Powder River Examiner -

Cecil Elwood Kolka passed away peacefully on February 25, 2019 at Holy Rosary Health Center in Miles City at the age of 87.

Cecil was born on December 2, 1931 to Violet May and Arthur Kolka. He was born on the Percy Bird place at Coalwood and moved with his family to the Decker place in 1935 and then the Scott place (previously the Paul Fetter place) in 1950.

Cecil started grade school at the early age of 5 at South Stacey School. It only took him 7 years to complete all 8 grades there as he went through the 3rd and 4th grade in the same year. He graduated from Custer County High School in 1948 at the age of 16 and returned home to work on the ranch with his family.

On November 8, 1951 he was sworn into the US Navy and went through boot camp in San Diego, CA. He was then transferred to a Naval Ordinance Test Station in China Lake, CA on the Mojave Desert where he worked as an Aviation Structural Mechanic. The final 14 months of his tour he was aboard an aircraft carrier with 80 planes. He spent time in the Philippines, Japan, China and Cuba. Cecil was awarded the Navy Good Conduct Medal while serving aboard the attack aircraft carrier USS Essex #9. The award was made for completing three years on continuous active service, displaying outstanding "fidelity, zeal, and obedience." He was honorably discharged on October 25, 1955 at Bremerton, WA.

Cecil returned home to Montana and settled back into the family ranch. On November 18, 1957 he married his long-time sweetheart Delores Green. They built a home on the ranch where they raised their 5 children and worked with his family under the name of Kolka Cattle Company and later Kolka Livestock LLC.

Being involved in the community was important to Cecil. He was one of the founding members of the Stacey Roping Club in 1954 and helped build the roping arena on the Kolka Ranch. He held many of the offices as well as helping to host an annual rodeo for many years.

He was a 4-H leader for 9 years and was instrumental in the development and building of the Stacey Memorial Hall. He also served as a trustee for the South Stacy School in District No 90 for 26 years, 15 of those as Chairman of the Board. He served on the Powder River County ASCS Board and the Predator Control Board.

Cecil was especially proud of raising quality commercial red angus cattle as well as raising and riding good horses. He was someone who never met a stranger, always had a smile to share and loved his family, ranching, flying, roping and hunting.

Cecil is survived by his wife Delores of Miles City; five children: Dean (Jill) Kolka of Olive, MT, Melanie (Ray) Stocks of Bozeman, MT, Marlys (Jon) Stevenson of Dickinson, ND, Melissa (Jeff) Zamora of Cheyenne, WY and Mona (Kirk) Moore of Choteau, MT; one brother Donald (Mary Rose) Kolka of Volborg, MT; fourteen grandchildren and eleven great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by two sisters: Dorothy Fahl and Arleen Richardson.

Visitation will be held on Friday, March 1, 2019 at Stevenson & Sons Funeral Home with family receiving friends from 4:00-6:00 p.m. Funeral services will be held on Saturday, March 2, 2019 at 1:00 p.m. at Grace Bible Church in Miles City. Interment will follow in the Custer County Cemetery with full military honors. Condolences may be sent to the family by visiting: http://www.stevensonandsons.com.

Should friends desire, memorials may be made to the Stacey Memorial Hall, c/o Emily Madsen, 68 Stacey Road, Volborg, MT 59351.