The Circle Banner - Anyone can love the mountains, but it takes a soul to love the pairie

The Brockway community extends its deepest sympathy to the family and friends of Lynn (Heitz) Kelly, age 46, who passed away May 20, 2023 after a courageous battle with cancer. She leaves behind her husband Jason and their seven children, Neale, Nevin, Layton, Erin, Tucker, Kaelyn, and Ainsley. Lynn had attended grade school in Brockway and graduated from CHS in 1995. Her parents are Glenn and Teri Heitz, formerly of Brockway. Services were held May 26, 2023 at Faith Assembly of God Church in Circle.

A memorial service for Ruth Bond was held Saturday, May 27, 2023 at the Brockway Cemetery, followed by a reception and luncheon at Brockway Supper Club. Ruth passed away September 17, 2022 in Missoula and was laid to rest by her husband Dale. Family and friends gathered for her celebration of life and to share memories of Dale and Ruth, who were Brockway residents for many years before moving to Missoula.

School is officially out for the summer with students dismissed May 24th. Circle High School Class of 2023 graduated May 21st. Jaron Taylor was valedictorian and Alexis Moline, salutatorian of the graduating class. May 24th was eight grade promotion and awards programs with nineteen students excited to be freshmen in the fall. Deemed most representative girl and boy were Julia Taylor and Luke Voss.

Several high school track team members, parents and fans headed off to the State Track Meet held May 26-27th in Laurel. Congratulation to Grace Gackle on winning the second place medal in the Class C 100m hurdles. She broke the school record in the preliminaries with a time of 15:88 seconds. The 4X400 girls relay team broke the 2003 school record with a time of 4:21:69 at the meet. Grace Gackle, Abby Gibbs, Laura Guldborg and Jonica Taylor made up the relay team. The boys 4X400 relay team consisting of Beau Beery, Donavon Gibbs, Jaron Taylor and Breckyn White, ran a 3:37.36, a personal best, at the state meet.

There were lots of talented dancers and beautiful costumes Friday, May 19th as students of Hailey Vine performed several dance routines at the CHS auditorium. “Everybody Cut Footloose!” was very entertaining and the dancers all did great!

Irene Berger of Glendive drove to Circle to watch great-granddaughter Falynn Phillips perform in the dance recital and then attended baccalaureate services honoring the graduating seniors of which Teagan Norton was among. She stayed with Mary Kountz so she could take in all the weekend festivities.

There were lots of graduation parties and celebrations bringing out of town folks in to help celebrate their special graduates. Mark and Patti Soares of Belgrade came for granddaughter Teagan Norton's high school baccalaureate ceremony and graduation, staying with Mary Kountz. When they arrived on the 19th, Clay and Sherry Berger took them side by siding on the Soares property on Highway 24. Saturday Greg Berger, Clay and Sherry Berger, Irene Berger, Soares, and Lindsey Norton, Savannah, Teagan and Cierra and Lindsey's friend Ashely enjoyed a barbecue at the ranch.

Traveling from Rapid City to attend her niece Alexis Moline's graduation was Danya Remboldt and daughter Hannah. They stayed with Darlene Moline during the weekend.

Jeff and Bettinna Moos hosted an end of school and Aubrey and Tracen's recent birthdays with a barbecue May 25th.

Rhett Bailey and Raquel St. John drove from Billings to Brockway May 28th having a short visit and lunch with Grandma Mary Kountz. Cary Phillips and daughter Falynn joined them and later in the day Clay and Sherry Berger stopped by. Tina was working so missed out on lunch. Rhett and Raquel, both students at MT Tech, are doing internships in construction in Billings and are living with Aunt Carey Schneider for the summer.

The recent rains have really put smiles on people's faces. The countryside looks so nice and green after a couple of years of very dry conditions. Farmers have about wrapped up seeding crops and ranchers are busy branding their calves and getting them moved to summer pastures. Among those who have branded are Molines, Guldborgs, Eissingers, Moos', and Harv and Jared Kountz.

Many attended Memorial Day Services held in Brockway and in Circle May 29, 2023. This day is in honor of those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country's freedom. We all need to be thankful for and remember those courageous men and women who served in our Armed Forces and died fighting for our freedoms.

Brockway whist report for May 28, 2023 by Pat Breitbach. In spite of the gorgeous weather and the bustle of the holiday weekend, we managed to round up enough savvy card sharks for two tables of fun. The table tawk centered around the recent rainfall, grasshopper infestations and suspicious high dollar campaigns for local board positions that just don't pass the sniff test. Having gotten the important stuff out of the way, it was down to six games of serious brow furrowing card play and the all important tabulation of the results. It was Don Trower's calculated decisions that won the day with an excellent five game streak to grab first place. Second place was a three way tie of four game winners and after some quick calculations, it was Barb Smalis with an outstanding score of no less than fifty points scooping up the second place winnings. Next week we will meet again at six pm to play a few hands and get the first hand report from a couple of our usual suspects who are out seeing the world. Personally I am awaiting the interesting travel tales!