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- FORT BENTON - Benoni Stephenie "Ben" Redant, 96, of Fort Benton, a longtime farmer and a native of Belgium, died of natural causes Friday November 16, 2007 at Missouri River Medical Center.
Visitation is 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday at Benton Funeral Home and one hour prior to funeral service at the First Christian Church. His funeral is 11 a.m. Friday at the First Chris-tian Church with burial at Riverside Cemetery Fort Benton.
Survivors include granddaughter Yvonne Redant, great-grandson Thomas Redant and grandson Ben Redant, all of Regina Sask., Can-ada and grandson John Redant of Charleston S.C; a sister, Margaret O'Hara of Great Falls; nephew Mike O'Hara of Fort Benton; nieces Patricia (O'Hara) Szudera of Havre, Mary Louise (O'Hara) McShane of Lolo, Paulette (Re-dant) Heguilustoy of Bakersfield, Calif., Annette (Redant) Morfin of Carson City, Nev.; and numerous great- and great-great-nieces and nephews.
Ben was born July 16,1911, near Aalst, Belgium, the fifth son of Prosper and Cardula Redant. After World War I the Redant family came to the United States in 1919, through Ellis Island, and settled in Everett, Wash., where Ben earned his high school diploma. In 1931 the Redant family bought a ranch on the Teton River north of Fort Benton and Ben moved to Montana shortly after.
Ben married Ferne Hanson in May 1935, and they were devoted to each other for over sixty years. Ben and Ferne made their home north of Fort Benton on the Hanson homestead in the Goosebill area and farmed there until their retire-ment in 1974. They had one son, Phillip, who preceded his parents in death in 1998, and a daughter-in-law Julie, who died six months later in 1999.
Ben and Ferne were always de-voted to their grandchildren but especially after their parents' deaths.
Ben was very state- and civic-minded, including his efforts with area growers in the founding of Montana Grain Growers Associa-tion and his fund raising efforts for the St. Claire Hospital, now the Missouri River Medical Center in Fort Benton. He was a faithful member of the First Christian Church in Fort Benton.
Ben loved playing cards, reading and state and national politics of which he always held a strong opinion. Ben lived his life on his own terms, including helping others.
In addition to his wife, son and daughter-in-law, Ben was preceded in death by his brothers, Emery, John, August and Leo Redant, and an infant niece.
His family and friends will greatly miss Ben's engaging per-sonality and dedicated love.
Memorials are suggested to Missouri River Medical Center or to the charity of your choice.
Condolences may be posted online at www.gftribune.com/obituaries.
To Plant Memorial Trees in memory, please visit our Sympathy Store.
Published in Great Falls Tribune on Nov. 19, 2007.
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1911 - 2007 (96 years)
