Olga Braaten Rhoads, 93

Olga Braaten Rhoads, 93, of Kalispell, passed away on April 19, 2005, at the Heritage Place in Kalispell.

Olga was born Aug. 23, 1911, in a log house south of Wolf Point, to Markus and Borghild Braaten on their homestead. Olga attended school at Sunnyside until eighth grade.

Olga married Linder Rhoads in Wolf Point on Oct. 25,

1930. They had two sons, Ezra and Lawrence.

Olga lived most of her life in the Wolf Point area before moving to Kalispell in 1956 with her parents. She helped raise many children, cleaned many houses and ironed many shirts in her lifetime.

She enjoyed reading her Bible, going to meetings and being with her extended family.

Olga entered Heritage Place in 1992, being one of their first residents when they opened, and considered it and the staff her "home" and family. She was also their oldest resident at the time of her death.

Olga was preceded in death by her parents; brothers, Howard, Arnold and Henry Braaten; sisters, Sylvia Bauer, Gladys Baker and Alice Christensen; and a son, Ezra "Zeke" who died in April, 1987.

Survivors include her son, Lawrence "Larry" and wife, Irma, from

Billings; daughter-in-law, Darlene Rhoads of Laurel; sisters, Helen Bates of Somers, and Mary "Joe" Schrock of Seattle; brother, Murrel "Bud" Braaten of Wolf Point; sisters-in-law, Norma Braaten of Everett, Wash., and Irene Braaten of Kalispell; and brother-in-law, John Christensen of Kalispell. She is also survived by seven grandchildren, 18 great-grandchildren and several great-great-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held at Buffalo Hills Mortuary at 3 p.m. Friday, April 22. Visitation will be from noon to 7 p.m. Thursday, April 21. Burial will be at Glacier Memorial Gardens.

Pallbearers will be nephews, Ed, Hardy, Jim and Duane Braaten, Rod Bates and David Christensen.

Music will be provided by her nieces and nephew, David and Mary Ann Christensen, Judy Quigley and Marcia Hagbom, with Keith Benjamin at the piano.

Officiating at the service will be Vernon Joyce, Justin Reynolds and Julia Brist,

Buffalo Hill Funeral Home is caring for the family.