Edward “Ed” S. Stolen, age 72, of Wolf Point, Montana passed away Thursday, June 4, 2009 at Frances Mahon Deaconess Hospital in Glasgow, Montana with his family by his side after a difficult fight with bone and brain cancer. (In October of 2005, Ed had a kidney removed due to renal cell cancer. Prostate cancer raised its ugly head followed by bone cancer in 2008. We began fighting with everything Oncology had to offer as it went through a foot, ankle, ribs, chest, back, shoulder, spots in the lungs, various lymph nodes, two tumors in the brain, spots in the liver, a tumor on the bronchial tube going into the right lung, horrific loss of weight and a sheen on the spleen. He had five different sessions of radiation in one year with a total of 113 radiation days. He was blessed with blood donators; at one point he needed six pints in seven days. Oncology remains mystified by the disappearance of 16 units of blood. To make life more exciting, he needed repair on a torn shoulder, and he also took chemo and radiation pills daily.)
He was born December 23, 1936 in Wolf Point the son of John Sr. and Martha (Nasby) Stolen. Ed grew up and attended schools in various Wolf Point areas. He graduated from Wolf Point High School and attended two years of college at Northern Montana in Havre. His winning High School football team picture is found on page 207 of Wolf Point City of Destiny.
Ed served in the U.S. Army, two years in active duty (Nov 6, 1958 to May 27, 1960) and then four years in the reserve. He was honorably discharged, CPL-E4 Squadron Leader Heavy Field Artillery.
In 1960, Ed received adult confirmation and became a member of First Lutheran Church.
Ed married Carol Peterson July 17, 1960 at First Lutheran Church in Wolf Point. This July would have been their 49th Wedding Anniversary.
He was diverse in his abilities working many jobs including: two years as a Montgomery Ward Franchise owner, two years as a third man at the Farmers Union Elevator in Wolf Point, two years as Assistant Manager in Poplar, MT and eight years as Manager in Brockway, MT; 28 years as Postal Service Worker and five years as a Rural Mail Route Driver; and always a Farmer. He raised pigs and at one time had 500 on the home place. He diligently cared for 14 horses so his children and their friends could rope and ride. He loved to bowl, once making 252 and was a successful hunter. He always thought of others first and received the name of “Old Ed” as a very young child by his elders.
Ed is survived by his wife, Carol Stolen of Wolf Point; children, Laurie Suppes of Phoenix, AZ, Lyle Stolen of Lewistown, MT (FOR LEWISTOWN PAPER ADD: working for Spika Welding) and Connie (Rolly) Hankinson of DeBorgia, MT; grandson, Leonard Edward Suppes III of Phoenix, AZ; brothers, John Stolen of Lewistown, MT and Mark (Martha) Stolen of Havre, MT; brother-in-law, Dave Tollefson of Wolf Point, MT; special siblings, Omer (Jeanette) Schleper of Wolf Point and Gilbert, AZ, Sandy (Rob) Sebring Martin of Seely Lake, MT, Richard (Andrea) Danielson of Sedona, AZ; and special nieces, Torri Bowles of Lisle, New York, and Jerra (Wayne) Fjeldstad; as well as many cousins, nieces and nephews who will remember Ed as their rock.
He was preceded in death by his parents John and Martha Stolen and special sibling Arlene Danielson.
Visitation will be Friday, June 12 from 9 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. at Clayton Stevenson Memorial Chapel followed by a Family Service 7:00 p.m. at First Lutheran Church in Wolf Point. His Funeral Service will be 10:00 a.m. Saturday, June 13 also at First Lutheran Church. Interment with military honors will follow at Greenwood Cemetery.
Memorials may be made to Nelson Family Cancer Treatment Center, 1301 15th Ave. W., Williston, ND 58801.
Condolences may be sent to the family by visiting www.stevensonandsons.com Clayton Stevenson Memorial Chapel has been entrusted with the arrangements.