Sunday Service ~ 10 a.m.
*** STATEMENT OF PURPOSE *** OUR COMMITTEE EXISTS TO OVERSEE AND ADMINISTER ALL MEMORIAL GIFTS RECEIVED BY FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH HELENA.
jennifer l. massman
December 6, 1968 - September 19, 2022
Jennifer L. Massman, age 53, of Helena, passed away September 19, 2022.
A Celebration of Jennifer’s Life was held Wednesday, Sept. 28, at Anderson Stevenson Wilke Funeral Home. Inurnment took place at Forestvale Cemetery.
She is survived by husband David Schnittgen, sons Andrew Kaiser, Tyler Kaiser, and Zachary Kaiser, stepdaughter RaeAnna Schnittgen, mother Carole Massman, and brother Joe Massman. She was preceded in death by her father Joseph Roy Massman and her first husband L. Randall Kaiser.
Jennifer attended Helena K-12 schools and received her bachelor’s in psychology and juris doctorate from the University of Montana. She was an attorney for the State of Montana for 22 years. Jennifer and her family were members of First Presbyterian Church in Helena.
She was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2017 and throughout the years, made as much time for being with her kids and new husband as possible. Her sense of humor and fighting spirit endured through the last days in the hospital. She was an inspiration to many others for her devoted parenting, strength in her decisions, and fortitude. She is so loved and will be deeply missed.
arlene marie peace carpenter
February 14, 1945 - September 3, 2022
Arlene Marie Peace Carpenter passed away Saturday, Sept. 3, following a brief illness.
Arlene was born Feb. 14, 1945, to Harry and Clairenda (Brannon) Peace. She grew up in California along with her siblings, Jim, Doug, and Mary Peace. Arlene met and married Robert Carpenter and they had two children, Susan (Carpenter) Alexander and Richy Carpenter. As things happen in life, the marriage ended in divorce and there became a long period of time in which she did not know where her children were. They were reunited with a phone call on July 7, 1982, as she describes as “the best day of her life.”
She was preceded in death by both of her parents and a grandson, Rory Christopher Alexander.
A private ceremony was held to celebrate her life on Sept. 10, 2022. She was laid to rest next to her grandson in Boulder Cemetery.
david "dave" donaldson
August 26, 1959 - August 11, 2022
Former FPC member David “Dave” Donaldson, 62, passed away Aug. 11, 2022.
Dave was born and raised in Helena. He and his wife, Brenda, were youth group leaders at the First Presbyterian Church in Helena for several years. According to his obituary, he fondly remembered taking the group to intercity Los Angeles one year to serve the least of the least.
The couple moved to Bozeman in 2016.
Dave is survived by his wife, two daughters, Katy and Jessica, and numerous family members. His obituary is listed on the Dokken-Nelson Funeral Service, Bozeman, website.
A celebration of life was held Aug. 20 at the Springhill Legacy Site in Belgrade, MT. Memorials may be sent to the Gene Donaldson Scholarship at Montana State University in Bozeman (P.O. Box 172750, Bozeman, MT 59717-2750.)
donald R. Copley
December 8, 1931 - May 1, 2022
Donald R. Copley, 90, of Great Falls, Montana, died of natural causes on Sunday, May 1, 2022, at Peace Hospice in Great Falls, Montana, surrounded by his wife and children.
Don was born on December 8, 1931, to Kenneth and Leda Copley in Conrad. He was the oldest of three children raised on the family farm west of Conrad at Gallup City Junction. He graduated from Conrad High School in 1949 and went on to study agriculture at Montana State College in Bozeman, Montana, where he graduated in 1953. He was a member of the Alpha Gamma Rho Fraternity, ROTC, and was editor of the 1952 Montanan. It was at Montana State College that he was introduced to the love of his life, Nadine Throop, by lifetime friends, Tom and Ruth Drummond. Don and Nadine were married on June 20, 1953, and would have celebrated their 69th wedding anniversary on June 20, 2022.
After college graduation, Don spent two years active duty in the U.S. Air Force. He was stationed in Japan when his first child, Sue, was born. Serving his country in the military always remained an important time in his life. When Don left the Air Force, he worked for Northrup King Seed Company until he landed a job with the Montana Highway Department in Billings. He was transferred to Helena in 1966 where he worked in the GVW Division for the remainder of his career. He retired as the administrator of the GVW in 1985.
Don and Nadine lived in Helena until moving to Great Falls in 2015. Don volunteered his time to many organizations including Camp Make-A-Dream, St. Peter’s Hospital, the Presbyterian Church, the Lewis and Clark Library, Special Olympics, local elementary schools, and numerous Masonic organizations. He also enjoyed fishing and golfing with friends. But his favorite pastime in retirement, without a doubt, was following the activities of his grandchildren.
Don had a deep love and appreciation for music and was still singing in his final hours of life. Through the years, he sang in the Presbyterian Church choir, the Shrine Chanters, and numerous Barbershop groups. Nothing delighted him more, though, than listening to his wife, Nadine, playing the piano.
Survivors include his wife of 68 years, Nadine; children Sue (Don) Harter of Gillette, WY, Tom (Pam) Copley of Missoula, MT, Jane (Jim) Suberg of Highwood, MT, and sister Linda DeVries of Malta, MT. Don is also survived by his beloved grandchildren Dale, Sarah, Jacob, Paul, Andy, Melissa, and Miles; his great-grandchildren Britton, Taylor, Ethan, Ray, Kacy, Emma, Heavenly, Colten, Kyler, Bentley, Bronson, Ellis, Emerson, and Graham; and his great-great-grandchildren Reverie and Easton. Don was preceded in death by his parents and brother, Jim Copley. God, family, and friends meant everything to him. More than anything, Grandpa Don (as he was affectionately known) will be remembered for his warm smile, and the kind, caring, gentle, and supportive husband, father, grandfather, and friend he was to everyone.
A celebration of life was held Thursday, August 25, 2022 at 11:00 A.M. at the Montana State Veterans’ Cemetery at Fort Harrison, Montana. Memorials can be made to the Shriners Hospitals for Children or an organization of the donor’s choice.
