wife of 17 years, Ann-Marie Gregoire of Havre, Mont .; his children, Gary (Rhonda) Gregoire of Havre, Mont., Shirley Gregoire of Eden Prairie, Minn., Patricia Gregoire of Emeryville, Calif., Vernon (April) Gregoire of Thousand Oaks, Calif., Karen (Rob) Myers of Havre, Mont., Mary Gregoire of Great Falls, Mont., and Wayne Gregoire of Delft, Holland; his sister, Grace (Cliff) Kracher of Kalispell, Mont .; 12 grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; stepchildren, Dan O'Leary and Mary- Ann Richman of Harlem, Mont., Susan Parks of Big Fork, Mont., and Bill O'Leary of Whitefish, Mont.