Montana 'Tana' Rae Ibsen, 62

Montana "Tana" Rae Ibsen graciously passed away on Dec. 9. 2004, in Pleasanton, Calif., at a premature age of 62.

Tana was born on Feb. 21, 1942, in Spokane. At a very young age she moved to Whitefish,where she graduated from high school in 1960.

After graduation Tana was employed by the U.S. Forest Service, but extended her skills to retail services. Eventually she entered into a partnership and opened a wonderful children's clothing store called Tyke Town in Whitefish.

Life eventually pulled her away from Whitefish where she began working as an office manager for the family plumbing business. She was quite adaptive and soon became indispensable in the day-to-day business operations. Tana worked until such a time as she was unable to cope with her physical complications.

Tana loved her family and made each occasion a joy with her cooking skills, humor and a laugh that was certainly addictive. You could always count on her to answer that plaguing trivia question or shed a positive light on your problem. She was the family encyclopedia, historian, card shark and confidant that could calm any screaming child. In her later years she began spreading her joy by organizing ventures to England, Ireland and numerous European countries. The sky was the limit and her quest for traveling experiences was insatiable.

Tana is survived by her loving husband, Richard Ibsen; daughter, Lacey Ibsen; son Mitchell and Erika Ibsen; sister, Penny and Steve Ulness; brother, Gerry and Leslie Hunsinger; sister-in-law, Doreen and Ben Cavin; five loving granddaughters who adored her, Lehnora, Severena, Sonja, Katja, and Anja.

She will also be sorely missed by her nieces, nephews and numerous friends.

Tana is preceded in death by her parents, Bob and Gert Hunsinger and in-laws, Ivan and Darlene Ibsen.

"We will all miss her warm disposition and infectious smile that she easily gifted to those around her. She had a way of making you feel safe, secure and loved with her loving embrace, twinkling blue eyes and tender heart."

A memorial service in honor of her life will be held 2 p.m. on July 13, at the Christ Lutheran Church in Whitefish. Memorials in the honor of Montana Rae Ibsen, should be sent to local foundations and hospitals as a gift to all, which is the way she lived her own precious life.