MONA BELLE OPPERUD obituary

Mona Belle Opperud, 80, a retired clerk, died Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2009, at Northern Montana Care Center in Havre, of natural causes.

Memorial services will be held 10 a.m. Friday, Nov. 20, 2009, at First Presbyterian Church in Havre with Pastor John Bruington officiating. Burial will follow at Highland Cemetery. A fellowship luncheon will be held at the church immediately following the graveside services. Services and arrangements have been entrusted to Holland and Bonine Funeral Home. Mona Belle was born July 9, 1929, in Havre, the daughter of Norman and Frances Light Welte. She spent her early years on the family farm north of Hingham. In 1943, she moved to Havre and graduated from Havre High School in 1947. She attended Northern Montana College and received a two-year business degree in 1949. On Nov. 12, 1949, Mona Belle married Leonard Opperud at the First Presbyterian Church in Havre. Shortly after the couple married, Leonard was transferred to Honolulu, Hawaii, with the U.S. Air Force. Mona Belle followed and spent the next three years in Honolulu, where two daughters, Virginia and Bonnie, were born. The couple was transferred to Paxton, Ill., and then, Malmstrom Air Force Base in Great Falls. After Leonard resigned from the Air Force, they moved back to Havre, where a third daughter, Carol, was born. Mona Belle worked as a clerk for the City of Havre Water Department. She retired in June 1984. After retiring, she and Leonard traveled extensively throughout the western United States. They especially enjoyed taking their grandchildren with them on trips. Besides spending time with her family, Mona Belle enjoyed reading, crossword puzzles, crotcheting and walking. She was a longtime, active member of the First Presbyterian Church in Havre. After Leonard's death, Oct. 9, 2006, Mona Belle moved to Havre Eagle's Manor, where she made many new friends and renewed many old friendships. She was a loving and generous wife, mother, grandmother and friend who will be missed by all who knew her. Mona Belle was preceded in death by her parents and husband, Leonard. Survivors include daughters, Virginia (Duane) Naber, Bonnie (DeWayne) Haas, and Carol (Pat) Graham, all of Havre; sister, Lois (Vernon) Locke of Billings; 10 grandchildren, Lori Naber, Brenda (David) Olson, Karen (Larry) Castillo, Brandan Haas, Jeannette (Josh) Wierzbicki, Shelcee (Nathan Graves) Haas, Stephanie Longin, Jaimee (Troy) Hansen, Jennifer Hamblock and Julie (Jefferson) Chang; and 10 great-grandchildren, Tyler, Bryce, Kyle and Brady Olson, Kamilah Castillo, Jadyn and Jalyn Wierzbicki, Madison Graves, and Brooklyn and Tatum Hansen. Memorial contributions in Mona Belle's honor may be made to Space For Grace at Northern Montana Care Center, Bear Paw Hospice or to a memorial of one's choice.