Hermie Florence (Ray) Kruse Kinyon, 88

Hermie Florence (Ray) Kruse Kinyon, 88, of Shelby, passed away Saturday, Sept. 17, 2005, at Marias Care Center in Shelby due to natural causes.

Hermie was born April 16, 1917, in Hermiston, Ore., to William D. and Orpha Ray. The family moved to Oilmont when Hermie was young where she grew up and graduated from high school.

At 19, she married Lester Ernest Kruse in 1936 in Shelby. In 1941, they made their home in Cut Bank, where Hermie was a dedicated homemaker. Lester died in 1980.

She married Brondle Edward Kinyon on Feb. 21, 1987, in Columbia Falls. They lived on the farm near Galata and in later years spent winters in Yuma, Ariz., and summers at their cabin near Essex.

She was a member of Galata Lutheran Church and St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Cut Bank.

She loved to paint, making cards for her family and traveling. She also enjoyed being outdoors fishing, camping and going out to the desert. Family was the most important thing to Hermie.

She was preceded in death by her first husband, Lester Kruse; siblings, Morris Ray, William "Bud" Ray, Margaret Ray Haney, Dorothy Ray Farrell and great-grandchildren, Crystal Wilson and Eric Willis.

She is survived by her husband, Brondle Kinyon, of Shelby; her children, Shirley Kruse and Norman Nash of Yuma, Ariz., and Donald L. and Mary Kruse of Kalispell; stepdaughters, Jane and Curt Shaffer of Shelby, and Jean and Dexter Aspevig of Bozeman; as well as 13 grandchildren, 10 great-grandchildren and three great-great-grandchildren.

Her memorial service was held Sept. 20 at St. Luke's Lutheran Church in Shelby with burial of ashes in Valley View Cemetery. Whitted Funeral Chapel was in charge of arrangements.

Condolences can be sent to the family at www.whittedfuneralchapel.com.