Forsyth
My husband’s uncle, Bernard “Butch” Hein was a cattle rancher in Forsyth, Montana. Butch came into ranching by birth, coming from a long line of ranchers. Butch raised cattle, and since I have been able to eat and later buy some of the beef he raised, I can tell you that it tasted excellent. I think most of us thought that the iconic rancher would always be there, but on October 13, 2023, that all came to a tragic end, when Uncle Butch was killed in a car accident. It was such a shock to so many people. You are never prepared to lose a loved one, but when it happens to someone who was still so full of life, it is even more of a shock.
Butch never really wanted to be anything else but a rancher, but of course, when he graduated from high school the Vietnam War was in full swing, and Butch was drafted into the Navy. That era was a tough time for a lot of people. Many people felt like the United States was in a war that was a “no-win situation,” and we should 
get out of it. There were protests and a whole lot of hate going around. There were people who dodged the draft by running to Canada. Not Butch though. He and his older brother, Eddie both served. Eddie was in the Army. The brothers served honorably, and both came home. They loved their country, and we are so proud of both of them.
After his discharge, Butch came home, met, and married Bonnie Wertz. They started a family, and for a time everything was great. They had a son and were expecting a daughter, but Bonnie was sick. They hoped to have their daughter and get treatment to save Bonnie. Unfortunately, Butch lost both of them. Then, it was just Butch and his son, Scott. Still, they were together, and when he grew up, Scott got married to Terri Wiederrick. They had three beautiful children, Laura, Carson, and Lindsey. Scott and his son Carson both wanted to be in ranching, and now, they have taken over the ranch, which is bittersweet for them. Their dream was to take over the ranch someday, but the plan was to be when Butch retired, not this way. Now, the ranch belongs to Scott, but there is something missing. His dad was supposed to be there in an advisory capacity if nothing else.
Scott and his family aren’t the only ones who feel the loss. Nor is the rest of our family. Butch used to go to the 
same hang out most mornings to meet up with friends for coffee and breakfast. I’ve heard that there are people in that group who just can’t go anymore. It just hurts too much. I suppose some of those people will eventually go back, and I would assume that Butch wouldn’t want them to stop going. Still, it may be a while before they go back, because I think it will be a very long time before we will be able to face the loss and how it happened. Today would have been Butch’s 79th birthday. Happy birthday in Heaven Uncle Butch. We love and miss you very much.
My husband’s aunt, Esther Hein is the middle child of her mom, Vina Hein’s children and the oldest of her dad, Walt Hein’s children. Theirs was a blended family, because Grandma Hein was divorced from her first husband. Sadly, Esther also now finds herself the last of those five siblings. The last of her siblings, Butch Hein was killed in a car accident on October 13, 2023, in Forsyth. As the middle child, I’m sure Esther never expected to be the last of the siblings alive, but now, here she is. Life has not been easy for Esther these past few years. In addition to the health problems Esther has had since Covid started, she has also been dealing with a daughter, Cindy who has been in poor health. That has probably been the hardest thing, because she couldn’t see Cindy much. Cindy’s immune system is compromised, so it is too dangerous. Many people, including me, have been praying over both of them.
Esther has always had such a soft heart. Things that happened to people Esther loved, even if they weren’t life threatening, upset her terribly. All she wants is for everyone she loves to be ok. Of course, that is what we all want for our loved ones, but Esther wears her heart on her sleeve. Sometimes, it’s hard to see or hear her be worried about the people she cares about, but then, I guess it’s hard to watch anyone be worried about someone. It is much better to see Esther when she is happy and showing her love for people in the things she makes and does for them. I will never forget how pleased my in-laws, Walt (Esther’s half brother) and Joann Schulenberg were with the things she made them. She made curtains for their bathroom, and several paintings for their living room. They didn’t get to see her very often, because she lives in Oregon, and they lived in Casper, Wyoming, but they did make trips to see her after my father-in-law retired. They visited he for a number of years, but then my mother-in-law was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease, and travel wasn’t so easy anymore. I know my father-in-law missed going to see his sister, and she missed him too.
