Adelaide A. Fystrom, 95

Adelaide A. Fystrom, 95, died at Community Medical Center in Missoula on Thursday, Jan. 27, 2005.

She was born on May 15, 1909, to Theodore and Anna (Hanson) Andrew in Mayville, N.D. She attended country grade school and academy high school and two years of college at Mayville Normal School. She began her teaching career at the age of 18.

In 1932, she married Wayne Reese and three children were born to this union. They lived on their farm, raising purebred shorthorn cattle until her husband's death. She then went back to teaching.

In 1948, she married Edwin Fystrom and moved with her family to Bigfork. She continued her teaching career and received her undergraduate degree in 1960. She also received her master's degree from Eastern Michigan University in 1965.

In 1952, there was a developing interest in the social and educational problems of exceptional children. In 1955, a bill was passed to permit the establishment of classes for educable mentally-retarded people. Adelaide accepted the challenge to initiate the first class for EMR - in Montana - in Glasgow in 1957, Missoula 1961, and Whitefish 1965. She retired from teaching in 1969 at Eastern Montana College in Billings where she was assistant professor.

Adelaide was a member of Bethany Lutheran Church in Bigfork and a professional education organization, PEO. She sang in church choirs all her life and also directed church choir. She taught Sunday school and church summer school. She wrote a tribute book honoring her heritage, "Put On The Coffee, Ma."

She traveled to visit her family who were scattered throughout the United States, Alaska and Europe.

Adelaide is survived by her three children, Virginia and Austin Mac Innis, Gordon and Mary Ellen Reese, and Margaret and Gary Brooks; and four grandchildren and four great- grandchildren.

She had been living at the Bitterroot Valley Living Center in Stevensville at the time of her death.

Services will be held at a later date in Bigfork. The Whitesitt Funeral Home and Cremation of Stevensville is in charge of arrangements.