VOLUME 99
ISSUE 35
TIMES
FALLON County
fctimes@midrivers.com 406-778-3344
BAKER, MONTANA 59313
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FRIDAY, AUGUST 28, 2015
Father Tobin bids Baker farewell after 37 years
Father Thomas Tobin is retiring at the end of August.
By Lori Kesinger A community that has benefited from the priestly ministry of a man for the past 37 years is saying goodbye. Father Thomas Tobin is retiring from his service to St. John’s Catholic Church in Baker at the end of August. Born in Ireland in 1934, Father Tobin left County Tipperary, his father and mother, brothers and sisters for the sake of a call he received at an early age. “The Lord called me when I was about three and from that time on I knew I was going to be a priest. I never wavered,” Father Tobin said. Father Tobin was ordained in a country church in Knock Grafton, Tipperary, Ireland in June 1959. He left his homeland on August 23, 1959 with another priest by his side. They made their way to the United States and stayed about a week in New York then went on to Boston. The first of September they travelled to Montana, lamenting along the way as they saw the brown landscape of the prairie. They arrived at their destination in Great Falls to meet with the Bishop. Unlike communication today, there was no other way but letters to speak to their families. They finally wrote them from Great Falls to let them know they were safe. Father Tobin first served as an assistant at St. Pius X Parish in Billings for about nine months. In 1960, he went to St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Livingston
of which he has fond memories of beautiful mountains and friendly people. Following in 1963, he served at Our Lady of Lourdes in Great Falls, in 1964 at St. Mary’s of Columbus and in 1965 at St. Victor’s in Hilger and St. Margaret Mary’s Church in Big Sandy. He served the Big Sandy community for ten years before being asked by the Bishop to go to Baker. He came to Baker in 1977 but never expected to stay so long. His predecessor, also Irish, Father Denis Keane, from County Galway served from 1971-77. In addition to Baker, Father Tobin has served the parishes of Plevna and Ekalaka. “Some of the finest people in the world are here,” Father Tobin said. “Even some of the children I have baptized and married. Not everybody has done that.” Though Father Tobin’s golf game got pretty good over the years, his first commitment was always to the call God put on his life. “It’s hard to retire from God’s work,” Father Tobin admitted. Regarding his family, Father Tobin has one sister remaining that still lives in Ireland whom he speaks to often. He plans to live in Ekalaka and serve the church there as much as he is able. A farewell gathering will be held for Father Tobin on Sunday, Aug. 30 at St. John’s Catholic Church Hall in Baker. Open house will be from 2 to 4 p.m. and a potluck supper at 4:30 p.m.
New school year brings many new teachers habits and the knowledge necessary to allow them to do that. I hope they learn to love music and continue pursuing that love into high school and further into life.” Hess further said her first step is to get to know the students. As she begins teaching grades K-6 and seventh grade
versity of Montana where she earned her degree in elementary education and also obtained a Spanish teaching minor K-12. She studied abroad at Universidad Nacional for a semester as part of the program requirement. Stewart loves working with kids and was a teacher’s aide
dents at this age are still excited about school even though the material they are learning is becoming more challenging. “I want my classroom to be an exciting place, but also a safe refuge. I want children to leave my class with more self-confidence, kindness,
JoDee Hess
Kelsey Stewart
Kallie Madler
By Lori Kesinger As the Baker Public School District administration and staff welcomed back students on Aug. 26, they also greeted numerous new teachers. JoDee Hess joined Baker as the new elementary music teacher. Hess came to the district because she wanted to focus more of her energy on music. Hess grew up in Grass Range. She pursued a career in education because she loves kids and music and had an influential third grade music teacher. She attended Northwest College in Powell, WY where she earned an associate degree and Montana State University in Billings where she earned an education degree. For the past 13 years she has taught K-12 music in Terry. Hess will also be the assistant pep band director to Ms. Whiteman. “I want to help my students become lifelong contributors to music. It may be that they will only listen to music, but I hope that by taking music they will have an appreciation for all sorts of music,” Hess said. “If they choose to perform in groups or church, I hope they have been equipped from a young age of correct