For Esther, not being able to see her brother and sister-in-law, was maybe worse that other people she didn’t 
get to see much, because as a little girl, when her brother was already married, Esther lived with them during the winter months. School was very important, and the Montana winters didn’t always make it easy to get Esther into town from the family ranch. The three of them became close, even if Ester had to be told to behave by my mother-in-law a number of times. Kids outgrow the antics of childhood eventually, and then Esther and her sister-in-law just became friends. Those were good times though. I know Esther’s help entertaining her young nieces, Marlyce Schulenberg and Debbie Cook, and maybe nephew Bob Schulenberg was nice for my mother-in-law too. Those would definitely qualify to be called the “good old days” for sure. Today is Esther’s 83rd birthday. Happy birthday Esther!! Have a great day!! We love you!!
My husband, Bob Schulenberg’s uncle, Bernard Eugene “Butch” Hein was a well-known rancher is Forsyth, Montana. He was born June 28, 1945, in Miles City, Montana, to Walt and Vina Hein of Forsyth, Montana. Butch was the youngest of his mother’s five children (two of them, Marion and Walt Schulenberg) from a previous marriage. He also had a sister, Esther Hein and a brother, Eddie Hein. The family lived on a ranch outside of Forsyth. It was there that Butch first learned about ranching and knew that this would be his life’s work. While Butch would spend his childhood years helping on the ranch, there would be other life events that would have to take place before he finally settled into ranching. Butch graduated from Forsyth high school in 1964. The Vietnam war was in full swing, and Butch was drafted to the Navy in 1966. In all the years I have known Butch, he, like most other veterans never talked about his time during that war. I don’t know where he spent his service years, but I know that he was one of the men blessed to have made it home.
After returning home for his time in the service, Butch married Bonnie Wertz on April 13, 1968. Bonnie was the love of his life, and they began to build a life together. Their son, Scott Michael was born on November 5, 1969, and they were happy with their little family. Unfortunately, while they were preparing to expand their family, 
Bonnie was diagnosed with cancer. She delayed treatment in order to give their daughter a chance at life. Crista Dawn was born on October 26, 1973, but passed away on November 2, 1973. Bonnie continued to weaken and passed away on April 27, 1974. Butch was devastated. He felt like his life was over, but he had a son who needed him, so Butch pulled himself together, and raised his son as a single dad. Scott was his greatest achievement, and they were not only father and son, but later business partners and best friends. That friendship continued right up to Butch’s passing.
On October 13, 2023, a 78-year-old Butch, who was still very vibrant and full of life, got in his car and entered the interstate at his life-long hometown, Forsyth, Montana. Much of the rest is unknown at this time, but in the end, Butch was hit broadside by a semi-truck, and killed instantly. For his family, and all who knew him, this was a devastating loss. Butch was a friend to many, and certainly most of the town of Forsyth. He was also Grandpa to Scott’s three children with his wife Terri (née Wiederrick) Hein…Laura (Sean) Dailey, Carson Hein, and Lindsey Hein. Butch was so proud of his family, and one of the recent highlights of his life was being able to attend his granddaughter, Laura’s wedding on September 30, 2023. His grandchildren were his pride and joy. 
Laura is a junior high school teacher in Chester, Montana; Carson works at the ranch with his dad and grandpa; and Lindsey is in college at Montana State University, having received a basketball scholarship. Butch was an amazing dad to Scott, and a blessing to Terri and the kids as well. His life’s work might have been ranching, but his family was his legacy. He will be forever loved and missed very much.
When I first met, my husband, Bob Schulenberg’s aunt, Pearl Hein, I liked her immediately. She felt like my own aunt, even before we were married, and she became my aunt too. It was just the natural transition of it. Pearl was so welcoming and easy to get along with. I honestly don’t know anyone who didn’t love her. Bob and I used to go to Forsyth, Montana where his grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins lived…most of them anyway. Those who don’t live there, started out in that area. So, we tried to keep our girls, Corrie Petersen and Amy Royce, connected with that part of the family. Pearl and Uncle Eddie were a big part of those visits.
In those days, Pearl was working at the IGA (a grocery store) and honestly, I think the place would have fallen apart without her. For many years she was a fixture in the place, but now she is retired and gets to spend her 
time doing the things she wants to do. It hasn’t been exactly what she had expected or hoped, because of the loss of her husband, Eddie and then three months later, her son, Larry, but she is slowly coming back to feeling more like herself. These days, she spends some of her time visiting her daughter, Kim Arani and son-in-law, Michael Arani in Texas, and she enjoys that. Sometimes a change of scenery is just what is needed to perk a person up, and mother/daughter time is nice too.
