Francis L. "Sonny" Callantine of Thompson Falls passed away June 24, 2004, at the Veterans Hospital in Helena. He was born April 7, 1923, in Bozeman to Oran A. and Esther (Bennett) Callantine. He attended schools at Story Mill and Gallatin County High School.
Music was an important part of his life. As a young boy, he and his brother and sisters had their own band and played for many functions throughout the state, entering seven talent contests and winning each one.
Francis joined the Montana National Guard in 1940 and was with the 163rd Infantry, 41st Division. He served in the South Pacific during World War II.
After the war he started driving trucks and stayed with that profession for 45 years. He married Betty Wilson and they were blessed with two children. They were later divorced.
He married Pat Dilts in 1950, and they lived in Montana and Idaho during that time.
He was preceded in death by a sister, Lena Sievert; brother, Alvin; daughter, Terry Erdelyi; and two sons, Steven Joe and Gary Wayne.
Francis is survived by two daughters, Maribeth Kelly of Boise, Idaho, and Penny Cronk of Athol, Idaho; two sons, Mark (Sue) of Orangevale, Calif., and Scott of Billings; three sisters, Lola Mae Jones of Brookings, Ore., Donna Burns of Marysville, Wash., and Wilma Staat of Belgrade; one brother, Wayne of Winston, Ore. He is also survived by 10 grandchildren; special grandson, Jimmy Biggs of Belgrade; 18 great-grandchildren and 16 nieces and nephews; two uncles, Oz Bennett and Homer Thompson of Bozeman; special aunt, Evaline Mitchell of Churchill; Sarah Hopkins of Yuma, Ariz., Martha McGuire, Sue Dorsey, Mildred Bennett of Bozeman, and Betty Conner of Three Forks.
The family gives many thanks to his cousin and best friend, Bud Callantine, who was by his side constantly during his illness. He was his guardian angel.
Graveside services will be at 3 p.m. Sunday, July 11, at Morgan Cemetery. A reception will follow at the Belgrade Senior Center.
Music was an important part of his life. As a young boy, he and his brother and sisters had their own band and played for many functions throughout the state, entering seven talent contests and winning each one.
Francis joined the Montana National Guard in 1940 and was with the 163rd Infantry, 41st Division. He served in the South Pacific during World War II.
After the war he started driving trucks and stayed with that profession for 45 years. He married Betty Wilson and they were blessed with two children. They were later divorced.
He married Pat Dilts in 1950, and they lived in Montana and Idaho during that time.
He was preceded in death by a sister, Lena Sievert; brother, Alvin; daughter, Terry Erdelyi; and two sons, Steven Joe and Gary Wayne.
Francis is survived by two daughters, Maribeth Kelly of Boise, Idaho, and Penny Cronk of Athol, Idaho; two sons, Mark (Sue) of Orangevale, Calif., and Scott of Billings; three sisters, Lola Mae Jones of Brookings, Ore., Donna Burns of Marysville, Wash., and Wilma Staat of Belgrade; one brother, Wayne of Winston, Ore. He is also survived by 10 grandchildren; special grandson, Jimmy Biggs of Belgrade; 18 great-grandchildren and 16 nieces and nephews; two uncles, Oz Bennett and Homer Thompson of Bozeman; special aunt, Evaline Mitchell of Churchill; Sarah Hopkins of Yuma, Ariz., Martha McGuire, Sue Dorsey, Mildred Bennett of Bozeman, and Betty Conner of Three Forks.
The family gives many thanks to his cousin and best friend, Bud Callantine, who was by his side constantly during his illness. He was his guardian angel.
Graveside services will be at 3 p.m. Sunday, July 11, at Morgan Cemetery. A reception will follow at the Belgrade Senior Center.
Francis L. "Sonny" Callantine of Thompson Falls passed away June 24, 2004, at the Veterans Hospital in Helena. He was born April 7, 1923, in Bozeman to Oran A. and Esther (Bennett) Callantine. He attended schools at Story Mill and Gallatin County High School.
Music was an important part of his life. As a young boy, he and his brother and sisters had their own band and played for many functions throughout the state, entering seven talent contests and winning each one.
Francis joined the Montana National Guard in 1940 and was with the 163rd Infantry, 41st Division. He served in the South Pacific during World War II.
After the war he started driving trucks and stayed with that profession for 45 years. He married Betty Wilson and they were blessed with two children. They were later divorced.
He married Pat Dilts in 1950, and they lived in Montana and Idaho during that time.
He was preceded in death by a sister, Lena Sievert; brother, Alvin; daughter, Terry Erdelyi; and two sons, Steven Joe and Gary Wayne.
Francis is survived by two daughters, Maribeth Kelly of Boise, Idaho, and Penny Cronk of Athol, Idaho; two sons, Mark (Sue) of Orangevale, Calif., and Scott of Billings; three sisters, Lola Mae Jones of Brookings, Ore., Donna Burns of Marysville, Wash., and Wilma Staat of Belgrade; one brother, Wayne of Winston, Ore. He is also survived by 10 grandchildren; special grandson, Jimmy Biggs of Belgrade; 18 great-grandchildren and 16 nieces and nephews; two uncles, Oz Bennett and Homer Thompson of Bozeman; special aunt, Evaline Mitchell of Churchill; Sarah Hopkins of Yuma, Ariz., Martha McGuire, Sue Dorsey, Mildred Bennett of Bozeman, and Betty Conner of Three Forks.
The family gives many thanks to his cousin and best friend, Bud Callantine, who was by his side constantly during his illness. He was his guardian angel.
Graveside services will be at 3 p.m. Sunday, July 11, at Morgan Cemetery. A reception will follow at the Belgrade Senior Center.
Music was an important part of his life. As a young boy, he and his brother and sisters had their own band and played for many functions throughout the state, entering seven talent contests and winning each one.
Francis joined the Montana National Guard in 1940 and was with the 163rd Infantry, 41st Division. He served in the South Pacific during World War II.
After the war he started driving trucks and stayed with that profession for 45 years. He married Betty Wilson and they were blessed with two children. They were later divorced.
He married Pat Dilts in 1950, and they lived in Montana and Idaho during that time.
He was preceded in death by a sister, Lena Sievert; brother, Alvin; daughter, Terry Erdelyi; and two sons, Steven Joe and Gary Wayne.
Francis is survived by two daughters, Maribeth Kelly of Boise, Idaho, and Penny Cronk of Athol, Idaho; two sons, Mark (Sue) of Orangevale, Calif., and Scott of Billings; three sisters, Lola Mae Jones of Brookings, Ore., Donna Burns of Marysville, Wash., and Wilma Staat of Belgrade; one brother, Wayne of Winston, Ore. He is also survived by 10 grandchildren; special grandson, Jimmy Biggs of Belgrade; 18 great-grandchildren and 16 nieces and nephews; two uncles, Oz Bennett and Homer Thompson of Bozeman; special aunt, Evaline Mitchell of Churchill; Sarah Hopkins of Yuma, Ariz., Martha McGuire, Sue Dorsey, Mildred Bennett of Bozeman, and Betty Conner of Three Forks.
The family gives many thanks to his cousin and best friend, Bud Callantine, who was by his side constantly during his illness. He was his guardian angel.
Graveside services will be at 3 p.m. Sunday, July 11, at Morgan Cemetery. A reception will follow at the Belgrade Senior Center.
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