THELMA PAPILLO-NEELY obituary

Thelma Papillo-Neely, 90, died Saturday Feb. 6, 2010, at the Eagle Cliff Manor in Billings, Mont. Her graveside and burial service will be 2 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 11, 2010, at Highland Cemetery in Havre, with Father Dale Yurkovic officiating. Memorial contributions in Thelma's honor may be made to the Montana Cancer Society or to a memorial of one's choice. Services and arrangements have been entrusted to Holland & Bonine Funeral Home. Thelma was born Feb. 9, 1919, in Box Elder, Mont., to Deloss and Martha (Andrus) McGee. Her family farmed West of Box Elder. As a young girl, she moved with her uncle North of Havre and attended St. Joe School and Havre Public Schools. She married Frank Papillo Aug. 27, 1937, in Havre. Together they made their home in Havre and owned and operated Havre Sand and Gravel and Papillo Construction. They had three children, two daughters, Delores and Joyce, and one son, Ralph. Frank passed away in November 1971 and Thelma remarried Pete Dion in 1977. He passed in 1986, and Thelma married Bill Neely in April 1995. He passed away in 2000. After Bill passed, Thelma moved to Billings, Mont., to be near her daughters. Thelma was very active in the Havre community. She was a charter member of the Eagles, a member of the Catholic Daughters, served on the Council on Aging, was active at the Havre Senior Center, earned a degree of honor and participated in the Northern Montana Hospital Auxiliary. She also was a member of Garden Club and enjoyed volunteering her time to all of these organizations. Thelma also enjoyed traveling — especially on a cruise, gardening and tending to her beautiful flowers and dancing. She was preceded in death by her parents; her son, Ralph; her husbands; and two sisters, Doris and Helen. Thelma is survived by her two daughters, Dolores (Ed Gunsch) Watson and Joyce Borst, both of Billings, Mont.; six grandchildren; six greatgrandchildren; two great-greatgrandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.