coachedforlife.com

Coached for Life has now been printed and our web site has just launched. We are currently beginning to promote the book.

We will be updating this page regularly to keep it FRESH and bring you Meaningful News!

Ed Flaherty & Jack Uldrich

Our good friend and teammate played his last game of life on August 26, 2010. I was privileged to spend an hour with him in his final hours. Our friendship included grade school, high school, college and army/marine time in Washington, D.C. Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. Today is the present so called because it's a gift!

MISSOULA - Great Falls native, Central Catholic High School and College of Great

Falls graduate Byron Louis Weber, 65, a decorated Vietnam Marine Corps veteran and retired educator who was a passionate environmentalist, died of progressive lymphoma Thursday in Missoula.

A celebration of his life is 11 a.m. Friday at the Florence Carlton School gym, followed by a walk through his outdoor classroom and a picnic. Attendees are invited to bring a small rock to add to a memorial rock pile to be built for him. Cremation Society of the Rockies handled cremation.

Byron Louis Weber was born in Great Falls on May 3, 1945, to Wilfred and Helen (Demarest) Weber, and died Aug. 26, 2010, in Missoula, the victim of progressive lymphoma. He lived briefly in the Sweetgrass Hills and Shelby prior to moving to Billings. He received his primary grade education at Highland and Fratt Memorial schools in Billings and Ursuline Academy in Great Falls. At Great Falls Central High he wrestled, played football as an end for the 1962 state championship team, and was active in student government as the student body president and Boy's State delegate. Byron's story on the gridiron and afterward was recently documented in Coached For Life by Ed Flaherty, the story of the championship team - the men, the coaches, and their lives after football. At the College of Great Falls, Byron majored in biology, graduating in 1967. During this time period he developed a passion for living things which evolved into a lifetime theme. He also served in leadership positions, including student body president.After graduating from the College of Great Falls, he enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps and went to Vietnam as a second lieutenant in the infantry. He was awarded the Bronze Star Medal with Combat "V." After an honorable discharge from the Marines, he traveled across the country to personally visit the families of his men who died in combat. In recent years, he participated in reunions of his Vietnam unit. Last year he was instrumental in obtaining a posthumous medal of valor for a medic who died in action. After Vietnam, Byron followed his quest to see more of the world, hitchhiking through South America for 18 months, returning with more experiences than he could ever relate, including floating down the length of the Amazon. Back in Montana, he worked in the Yogo sapphire mines, hayed in the Sweetgrass Hills, and finally settled in the Bitterroot area. While there, he lived in a cabin and spent countless hours in the outdoors making detailed observation about his natural surroundings. From his meticulous notes over the seasons, he developed a natural history calendar for the area. Byron returned to school at the University of Montana, where he obtained his teaching credentials and first taught at Target Range Middle School. He then found a perfect fit teaching at Florence from 1984 until he retired in June of this year, mirroring his mother's career as a first-grade teacher. Byron and Jane Byard were married in Missoula on May 17, 1986. They have one son, Nick, who graduated from Big Sky High School in 2006 and Montana State University in 2010. Upon Nick's high school graduation, the family traveled to South America, recapturing part of Byron's original quest. Byron's interest in classifying his world began at his grandparents' ranch in

grandmother rushed into the house, retrieved her bird book, and identified the bird. With this instrumental influence, Byron's house was filled with specimens and species, including a butterfly collection (with a butterfly he discovered) in his living room and tarantulas crawling in a terrarium on his counter. He passionately taught about the environment to countless fans as the Bug Guy on MTPR's "The Pea Green Boat." He was a part of the first Earth Day celebration in Washington, D.C. He established an exemplary outdoor classroom at Florence Carlton School, which was dedicated to him on Earth Day this year. Byron was also a founding member and vice-president of the Missoula Butterfly House. Byron lived by the Golden Rule as a person who was generous, tolerant, encouraging, gracious and thoughtful. He weighed his words before speaking, and always made time for everyone. His presence enhanced his home, his school and his community. Byron was preceded in death by his father, Wilfred; nephew Ryan Van Luchene; and cousin Kay Girard of Scobey. He is survived by his wife, Jane, of Missoula; son Nick of Bozeman; his mother, Helen, of Kalispell; brothers, Steve (Bethany) of Kalispell, Greg (Lois) of Anchorage, Alaska, Mark (Lou Rae) of Twin Bridges, Stuart (Sas) of Belgrade; and sister, Jane Christman (Lanny) of Dutton. At the celebration of his life, please also bring a lawn chair, a pie and a story about Byron to share.

SAN FRANCISCO — Rev. Harold Paul "Bud" Arbanas, 86, a retired priest of the Diocese of Great Falls-Billings, died on Saturday, Dec. 4, 2010, in San Francisco, after a long and courageous battle with prostate cancer. Cremation has taken place.

