James Dunning

Visitation: Tuesday, May 6, 2008 beginning at 1:00pm in the chapel of Stevenson and Sons Funeral Home, Forsyth with family to receive friends from 4:00pm to 6:00pm.

Funeral services: Wednesday May 7, 2008 at 11:00am in the chapel of Stevenson and Sons Funeral Home, Forsyth.

Burial: will follow in the Forsyth Cemetery with full military honors.

James Bernard (Jim) Dunning, age 84, of Hathaway passed away at the family ranch on Friday May 2, 2008. Jim was able to work up until the time of his death, going with his son Grant to check cattle on Thursday.

Jim was born on November 9, at the Henry Bailey house on Rosebud Creek to Forest and Beatrice (Tucker) Dunning. While on the Dunning ranch the family was well known for raising and selling Cavalry Remount horses for the United States Army. He attended school at St. Labre and area country schools and graduated from Rosebud High School.After graduation Jim entered the U.S. Army and served in the European Theater where he was wounded and received the Purple Heart. Upon his honorable discharge from the Army he returned home and began working for Standish Johnson, working with horses. Jim then went to work on the Henry Mitzkus Ranch where he met and married the love of his life Elsie Mitzkus. They were married December 7, 1948 at Forsyth, MT and, together, continued ranching on Rosebud Creek for over 30 years.In 1979 Jim and Elsie moved to Hathaway where they ranched until the time of his death.

In addition to his parents Jim was preceded in death by five brothers; George, Leslie, Leonard and two brothers in infancy. One sister; Mina and grandson Tucker Hoke Plympton.

He is survived by his wife of 60 years, Elsie, of the family home; sons Grant(Laurie) Dunning of Hathaway, MT and Dale Dunning of Great Falls, MT; daughter Donna Lee Bends of Billings, MT; brothers Charles (Shirley) Dunning of Cheyenne, WY, Frances Dunning of Billings, MT and Richard (Edna) Dunning of Ennis, MT; sister, Sister Marie Carmel Dunning of Leavenworth, KS, Lena (Rollie) Harris of Canyon Ferry, MT and Patricia Anderson of Miles City, MT; sister-in-law Joan Dunning of Miles City, MT, nine grandchildren and twelve great-grandchildren