Mary Josephine 'Mary Jo' Ten Eyck, 85

Mary Josephine "Mary Jo" Ten Eyck, 85, passed away on Thursday, May 4, 2006, at Health Center Northwest.

She was born in Kalispell, graduated from Flathead County High School and during her childhood spent many days hiking in and around the valley. Throughout her young life she worked at businesses which her parents owned, The North Star Dairy and The Silver Grill Restaurant.

While working at The Silver Grill she met the love of her life, George Ten Eyck, and they married on Feb. 5, 1944. In the early years of their marriage they moved with George's construction work but as the family grew, she decided they needed a permanent home and they moved to the family farm north of Kalispell, where she lived for over 50 years.

In the fall of 1962, she went to work as a cook at Kalispell Regional Hospital and later became the manager of the dietary department, retiring on Aug. 7, 1981. A few years later she went back to the hospital as a volunteer and again retired when she felt her eyesight was no longer good enough to drive.

For a short period of time, during her early married years, she and her husband and two of her children lived in a three-wall tent in the Middle Fork area. She also accompanied her husband on many a hunting outing. "Family was very important to our mother, and her favorite thing to do was spend time with her children and grandchildren." The family spent many fun-filled days during the summer just enjoying the great outdoors.

Her parents, an infant grandchild and her husband preceded her in death.

She is survived by her four children, a son, James S. Ten Eyck and special friend, Anita Kair of Mesa, Ariz.; daughters, Georgia Gimbel of Choteau, Sharon Horne and husband, Richard, of Mesa, and Sandra Hawk and husband, Richard, of Kalispell; also nine grandchildren, numerous great-grandchildren, and two great-great-grandchildren.

In the last few years she resided at Prestige Assisted Living, where she made many new friends and felt if she couldn't live on the farm, this was a pretty good place to be.

She had a strong belief in God and country. She was a lady to the end and will be dearly missed by all who truly knew her.

In lieu of flowers the family request donations be made to the Hospital Foundation in Kalispell, the American Cancer Society or the donor's choice.

Buffalo Hill Funeral Home and Crematory is caring for the family.