A vigil service is scheduled to be held at St. Ignatius Chapel on the campus of Seattle University on Friday, Jan. 21, 2011, in Seattle. A liturgy to celebrate his life will take place at St. Ignatius Chapel on Saturday, Jan. 22, 2011, at Seattle University. A mass of Christian burial will be held at St. Ann Cathedral in Great Falls at 12 noon on Tuesday, Jan. 25, 2011, with interment to follow at Mount Olivet Cemetery, where he will join his grandparents Mary and Vincent Arbanas, his aunts, Mary Tuss and Lucille Arbanas, and numerous Tuss cousins.

Father Arbanas was the son of Walter Joseph "Walt" and Marguerite (O'Brien) Arbanas, and was born in Yakima, Wash., on Sept. 20, 1924. He grew up in Wapato, Wash., until his senior year in high school, when he moved to Black Eagle to live with his grandparents. He graduated from Great Falls (Mont.) High School in 1941, and then entered St. Edward's Seminary in Kenmore, Wash. He was ordained a priest of the Diocese of Great Falls by Most Rev. William J. Condon at St. Ann Cathedral on May 30, 1948. He celebrated his first Mass at St. Peter Claver Church in Wapato, Wash.

He was assigned to serve as an assistant priest at St. Ann Cathedral from 1948 to 1952. In 1950, he was also assigned to serve as assistant principal of Great Falls Central Catholic High School. During the summers, he attended Seattle University and received his master's degree in 1954, at which time he was named principal of Great Falls Central and moved to Holy Family Parish. During his tenure as principal, Life Magazine issued an article about Great Falls Central's students, faculty and staff.

In 1962, he completed his position in Great Falls and was assigned to serve as principal of Billings Central Catholic High School, and remained there for five years. In 1967, he was assigned as pastor of St. Margaret Mary parish in Big Sandy, Mont. In 1968, he returned to Great Falls to serve as diocesan superintendent of Catholic schools. As the diocese restructured its offices, Father Arbanas was named director of the newly established Office of Education that same year. In 1972, he was reassigned as superintendent of schools. He returned to parochial duties in 1973, having been named co-pastor of St. Francis Xavier Parish in Circle, Mont., St. Michael Mission in Savage and St. Francis de Sales Mission in Richey.

In 1974, he accepted an appointment as superintendent of Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of Denver. He returned to Great Falls in 1977 and spent a year administrating a student release time program.

In 1978, Father Arbanas again returned to parish ministry and was named administrator of St. Pius X Church in Billings. In 1982, he was granted a leave of absence to apply his knowledge and skills in the Exodus Program of the religious order Servants of the Paraclete in St. Louis, Mo. The Exodus Program supported the efforts of priests and men and women religious to renew themselves professionally, emotionally and spiritually.

In 1990, he retired from active ministry and moved to Albuquerque, N.M., where he pursued his interest and talents in art and pottery at the University of New Mexico. In 1995, he moved to San Francisco and, from 1996 to 2002, he worked for the Vatican II Institute as a part time spiritual director at St. Patrick Seminary in Menlo Park.

On Nov. 2, 1971, Father Arbanas was elected as a member of the Constitutional Convention of Montana, one of a 100 delegates statewide. He was also the first president of the National Federation of Priests' Councils.

Besides being recognized for his many capabilities and always "a job well done," Bud was a leader. His family, friends and associates experienced a man who listened well and was empathetic to all who came to seek his counsel. He was a great storyteller and had an infectious sense of humor. He was an innovator — often "ahead of his time." He brought the best out of everyone that he interacted with. The depth of his character came from his deep and dynamic faith in God. He was a man who "walked the talk."

He was an accomplished ice skater and downhill skier in his earlier days — often taking his cousins ice skating on the weekends.

His family experienced his gentleness and sensitivity. He always had time to engage in a personal conversation, where he did most of the listening. And often he was the "life of the party." He had an active and impactful pastoral presence in our lives. There were so many family baptisms, first communions, marriages and funerals that he was present for — adding his insights to enrich the regular rituals. Family members looked forward to those gatherings when Bud helped them all feel closer to God and to one another.

Father Arbanas is survived by a sister, Marjorie Joyner of Anchorage, Alaska; and several nieces and nephews of the Arbanas and Joyner families from three generations. In addition he is survived by several cousins of the O'Brien and Tuss families. He was preceded in death by his brother, Walter Joseph "Wally" Arbanas.

I am 44 years old and this book brings back memories of my junior high practices! I have read many many books and this book easily slides up into the 1st spot (at least for sports books). Fantastic story and read. I love how the old coach said to ask him again in 15 or so years how his season went. Perfect!