EDITOR’S NOTE: In June, 2020, I reported that Janet Guptill, publisher of the Jordan Tribune and a great friend to this newspaper, had suffered a stroke and that the Jordan Tribune had suspended publication. Sadly, I just recently noticed that Janet had passed last October. I always enjoyed our long conversations. Janet and I kept putting off a project to work together on a story about POW camps in Montana during World War II. There aren’t very many newspaper people like Janet left, and that’s a shame for our newspapers and the communities they serve. The Sun Times offers belated condolences to Janet’s family and to her friends and subscribers in Jordan.
The Jordan Tribune in Jordan, Montana is located across the street from a memorial erected in the memory of a B-17 crew that perished in a crash in nearby Sand Springs. The photo was taken in May, 2017.
Janet Fay (Spannagel) Guptill, age 87, of Jordan Montana, passed away peacefully at the Garfield County Health Center in Jordan, Montana on Friday, October 22, 2021.
Janet was born May 12, 1934 in Forsyth, Montana to John and Dorothy (Tait) Spannagel. Janet went to Howard Grade School and graduated in 1947 and graduated from Forsyth High School in 1951.
Janet married Lester Guptill Jr. in Forsyth, Montana on April 21, 1951. After graduating she joined Lester at Fort Lewis, Washington. She then returned to Forsyth when Lester was transferred to Fort Richardson, Alaska. After Lester returned, they lived in Forsyth. Their first son, Stuart, born on January 31, 1954, they moved to Bozeman, where their daughter, Cynthia was born March 4,1956. Janet worked as a meat wrapper, salesclerk, and in the bakery before going to work for the Sheep Department at the Animal Science Department at Montana State University in 1957. Lester graduated from MSU in 1959. They moved to Cut Bank, Montana and later moved to Broadus, Montana. Their Second son, Scott, was born on April 26, 1960. After living in Broadus for two years, they returned to Bozeman where Lester later returned to MSU and Janet worked and helped move books from the old library to the new one. In 1962, Lester and Janet moved to Jordan, Montana where their third son, Grant, was born on August 23, 1966. Janet worked for Ryan’s Grocery, for the Husky Service Station and Cafe, at the Garfield Title and Insurance, and as editor for Jordan Tribune from 1970-1981. She then worked for Mid-Rivers Telephone in 1981 for two and a half years as editor of their publication “411” that she started there. In 1982, she began working on an advertising publication called The Prairie Breeze for two years in Miles City. She began The Tradewind Shopper in Miles City, then moved the business to Jordan, which ran till health issues caused the closure in May 2020. In 1991 she started the Garfield County Very Own Local Paper and changed it to the Jordan Tribune till May 2020.
Janet enjoyed many activities, including Civic Club, 4-H and American Red Cross.
She was preceded in death by her parents, John and Dorothy Spannagel; her husband, Lester Guptill, Jr.; and infant daughter, Cynthia.
She is survived by her three sons Stuart (Renee) Guptill of Buffalo, South Dakota, Scott (Audrey) Guptill of Havre, Montana, and Grant (Cheryl) Guptill of Joplin, Missouri; grandchildren Denise (Tom) McMillan of Duvall, Washington and Jeff Guptill of Missoula, Montana; great-grand children: Kenny and Kellen McMillan, and Dakota, Trinity and Ember Guptill; and great great grandchildren Addison Guptill; a brother Morris (Mae) Spannagel of Hysham, MT; step grandsons Stephen (Sarah) Black and their children, Ella, Ian and Asa, of Springfield, Missouri and Jaymes (Vicki) Black and their children, Aurora and Sadie of Green Bay, Wisconsin and step granddaughter, Hannah Higginbotham of Joplin, Missouri; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Should friends desire, memorials may be made in lieu of flowers to the charity of one’s choice in Janet’s name.
A Funeral Service was held Friday, October 29, 2021 at the VFW Hall with interment at Hearts of Peace Cemetery in Brussett, MT.
Condolences to the family may be sent by visiting www.stevensonandsons.com.