Jane Margaret Harshbarger Riedinger, 86
Jane Margaret Harshbarger Riedinger, 86, died Tuesday, June 20, 2006, at Immanuel Lutheran Home in Kalispell. She was born Dec. 23, 1919, at Weyers Cave, Va., to John and Mattie Marie (Ruckman) Harshbarger.
At the age of three, she moved with her family to eastern Montana. Her parents homesteaded a section of land near Antelope. They were of the Mennonite faith and were dryland wheat farmers.
Jane was the second eldest of 20 children. She attended school near Antelope, often walking the three miles to school or being driven in a horse-drawn wagon. She attended high school in Plentywood, living with a family and working for them for her room and board. She dropped out of high school after her junior year to go to work as a mother's helper in Minot, N.D.
On Aug. 28, 1938, she married Arthur L. Riedinger and moved to St. Paul, Minn., where she had three children, Patricia, JoAnn and Arthur Jr. Because Art was a Teamster, they moved wherever construction was booming. They went next to Boise where Bonnie and Richard were born.
The family ended up coming to Montana in 1948 to work on the Hungry Horse Dam. Another son, Michael, was born after moving to Montana.
One of the first homes Jane lived in was a large Army mess tent in Martin City. Because of the dam being built, there was no housing. She never complained but set up housekeeping as best she could. She even learned to fend off a bear from entering the tent one night.
On June 10, 1952, Jane became a young widow when Art was killed on the job at the Hungry Horse Dam. Her oldest son, Art, at age 10 took Jane out in the field behind the house near Columbia Falls and taught her to drive the family truck. She quickly mastered driving and moved her children to Kalispell, where she bought her first home and got her first job working at Woolworth's Store.
Jane was a very hard worker and she instilled excellent work skills in each of her children. She worked at many different jobs from logging camp cook and janitress, to nurses' aid and an Avon lady for many years. She was not afraid to do whatever she had to do to make ends meet.
Jane joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints later in her life and enjoyed having visiting teachers come to visit.
She was always troubled by the fact that she did not graduate from high school, so she decided to get her GED before her oldest grandchild graduated from high school. This she accomplished to the pride of her family, receiving her certificate in 1975.
'Until we meet again, we will miss your wonderful sense of humor and your soft kisses. We love you.'
Jane was preceded in death by her husband, Art; four sisters, Madlyn Brown, Elizabeth Egeberg, Lone Lagerquist and Besie Kerlin; and six brothers, Joseph Harshbarger, Jasper and Jeremiah Harshberger, Shepard Harshbarger, James Harshbarger and an infant, Vernon Harshbarger.
She is survived by her six children, Pat Swanberg and husband Ted, JoAnn Oftedahl and husband Melvin, Bonnie Flagg and husband Stan, Michael Riedinger and wife Melanie, all of Kalispell; Art Riedinger and wife Mary of Prosser, Wash., and Richard Riedinger and wife Ardith of Storm Lake, Iowa; six sisters Minnie Richardson of Duvall, Wash.; Evelyn Miller of Irrigon, Ore.; Ann Carter and husband Clarence, and Gloria Caudill and husband Tom all of Kalispell; Carol Torpen of Martin City; Bonnie Mudgett and husband Lee of Dewey, Ariz; three brothers, Bob Harshbarger and wife Marilyn of Shelby, Vincent Harshbarger and wife Norma of Lewiston; and Galen Harshbarger of Williston, N.D.; 17 grandchildren, David Swanberg, Kelly Kopitzke, Jan Swanberg, Melodee Curtis, Leonard Oftedahl, Karen Thurston, Susan Robison, Michael Todd Riedinger, Thailia Johnson, George Bland, Tony Bland, Dion Riedinger, John Riedinger, Jody Orth, Destiny Townsend, Mikelle Riedinger, Aurora Riedinger and Jeremy Turner; 30 great-grandchildren, Daniel and Audrey Turner, Paige, Lindsey and Lauren Swanberg, Dylan, Megan and Lucas Kopitzke; Alexander Swanberg, Andrea Swanberg-Bostwick; Devin and Ivy Curtis, Crystal, Melissa, Angela, Matthew and Jonathan Oftedahl, Derek, Kyle Davis and Kelsey Thurston, Christina and Kimberly Bland, Andrew and Shawna Bland, Bryce and Dustin Landon, Shavonna, Dion Jr. and Christopher Riedinger, Tarren Hillborn, and Zayden Townsend; one great-great-granddaughter, Alaura Swanberg-Bostwick; one great-great-grandson, Casey Bland; along with many nieces, nephews and many, many friends.
Funeral services for Jane Margaret Riedinger will be held at 11 a.m. Monday, June 26, at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints on Whitefish Stage Road in Kalispell, with burial to follow at C.E. Conrad Memorial Cemetery. Visitation will be from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, June 24, in the Johnson Mortuary Chapel and at the church one hour prior to service time.
Johnson Mortuary and Crematory is caring for Jane's family.