Beulah Sandenaw Wigfield, 93

Beulah Sandenaw Wigfield, 93, of Polson, died of natural causes on Feb. 9, 2006, at St. Joseph Medical Center in Polson.

Beulah was born in Martinsdale, on March 21, 1912, to Bertina and Thomas Sandenaw. Her parents were both born in Sanda, Norway. Her father came to America first and settled in North Dakota. His birth name was Torgerson, but since there was so many Torgersons living there, he changed his last name to Sandenaw, which was his mother's maiden name.

Beulah's mother was in poor health, and she wanted to go back to Norway for a visit. Beulah, her mother, and her brother, Arthur, went to Norway where they lived for a year. While there, she learned to speak Norwegian, and when she returned to Martinsdale, she had to learn to speak English, again. When Beulah was 4 years old, her family moved to Harlowton. Her mother died two years later and she became the lady of the house. By the time she was 9 years old, she did the cleaning and cooking for her family. She and her brother both graduated from Harlowton High School. While she was in high school, she worked and kept books for her father's grocery store.

On Sept. 15, 1932, she married John Wigfield at his parent's home in Harlowton. John had just finished college, and they moved to some acreage John's father owned west of Polson, in Irvine Flats. They had two daughters, Joan and Joyce. The girls helped their father round up cattle, brand calves, and many other jobs. They lived at their ranch in Irvine Flats for 43 years and she spent her time there cooking three meals a day and washing clothes for the hired men, who also lived with them. They needed a lot of help for plowing, haying, milking cows, picking rocks, and building a barn.

After selling the ranch, they bought a home on Bayshore Drive in Polson, where Beulah lived for 25 years. Her husband preceded her in death in 1993, and in 2000, she moved closer to her daughter, Joyce and her husband, Marvin Carlyle.

Beulah enjoyed playing bridge, going to hobby club, and bowling. She was a member of Rebecca Lodge and the Polson Community Church. She enjoyed being with people of all ages.

Beulah was preceded in death by her husband, John Wigfield; her son-in-law, Nat Scarcella; her grandson, Craig Carlyle; her brother and sister-in-law, Arthur and Loretta Sandenaw; and her sister-in-law and her husband, Ruth and Mitch Phillip.

Surviving Beulah are her daughters, Joan Wigfield Scarcella of Long Beach, Calif., and Joyce Wigfield Carlyle with her husband, Marvin Carlyle, of Polson; three nephews, Tom Sandenaw and Debbie of Las Cruces, N.M., Richard Sandenaw and Gail of El Paso, Texas, and Dr. Douglas Phillip and Arlene of Federal Way, Wash.; three grandsons, John Scarcella and Karen of Visalia, Calif., and Joe Scarcella and Jim Scarcella of Long Beach; four nieces, Carole Sandenaw Blessinger and Bob of Pendleton, Ore., Rochelle Sanchez and Carmello, and son of Fort Collins, Colo., Andrea Frandsen and Doug, and four children, Phillip, Mathew, Tom and Laura Rose of East Missoula, and Gloria Phillip of Missoula; three great-grandchildren, John Scarcella of Elismore, Calif., twin girls, Ashley and Chelsea Scarcella of Long Beach; and several grandnieces and grandnephews. She also leaves her toy poodle, Angel, who she loved dearly.

Visitation will be held from 9 a.m. until noon today, Feb. 11, at the Grogan Funeral Home Chapel. The funeral service will be held 2 p.m. today, Feb. 11, at the Polson Community Church with Rev. Dick Widerholdt officiating.

Arrangements are under the direction of Grogan Funeral Home of Polson.

Donations may be made in Beulah's name to the Polson Community Church. Condolences may be sent to the family at www.groganfuneralhome.com.