Jordan LaBree

Funeral Service for Jordan LaBree, 84, of Ekalaka will be 2:00 pm Wednesday, October 18, 2023 at Stevenson Funeral Home in Ekalaka with Jesse LaBree officiating. Burial will follow at Beaverlodge Cemetery.

Visitation for Jordan will be 12:00 – 2:00 pm Wednesday, October 18, 2023 at Stevenson Funeral Home in Ekalaka.

Jordan Lee LaBree passed away on October 9, 2023, at Dahl Memorial Nursing Home in Ekalaka, Montana surrounded by family.

Jordan was born in Miles City, MT, on November 9, 1938, the second son of John Earl LaBree and Mary Frances Jordan LaBree.

He grew up on the family ranch, south of Ismay, MT on Ranch Creek with his 3 brothers, and 2 sisters.  Jordan attended O’Fallon school at Pat LaBree’s for one year.

(Written by Jordan:  I graduated from the 8^th grade at Ismay in 1953.  I ranched with my dad when I wasn’t working on other ranches.  I worked for Bickles in 1955.  I batched with Buster Hamby the winter of ’57 and ’58 on the old Nate Hamilton place.  I worked for Mrs. Manroe the spring of ’58 and stayed on when the Joneses bought the place the summer of ’58.  I went to work for the MaKay Ranch in the fall of ’58 when the Joneses to the Hunt Oil Co.  I worked for Don Steen the summer of ’59 at Watoga, SD.  I stayed at the Fulton Ranch in the winter of ’60 for Wallace and Love.

I served in the Army for two years, most of it in Germany, starting the fall of ’61.   After the service, I helped Bunn Castleberry out some, the winter of ’64 and ’65.  I then worked for Earl Whitney in the spring and summer of ’65. 

I married Shirley Laureen “Rene” Frye on January 4, 1966, in Belle Fourche, SD.   We moved to Arthur, Nebraska and worked until the fall of ’66.  We came back to Ekalaka where John Edward “Bud” was born on December 7, 1966.  We then went to work for Glen Rugg for a year, starting the fall of ’66.  We moved to a grazing association in North Dakota in the spring of ’68 followed by moving to the old John Henry place in January of ’69 and we have been here since.

Lee Tat was born on November 25, 1969.  I had helped Elgin Miller a few times in the 50’s on the place where we now live.)

Jordan enjoyed bowling and was a good calf roper as shown with the buckles and trophies. 

He was a local brand inspector for over 40 years.  For many years, Jordan served on the grazing district board and was member of the Stockgrowers.

Jordan hated weeds with about as much passion as he hated a broken wire or a staple out in a fence.  He always wished he lived 100 years ago so there were no fences, and he could have raised a herd of horses, long horn cows and 2-year-old steers.

Jordan and Rene purchased a ranchette on Sunday Creek, moving there in 2013.

After moving, he spent a few days a week at the ranch, fencing, cleaning spring boxes and tanks, spraying weeds and tending his horses.

Jordan enjoyed playing most any card game but really enjoyed pinochle.  The main reason he went to the Baker Fair was to play pinochle with Roy Williams, Bud Brown, Mike Murphy, and Marvin Gookin.  He also spent a lot of time playing cards at the local sale barns and enjoyed many games of cribbage with family members.

Jordan was proceeded in death by his wife, his parents, brother Harold, and brother Larry.

He is survived by his son Bud(Amy), Brandee Maier and Tyann(Kory) Gausen, son Lee(Cam), granddaughters Hannah, Heather, and Heidi, brother Emmett LaBree, sister Johnella Lambert, sister Julie Livengood, and numerous nieces and nephews.

Should friends desire, memorials may be made to the Carter County Museum, Range Riders Museum, or charity of ones choosing.