Official Obituary of
Joseph Verlane Verlanic
January 28, 1931 ~ November 22, 2018 (age 87) 87 Years Old
Joseph Verlanic Obituary
Joseph V. Verlanic passed away at his home in Drummond, Montana on November 22, 2018. He was born in Anaconda to Nick and Ina (Forsman) Verlanic on January 28, 1931. He was the youngest of five children and was raised on the family dairy, Jersey Pure Milk Dairy, in the West Valley. Joe was educated in Anaconda and graduated with the Class of 1948. He played football for the Copperheads and was a lifelong football fan supporting his children and grandchildren in their football careers. He enthusiastically cheered on both the Bobcats and Grizzlies.
Joe learned the value of hard work at a young age. His mother was widowed when he was eighteen months old. He began pedaling milk at five years old with his older brothers and continued to do so every morning before school until he graduated. Joe married his high school sweetheart Sheila Torgerson on January 20, 1951. They were blessed with four children.
No job was beneath Joe. He held a variety of jobs that included working on the railroad, deputy sheriff and smeltermen, all the while pursuing his dream of ranching. Joe and Sheila started their herd with three cows and ranched on the Ross's Fork of Rock Creek for thirty years. Joe and Sheila would pack up the Power Wagon with their four kids and nephew Ron Verlanic and make the trek to the ranch every weekend. In 1983 they sold the Rock Creek ranch and purchased a ranch in Drummond. Joe was a perfectionist in everything he did and most often expected the same from others. He took tremendous pride in his herd of Black Angus cattle and his many outstanding horses. Joe belonged to various agricultural organizations and was an eighteen-year delegate for Granite County on the FSA board. He was a defender of water rights beginning with the construction of a five-mile irrigation ditch that was vital to the operation of the Ross's Fork ranch.
Joe valued education and instilled in his children and grandchildren the importance of a college degree, an education he was unable to have.
Joe was a true Montana character, forged from all the sternest stuff that defines Montana's best.
Joe was preceded in death by his parents and stepfather Ed Cregg, four siblings and spouses; Geraldine (Oscar) Hanson, Harold (Alice)Verlanic, Elmo (Evelyn)Verlanic, Orville Verlanic.
He is survived by his wife of 68 years, his four children and spouses: daughter Theresa (Howie) Johnson, Anaconda; sons Ken (Teresa), Anaconda; Kevin (Sonja), Missoula; Pat (Cari), Drummond; sister, Carolyn Bossard, Tucson AZ; sister-in-law Betty Verlanic, Missoula; twelve grandchildren: Kristin (Ryan) Wilson , Bozeman; Matthew (Lexi) Johnson, Missoula; Nick (Kelli) Johnson, Belgrade, Jim (Danielle) Verlanic, Albuquerque, NM; Jacqueline Verlanic, Anaconda; Jen (Tom) Graham, Philipsburg; Joe (Josephine) Verlanic, Billings; Jeff Verlanic, New York City; Alex Verlanic, Drummond; Andrew Verlanic, Deer Lodge; Connor (Haley) Verlanic, Drummond, twelve great grandchildren, numerous nieces and nephews.
Mass of Christian Burial will be Thursday, November 29th at 10:30 a.m. at the Holy Family Church in Anaconda with an hour visitation before and a luncheon following the services. Prayers and the Rite of Committal will be at the New Chicago cemetery in Drummond at 3:00 p.m. with a reception to follow at the Drummond Community Hall.
Donations in Joe's name can be made to the Shriners Children's Hospital, PO Box 2472 Spokane, WA 99210-2472 or St. Jude's Children's Hospital PO Box 1000 Dept. 142, Memphis, TN 38101-9908.
217 W. Pennsylvania Ave.
Joe learned the value of hard work at a young age. His mother was widowed when he was eighteen months old. He began pedaling milk at five years old with his older brothers and continued to do so every morning before school until he graduated. Joe married his high school sweetheart Sheila Torgerson on January 20, 1951. They were blessed with four children.
No job was beneath Joe. He held a variety of jobs that included working on the railroad, deputy sheriff and smeltermen, all the while pursuing his dream of ranching. Joe and Sheila started their herd with three cows and ranched on the Ross's Fork of Rock Creek for thirty years. Joe and Sheila would pack up the Power Wagon with their four kids and nephew Ron Verlanic and make the trek to the ranch every weekend. In 1983 they sold the Rock Creek ranch and purchased a ranch in Drummond. Joe was a perfectionist in everything he did and most often expected the same from others. He took tremendous pride in his herd of Black Angus cattle and his many outstanding horses. Joe belonged to various agricultural organizations and was an eighteen-year delegate for Granite County on the FSA board. He was a defender of water rights beginning with the construction of a five-mile irrigation ditch that was vital to the operation of the Ross's Fork ranch.
Joe valued education and instilled in his children and grandchildren the importance of a college degree, an education he was unable to have.
Joe was a true Montana character, forged from all the sternest stuff that defines Montana's best.
Joe was preceded in death by his parents and stepfather Ed Cregg, four siblings and spouses; Geraldine (Oscar) Hanson, Harold (Alice)Verlanic, Elmo (Evelyn)Verlanic, Orville Verlanic.
He is survived by his wife of 68 years, his four children and spouses: daughter Theresa (Howie) Johnson, Anaconda; sons Ken (Teresa), Anaconda; Kevin (Sonja), Missoula; Pat (Cari), Drummond; sister, Carolyn Bossard, Tucson AZ; sister-in-law Betty Verlanic, Missoula; twelve grandchildren: Kristin (Ryan) Wilson , Bozeman; Matthew (Lexi) Johnson, Missoula; Nick (Kelli) Johnson, Belgrade, Jim (Danielle) Verlanic, Albuquerque, NM; Jacqueline Verlanic, Anaconda; Jen (Tom) Graham, Philipsburg; Joe (Josephine) Verlanic, Billings; Jeff Verlanic, New York City; Alex Verlanic, Drummond; Andrew Verlanic, Deer Lodge; Connor (Haley) Verlanic, Drummond, twelve great grandchildren, numerous nieces and nephews.
Mass of Christian Burial will be Thursday, November 29th at 10:30 a.m. at the Holy Family Church in Anaconda with an hour visitation before and a luncheon following the services. Prayers and the Rite of Committal will be at the New Chicago cemetery in Drummond at 3:00 p.m. with a reception to follow at the Drummond Community Hall.
Donations in Joe's name can be made to the Shriners Children's Hospital, PO Box 2472 Spokane, WA 99210-2472 or St. Jude's Children's Hospital PO Box 1000 Dept. 142, Memphis, TN 38101-9908.
Mass of Christian Burial
NOV 29. 9:30 AM - 12:00 PM
Holy Family Catholic Church217 W. Pennsylvania Ave.
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