Belva Lancaster

Visitation: willbegin on Wednesday, May 4, 2011 at 1:00 p.m., with family to receive friends from 4:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. at Stevenson and Sons Funeral Home in Miles City.

Funeral service: will be held on Thursday, May 5, 2011 at 11:00 a.m. at Stevenson and Sons Funeral Home in Miles City.

Burial: will follow in the Custer County Cemetery.

Belva Louise Wood Lancaster, 88 died Saturday, April 30, 2011 at her home in Miles City, MT, formerly of Broadus.

Belva was born June 20, 1922 in Oroville, California to Arthur and Willie (Edwards) Wood. Upon graduation from Oroville High School she continued her education in Oakland, CA at East Bay School of Beauty Culture. It was during this time that she met and fell in love with Irvin Lancaster, a Montana boy working in the shipyards. They were married March 15, 1942 in Oakland, CA. Belva received her state board of cosmetology certification June 23, 1942 and worked as a beauty operator while Irvin served in the US Army. Irvin was medically discharged and in 1947 Irvin and Belva purchased land in Powder River County near the original family homestead of 1919. Belva loved all the wildlife and countryside of Montana.

One of her favorite things to do at the ranch on Cache Creek was to hike the hills with her children and grandchildren along with the family dog. For many years Belva was a member of the Order of Eastern Star in Broadus, MT.Belva and Irvin retired from ranching in 1989 and moved to Miles City. They enjoyed traveling together for a few years until Irvin passed away in 1996.

Her survivors include her brother Roger Wood of Mount Shasta, California, daughter, Rachel Stetser and husband Ed of Mount Royal, New Jersey, daughter-in-law, Vonda Lancaster of Billings, Montana; five grandchildren, Brandon, Loren (Amy), and Tyler (Mia) Lancaster, Mark and Eric (Katy Larson fianc) Stetser; three great grandchildren, Liam, Ava, and Mason Lancaster; brother-in-law, Bud (Bonnie) Curran of Miles City, Montana, niece, Karen Leah (Bill) Dutton of Jordan, Montana and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Irvin in 1996; son, Larry in 1986; three sisters, Georgia Marie (DS) Travis, Delores Monday, and infant sister, Thelma Virginia Wood; sister-in-law, Mildred Curran.

A visitation willbegin on Wednesday, May 4, 2011 at 1:00 p.m., with family to receive friends from 4:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. at Stevenson and Sons Funeral Home in Miles City. A funeral service will be held on Thursday, May 5, 2011 at 11:00 a.m. at Stevenson and Sons Funeral Home in Miles City. Burial will follow in the Custer County Cemetery. Condolences may be sent to the family by visitingwww.stevensonandsons.com. Should friends desire, memorials may be made to the Powder River Museum or to the Henry Malley Memorial Library in Broadus.