grade. At age eleven, she moved to Baker from Miles City and had a second grade teacher influence her choice to pursue a career in education. Volz attended Carroll College in Helena, Miles Community College and Dickinson State University. She earned a degree in elementary education and minor in psychology, concentration reading and sociology. Volz is also a certified math recovery specialist. She has taught third and fourth grade at Crow Agency and St. Xavier. “I wanted to come back home. I’ve come full circle. I’m teaching in the same building I did my student teaching,” Volz said. Volz plans to ensure her second grade students are ready for third grade. She enjoys crocheting projects and gifts, as well as crafts in her leisure time. Kelsey Stewart is a Montana native and grew up in Columbus. She will be teaching third grade for her first year and has always loved learning and never wants to stop. “It is my hope that I can inspire my students to feel the same way,” Stewart said. Stewart attended the Uni-
Guyer grew up outside of Miles City in Yellowstone Valley and then in the Moon Creek area. She attended country school until eighth grade and graduated from Custer County High School in Miles City. She attended Montana State University in Bozeman earning her degree in elementary education with a reading endorsement. “I’ve always wanted to be a teacher, not just because I come from a long line of teachers, but because I love children and the creative, encouraging, fulfilling aspects of teaching,” Guyer stated. “I grew up listening to my parents talk about their students, remembering every one of them. I wanted to be a part of that. I wanted to say that I had a positive impact on students’ lives.” Guyer has taught in Miles City, Cottonwood Rural School which is between Miles City and Baker, and Ekalaka. She has taught every grade kindergarten through eighth with the exception of first, as well as, a lot of combination grades to meet a district’s needs as student enrollment shifted. She is excited to teach fourth grade because she feels stu-
Vicki Volz choir, she will have a lot of names to learn. She plans to learn the traditions and maybe change a few things to make them flow more smoothly. “Most importantly, I hope to add enthusiasm and work with the other teachers to make music as exciting as possible,” Hess added. Hess is married with two children who will be attending school in Baker and her husband works for the county road department. In her spare time Hess enjoys spending time with her family camping and fishing. She loves to learn more about God, to read, crochet, and do other hand crafts. She also enjoys working with children and having her home be a hub where her children’s friends feel comfortable and their parents feel comfortable with them being there. Vicki Volz has always considered Baker her hometown and will be teaching second
TAKE NOTE . . . Times Office closed The Fallon County Times will be closed Monday, Sept. 7, Labor Day. Deadline will remain the same, Tuesday at 2 p.m.
Mardee Guyer at ASUM Daycare in Missoula. Family is also very important to her as a triplet. She spent the past year living with them in Billings but is excited to live a more independent life. Stewart will also be coaching c-squad girl’s volleyball and middle school girl’s basketball. She plans to soak in as much knowledge as she can from other teachers and learn from her mistakes. She also hopes her students develop a passion for reading. Stewart likes to run, hike, read and paint in her spare time and would like to become a mentor for technology. “I’m looking forward to being active in such a friendly community,” Stewart said. Mardee Guyer will be teaching fourth grade for the twenty-fifth year in her teaching career.
Karen Wang and enjoyment in life and learning than they entered it. I will teach them the skills they need to know to succeed academically, and hopefully the skills they will need to become happy individuals,” Guyer said. Guyer has had a lot of training on implementing technology into the classroom. She was also selected Teacher of the Year for Ekalaka Elementary for 2009-2010 and 20142015 and was chosen as Wendy’s Teacher of the Month. Guyer is married to Rusty and they have two daughters. Emma is a first year kindergarten teacher in Lewistown and Ellen is a sophomore at MSU in Bozeman majoring in neuroscience/cell biology. They live on a ranch 15 miles west of Ekalaka. Guyer didn’t enjoy an empty nest last year so decided she SEE TEACHERS, PAGE 8
O’Fallon Community Choir rehearsals The O’Fallon Community Choir will start preparing for their Christmas Concert Sept. 7 at 7 p.m. in the Longfellow music room. If you like to sing, come join the choir Sept. 7. Practices
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