Pearl has always had a heart for people. She tries to keep in touch with those closest to her, either by phone or text, and it is always appreciated. We are all busy in life, and so just a periodic text can be an uplifting text can be a bright spot in the day. Pearl still has family in the Forsyth area, and she enjoys getting together with them when she can. She and her sister, Rosalie 
Steinbach were always close. They helped each other with the care of their parents, and I know their parents were grateful. Caregiving is a tough job, and Pearl knows that better than most people. Pearl is such a loving and caring person, and I’m sure that is why I felt drawn to her so much. She never thinks of herself, always others. She wants to make sure that everyone has what they need to feel comfortable and happy. That is just her nature. Everyone else, above self. That’s Pearl. Today is Pearl’s 74th birthday. Happy birthday Pearl!! Have a great day!! We love you!!
As each birthday comes and goes, I am amazed that our grandpa, Walt Hein could have been in Heaven as long as he has. Grandpa was born on May 29, 1906, which means that this is the 117th anniversary of his birth. I so enjoyed spending time with this man on our many trips to Forsyth, Montana over the years. He was so funny and was a ruthless card player. He wasn’t mean…just determined to win. That was similar to my own card playing style, so we invariably played as partners. That left the other two players, one of whom was my husband, Bob and the other who was most often grandma, Vina Hein, to play as partners, and most often lose. Grandma and Bob didn’t really care. They knew that for Grandpa, the win was a big deal, and for them, since it didn’t really matter so much, they decided that it was all in fun anyway.
Our trips weren’t just about cards, however. There were many things to do on the ranch, and sometimes the 
men would go out and take care of the animals, or sometimes, Grandpa would bring our girls out to the corral and lead them around of one of the horses. They had a blast riding the horses. We lived in the country, but in a much more urban kind of country area…or at least because it was subdivided, the places were smaller, and we didn’t think that our five acres could handle horses and the two cows that we raised. We felt like the beef was more important than riding horses. We also didn’t have chickens, so being around Grandma and Grandpa’s chickens was a fun experience for the. I’m not sure what the chickens thought about it, when my girls began chasing them the first time, but I know they didn’t hate that, because they would often stop and look back to see if the girls were still coming, and when they saw that they were, the chickens were off again. I think they got a kick out of it. Grandpa also had a bathtub in the yard…long before that was a thing. When the summer days got hot, Grandpa would fill that tub with water, and the girls got to go “swimming” in that tub. They had a great time, and all of these things really endeared Grandpa to them. It was that Grandpa’s heart. They were always ready to go to Forsyth to visit the family.
When I think about the fact that, if he were still alive, Grandpa would have been 117 years old, I am rather 
stunned. It’s so strange to think that I could have known someone who is now 117 years old. I shouldn’t be surprised, because that statement applies to all of my grandparents, and one would have been even older…one 144 years old. I suppose that as we grow older, having known people from our childhood, it will become more common to know people who are almost 200 years old. Nevertheless, it will probably never cease to amaze me. Today is the 117th anniversary of Grandpa Walt Hein’s birth. Happy birthday in Heaven, Grandpa. We love and miss you very much.
When our cousin, Larry Hein was a kid, my husband, Bob; our kids, Corrie Petersen and Amy Royce; and I went to visit family in Forsyth, Montana every summer. Larry was older than our girls by 6 and 7 years, respectively. That could have made him not want to hang out with the girls, but Larry also had a little sister, Kim Arani, and that made him able to understand the kinds of games and such that little girls wanted to play. Grandma Hein had a playhouse on the ranch she and Grandpa Hein owned, and for the girls, it was the coolest place to play. Larry didn’t mind playing house with the girls, even though it was probably not that interesting for him. He was just that kind of a kid. Easy going and a good brother and older cousin. I was thankful, because the girls wanted to get to know their cousins, and the girls and Kim wanted to play girls games.
Larry was a big help to Grandma Hein too, as I recall. Work on a ranch is really never done, and while kids don’t usually do the work of a ranch hand, they can help with things like gardening, mucking stalls, feeding the chickens and other animals, and definitely playing with the dogs that always seem to be part of a ranch. Larry was a good-natured kid, and he loved his grandparents. He was easy to get along with, and respectful to his elders. He was always a joy to be around.
