June 10th, 2015

Margaret Helen Fudge
Margaret Helen Fudge passed away on June 2, 2015 following a stroke.  Her husband, Charles W. Fudge of Polson, daughter Julia Short of Layton, Utah, and daughter Amy Tate of Woodbridge, Va. were by her side. Their first child, Joseph W. Fudge, was born in 1961 with severe birth defects and died 11 years later. Julia J. Fudge was born November 10, 1962 followed by Amy S. Fudge on April 19, 1965. Margaret and Charlie were married 56 years.
Margaret was born October 28, 1935 in Cedar Falls, Iowa to Helen (Hodsdon) Leavitt and Edward Townsend Leavitt. She grew up in LaGrange, Ill. and like her parents attended Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa. Margaret graduated in 1957 with a degree in Home Economics with emphasis in household equipment. She worked for McCall’s Magazine in New York City.  
Charlie graduated from Iowa State but wanted to enroll in forestry at Montana University in Missoula after his Navy tour ended. While sitting on a Coney Island beach, Charlie asked if Margaret would support him. She answered, “Yes.” Charlie’s Navy tour ended and the two married on December 27, 1958 in LaGrange, Ill.
Their life with the U. S. Forest Service began in 1961 at the Ant Flat Ranger Station near Fortine. The next year they moved to the Sylvanite Ranger Station, also on the Kootenai National Forest. As a city-raised girl, Margaret soon adjusted to rural living. She learned Western vocabulary (cricks, rigs, over yonder, dippin’ snoose, corked boots), cooking wild meat, and the rest of Western flavor. She lived in a home drawn and designed on a cedar shingle, boarded skunks under the house, used crank telephones, and used electricity produced by a WWII destroyer escort generator. The city girl took all this with humor, grace, interest, and challenge. She lived in faith that a grocery store would no longer be a “fur piece away”.  
Those dreams were answered when the family moved to Deer Lodge for eight years.  Margaret sewed dresses for two daughters, served as a Girl Scout leader, led Jayceen projects, and enjoyed small town living. Lifelong friends remain there. Next it was back to the country at Ninemile Ranger Station on the Lolo National Forest. She learned the history Ninemile played in wildland firefighting in the 1930s and found new neighbors to enjoy. 
After living in Missoula for the next five years, Charlie, Margaret, and Amy moved to northern Virginia while Charlie worked in the Forest Service national office. This was a great opportunity to travel extensively along the East Coast, viewing diverse sites and enjoy many cultural events. Margaret especially appreciated shopping opportunities and unique markets.
Their final Forest Service tour led them to Arvada, Colo. where Charlie retired. 
They could now fulfill their dream of world travel. Together they visited 34 countries. Margaret really loved the shopping challenges. Highlights included an earthquake in New Zealand, breakfasts in Scandinavia, staying in the U. S. Embassy in Bern, touring Warsaw with two couples who escaped the Holocaust, sleeping in a tent in the Sahara Desert, and visiting the grave of her brother (Ralph Leavitt) in Eastern France. He had been captured by the Germans and died only five days before the end of WWII.  Margaret and Charlie moved to Polson in 1993.
Margaret loved the simple pleasures of creating a home and serving her family through her talents of hospitality, teaching, counseling, nursing, sewing, cooking, tending flowers, and making jam. She led a full life as a caring mother, wonderful wife, creative homemaker, friend of many, and a believer in God’s grace. In her later years Margaret faced mounting health issues with grace, acceptance, and positive outlook. She never complained nor exhibited bitterness. Margaret lived for her husband, children, and grandchildren.
Margaret’s mother, father, son, brothers Ralph and Edward (Ted) Leavitt, and sister Carol Leavitt Mullen preceded her in death.
 Margaret is survived by daughters Julia (Geoff Short) and Amy (Sam Tate), her brother, Gordon (Margaret), nieces Nancy Wilbur, Kathy Beaudry, Cindy Donath, Diane Millette. Her nephews include Ralph Leavitt, David Mullen, Don Mullen, Bill Mullen and Andy Mullen. Margaret’s surviving grandchildren include Rebecca Pica, Russell Pica, Avery Short, Caleb Short, Joseph Tate, and Jillian Tate.
Margaret’s memorial service begins at 10 a.m., Saturday July 11, 2015, at the Presbyterian Church, 301 4th Avenue E, Polson, MT 59860. A reception will follow. Please make memorial donations to: Shriners Hospitals for Children, 911 W 5th Avenue, Spokane, WA 99204. Messages of condolences may be sent to www.TheLakeFuneralHomeAndCrematory.com.
Arrangements are under the direction of The Lake Funeral Home and Crematory.

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Laurel Lea Kennedy
Laurel Lea Kennedy, 74 of Anaconda, passed away on Monday, June 8, 2015 at Community Medical Center in Missoula.
She was born on June 16, 1940, in Missoula, of Reuben Weber and Margaret Dow.
Laurel was preceded in death by her parents Reuben Weber and Margaret Dow, brother Wayne Weber, and daughter Tammie Clawson.
Survivors include her husband Robin Kennedy, sister, Margaret Rainwater (Joe), daughters Jackie Manley (Nick) and Renée Kennedy, sons Chuck Gilman (Dayna) and Greg Fatzinger (Brooke), many grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews.
Services will be held Friday, June 12, 2015 at 2 p.m. at Garden City Funeral Home in Missoula.
In lieu of flowers, you may donate to your charity of choice.

Betty Bailey
Betty Bailey, Grandma Betty to us all, would have been 92 years old today. She passed away peacefully August 21, 2014, on a lovely summer evening.
Betty was born June 13, 1923 in Prentice, Wis., a small town of 300.   Her father died from an accident when she was only three, leaving her mother to raise six children during the depression. At 17 Betty moved to Chicago to become a beautician then subsequently worked for General Electric.. Shortly after that her brother Ralph asked her to come out West to Winston, Ore. to help him in his new café. That is where she met Ben, a single dad of Bobby, six and Barbara, three. She fell in love with the whole package and they were soon married. In the next few years they added two more “B”s to their family tree with children Bonnie and Bill. During their time raising their family, Ben’s logging business and then mining took them to several small communities in Oregon and California which they enjoyed, but when they settled in Deer Lodge, they truly felt at home. They loved being involved with their community. Betty’s love of sewing became a little business. She made clothes for her family and friends and worked on projects from quilts to bunny costumes. She was a very active member of the Altar Society, sang in the church choir, organized charity projects and lent a helping hand anywhere she was needed.
Betty was preceded in death by her husband Ben in 1993 and her beloved daughter, Barbara in 2001. In 2002 she moved to Bend, Ore. to live near her daughter Bonnie. She soon made wonderful friends and continued to enjoy singing, dancing, sewing and spreading her gift of joy. As she progressed through her sometimes difficult journey with Alzheimer’s she shouldered it with a deep sense of faith in God, dignity, her sense of humor and always her beautiful smile. 
Betty is survived and will always be cherished by three children, 10 grandchildren, 21 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild. A Memorial Mass will be held at the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church with the Rev. Joseph P. Fleming Officiating on Saturday, June 13, 2015 11 a.m. followed by a luncheon and celebration at the St. Mary’s Center, generously assisted by parishioners who knew and loved “Grandma Betty” Everyone is welcome to attend.

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