In 1965, Montanan pilot Dean Pogreba pulled up into the clouds over North Vietnam and was never heard from again. That left his wife and kids to always wonder: Was he still out there? Over the years, a few clues and stories gave his family hope. Maxine Pogreba lived her own full life before and after her husband died, but without someone to bury, she had to find her own path of grief and memory.

Reported and narrated by Charles Bolte, alum of UM Journalism’s graduate program.

In 1965, Montanan pilot Dean Pogreba pulled up into the clouds over North Vietnam and was never heard from again. That left his wife and kids to always wonder: Was he still out there? Over the years, a few clues and stories gave his family hope. Maxine Pogreba lived her own full life before and after her husband died, but without someone to bury, she had to find her own path of grief and memory.
Reported and narrated by Charles Bolte, alum of UM Journalism&rsquo;s graduate program.

Stories about the lives of real Montanans after they die. Co-hosted by old friends and colleagues Jad Abumrad (founder of Radiolab and creator of Dolly Parton’s America and 2025’s Fela Kuti: Fear No Man) and University of Montana professor and journalist Jule Banville (An Absurd Result). This 12-episode production of the Montana Media Lab at the UM School of Journalism started with a class of college students learning about the long tradition of obituary writing. It culminated with them and other journalists creating a new form that explores universal truths, legacies and reckoning with the memories of those we love. Hear the stories wherever you get your podcasts and on Montana Public Radio. 

Stories about the lives of real Montanans after they die. Co-hosted by old friends and colleagues Jad Abumrad (founder of Radiolab and creator of Dolly Parton&rsquo;s America and 2025&rsquo;s Fela Kuti: Fear No Man) and University of Montana professor and journalist Jule Banville (An Absurd Result). This 12-episode production of the Montana Media Lab at the UM School of Journalism started with a class of college students learning about the long tradition of obituary writing. It culminated with them and other journalists creating a new form that explores universal truths, legacies and reckoning with the memories of those we love. Hear the stories wherever you get your podcasts and on Montana Public Radio.&nbsp;

The Obit Project

Vanished in Vietnam

When she was in high school, Lotus Porte-Moyel interviewed her neighbor, Ellen Baumler, about being a successful woman. Ellen’s success was measured in history books – she wrote 13 of them about the people and places of Montana and was the historian when it came to its capital city of Helena. But really? She was possibly best known for her good work on ghosts and Montana’s many spooky spots.

Reported and narrated by Lotus Porte-Moyel, current student at UM Journalism

When she was in high school, Lotus Porte-Moyel interviewed her neighbor, Ellen Baumler, about being a successful woman. Ellen&rsquo;s success was measured in history books &ndash; she wrote 13 of them about the people and places of Montana and was the historian when it came to its capital city of Helena. But really? She was possibly best known for her good work on ghosts and Montana&rsquo;s many spooky spots.
Reported and narrated by Lotus Porte-Moyel, current student at UM Journalism

The Ghost Lady Is My Neighbor

Brendon Galbreath’s death was covered by most major news stations in Montana. He died after being pulled over. At first, it wasn’t clear if a cop shot and killed a 21-year-old citizen of the Blackfeet Nation in Missoula or if he died by suicide in that moment. But this isn’t a story about that. It’s about the beautiful moments we share with our friends, the kind that never show up in news stories.

Reported and narrated by JoVonne Wagner, alum of UM Journalism currently at Montana Free Press

<a href="https://dailybruin.com/2021/09/18/friends-and-family-of-brendon-galbreath-remember-him-for-his-kindness-drive">Brendon Galbreath</a>&rsquo;s death was covered by most major news stations in Montana. He died after being pulled over. At first, it wasn&rsquo;t clear if a cop shot and killed a 21-year-old citizen of the Blackfeet Nation in Missoula or if he died by suicide in that moment. But this isn&rsquo;t a story about that. It&rsquo;s about the beautiful moments we share with our friends, the kind that never show up in news stories.
Reported and narrated by JoVonne Wagner, alum of UM Journalism currently at Montana Free Press

Friends Till the End

Everyone from Dillon knows about the elephant struck by lightning and buried on the spot in what’s now the fairgrounds. But few are as obsessed with telling and remembering the story of Old Pit as Jack Kirkley, who taught for many years at the college there. He thought it would be a good idea to dig up the bones and display Dillon’s elephant in a history museum, but he found out others might dig him up one day if he tried that. Pit came by circus train to Dillon and never left. This is her story.

Reported and narrated by Jacob Baynham, alum of UM Journalism and current Adjunct Professor there

Everyone from Dillon knows about <a href="https://tphistoricalsociety.org/the-last-robinson-elephant">the elephant struck by lightning and buried on the spot</a> in what&rsquo;s now the fairgrounds. But few are as obsessed with telling and remembering the story of Old Pit as Jack Kirkley, who taught for many years at the college there. He thought it would be a good idea to dig up the bones and display Dillon&rsquo;s elephant in a history museum, but he found out others might dig him up one day if he tried that. Pit came by circus train to Dillon and never left. This is her story.
Reported and narrated by Jacob Baynham, alum of UM Journalism and current Adjunct Professor there

Vanished in Vietnam

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