As an adult, Larry started a mechanics shop and towing service. In the small town of Forsyth, Montana, he was 
pretty much the only show in town on those kinds of services, meaning that he was often busier than he could handle. His shop always had vehicles waiting their turn, and the towing part of the business kept him running a lot. After Larry’s dad, Ed Hein died, Larry did his best to keep his business running while helping his mom, Pearl and his sister, Kim deal with their grief. He was a good man, but Larry lost his life to a heart attack just three months and two weeks later. The two losses were devastating to the whole family. Today would have been Larry’s 54th birthday. Happy birthday in Heaven, Larry. We love and miss you very much.
My husband’s aunt, Esther Hein, as a young girl living in the country near Forsyth, Montana, spent some of her school years living in a “boarding house” of sorts. It wasn’t really, but it may have seemed like it to her, except that the owners of the “boarding house” were her half-brother, Walt Schulenberg and sister-in-law, Joann Schulenberg. The problem Esther’s parents, Vina and Walt Hein, faced was that Esther needed to go to school on a regular basis, and the Montana winters had a way of creating a “snowed in” situation for the people who lived in the country. The people living in town could still get their kids to school, but the long country roads could not always be cleared, and when the snow was deep, they mostly couldn’t. So, they often didn’t try. That meant those kids living in the country didn’t get to school when the snow got deep, and as we all know, missing too much school means that the child isn’t going to pass.
So, in what is really one of the sweetest and funniest stories about Aunt Esther that I know, Esther moved in with her brother and sister-in-law. Things usually went smoothly, but you must understand that Esther was a child, with child-like ways at the time. There were times that she didn’t get along with her brother, sister-in-law, and cousins. It was nothing major, just kid stuff and maybe a little sassiness. My future mother-in-law, and Esther’s sister-in-law, Joann sometimes got tired and annoyed. She might have been able to spank her sister-in-law, but she might not have felt comfortable doing that either. That said, when she was annoyed with Esther, her common comment was “Don’t Esther!!” This might seem like it isn’t very funny, but later in life, my mother-in-law had Alzheimer’s Disease…which isn’t exactly funny either.
Nevertheless, my mother-in-law had her “funny” Alzheimer’s moments, as they all do, if you look beyond the disease. She didn’t always like things like going to bed, taking a walk around the house, or especially telling her to stop scratching her itchy skin. Since I was her caregiver quite often, I was the “bad guy” that made her do these things. Her very itchy skin, and the fact that she scratched too hard, caused injury to her skin, so I had to stop her from scratching. Whenever I try to stop her, she would say, “Don’t Esther!!” The first time she said that I was shocked, but once I heard the “Don’t Esther” story, I finally understood that she was mistaking me for Esther in those moments. For me it was liberating. That meant that sometimes when my mother-in-law was mad at me, I could let Esther take the blame. Sorry Esther, but it worked for me. Today is Esther’s 82nd birthday. Happy birthday Esther!! Have a great day!! We love you!!
I married into the Schulenberg family almost 48 years ago. During the early years, when we would make trips to Forsyth, Montana to visit my husband, Bob Schulenberg’s family that lived there. One such visit was for a family reunion. It was at that reunion, that I first met my father-in-law, Walt Schulenberg’s half-brother, Butch Schulenberg. For many years, I didn’t see Butch again, and then when my father-in-law passed away in 2015, we were making calls to tell family of his passing. I spoke to Uncle Butch, and it was such a nice, even while sad, call, that Uncle Butch became a very dear uncle to me. I love his kind heart and his caring ways. I think everyone loves Butch Schulenberg, because that is the kind of man he is.
Uncle Butch is a veteran, having served in the Army during the Vietnam War. He was a respected member of 
his company. Butch was chosen to be a driver for an officer. Butch told my husband, Bob and me several stories about his driving days in the service. He told us of so many interesting details that he was privileged to know, but at that time could not speak of. During war, the soldiers are very restricted on what information they can share, mostly because disclosing information could be a detriment to the whole company. Now that the war is long-over, the details of their operations are history…very interesting history. That is something Butch ad I have in common too…history. We both love the details of the past, and the impact they have had on the future. I am proud of his service. He is the kind of soldier this nation is blessed to have…and I’m very thankful he made it home.
These days, Uncle Butch is busy enjoying his retirement, and going to visit his children and grandchildren. He 
loves taking pictures around his house in Forsyth, Montana. He is a huge fan of the local school sports teams and goes to or listens to as many games as he possibly can. He is one of their biggest fans. He is very community oriented. He loves his small town and feels very connected to all the people there. He is very much a loved member of the community, and he loves all of them too. Today is Butch’s 82nd birthday. Happy birthday Butch!! Have a great day!! We love you!!
Whenever our aunt, Pearl Hein talked about her husband, our uncle, Eddie Hein, she always called him Big Ed. It was her “pet name” for him…kind of like saying he was her superhero. That is truly how Pearl felt about Eddie. Theirs was a long-standing marriage of 52 years at the time of Eddie’s graduation to Heaven. He was her superhero, and she was his too. It was always fun to watch them, because their personalities were very similar, and yet each was unique.
I first met them on my first trip to Forsyth, Montana to visit my husband, Bob Schulenberg’s family, and the trip was so much fun that for many years we went for a visit every summer. I loved all of the Forsyth family and looked forward to it every year. Eddie and Pearl lived at the edge of town beside the dike that held the Yellowstone River back from the town. Eddie and Pearl always had a vegetable garden, and they canned lots of their food. 
Eddie transformed their house from the original mobile home to a house and decorated it in various places with river rock. The fireplace was a beautiful focal point.
Eddie, and Pearl too, had what I call a smiling face. Their whole face smiled with they smiled, and that is a very cool kind of face to have. I think it is a sign of a really happy person too. They loved to entertain, and they loved to laugh and joke. Some of my fondest memories are when they were picking on my husband, Bob. He had long hair back then, but everyone in the hippy generation did, so he wasn’t alone. Eddie was always threatening to give him a buzz cut, and one time went after him with the shears, but of course, they weren’t plugged in. Nevertheless, it was funny, and unless you looked closely, you might think they were plugged in. The picture is funny anyway. It’s funny stuff like that that I think I miss the most about Eddie. There was really never a dull moment when we were over at their house.
Eddie went home to be with the Lord on October 16, 2019, and I still can’t believe he is gone. He had a stroke a few years earlier, and fought his way back, with much help from Pearl, who was his “rock” during those days. I think one of his happiest moments after the stroke, was when he was able to walk his daughter Kim down the aisle when she married Michael Arani on October 7, 2017. I don’t think he thought he would be able to do it, but Eddie was a strong man, and he was determined. I’m so happy that he got to see that day. Today would have been Eddie’s 79th birthday. Happy birthday in Heaven, Eddie. We love and miss you very much.
If your are from Forsyth, Montana, you most likely know our uncle, Butch Schulenberg. It’s not just because Forsyth is a small town of only 1495 people, so it is easy for everyone to know everyone else, but Butch Schulenberg is really special person within the Forsyth family. For one thing, he grew up the son of the local sheriff, and especially in a small town, that means everyone knows you, and might have even asked for you help when it came to matters of trouble with the sheriff. I doubt if his friends ever got into any real trouble, but kids will be kids. It’s just the way it is. I also doubt if Butch had a lot of pull when it came to getting his friends out of trouble, but then Sheriff Andy Schulenberg had a very different style when it came to policing the people of Rosebud County Montana. He didn’t even carry a gun, but that’s another story.
Uncle Butch grew up loving sports, and was a local sports hero. He still actively supports the local teams to this 
day. It doesn’t matter to Butch, if it’s the boys teams, the girls teams, or the little league teams. They are his teams and he is a very loyal man. Knowing so many f the town’s people helps too, because he knows these kids personally. He has watched them grow up and cheered them on in every endeavor. You can’t beat the blessing of knowing all those great kids, and having them know you too. Butch never met a stranger, and calls everyone his friend. I like that, because while he is my husband, Bob Schulenberg’s uncle, he is mine too, by marriage. Nevertheless, I don’t even consider the “by marriage” part, because Butch Schulenberg is my uncle just as if I had been born into the family, and I love him very much. He even cheers me on 
in my writing endeavors, and that pleases me very much. Butch is like…everybody’s cheerleader. He loves to see people succeed and loves to cheer them on to that success.
Butch is also a proud husband, father, and grandfather. His kids, Tadd, Andi Kay, and Heath have 7 children between, and they all love their grandpa very much. Like the kids of Forsyth, Butch is one of his grandchildren’s biggest fans. He loves hearing about their activities and attends whenever he can. He tries very hard to be a hands-on grandpa, and they love him very much. Today is Uncle Butch’s 81st birthday. Happy birthday Uncle Butch. Have a great day!! We love you!!
