Mary Elizabeth Allabaugh, 53
"It is with deepest sorrow that the most wonderful woman who touched so many lives followed the Angels home to be with our Lord" on Dec. 23, 2007.
Mary was born on July 18,1953, to Kenneth and Elizabeth (Betty) Nutzman, in Bemidji, Minn. The family moved to Montana when she was 2, it was here that she called home.
On Oct. 6, 1975, she married the man of her dreams, Edward Allabaugh, and soon became the best mother two children could ever have, Misty Angel Allabaugh and Thomas Grant Allabaugh, both of Columbia Falls. She adored each of us and never failed to tell us how proud she was or how much she loved us.
Mom never passed on an opportunity to go with us on field trips or volunteer at school. She took us to school in the best and worst of weather, never making us ride the bus. She made sure we had everything we needed, from the time we were born until the day she passed.
Mom was the perfect example of a wife, mother, grandmother, daughter, sister, and friend. The past 15 months she felt so very blessed to have a new grandson, Mathew Dyllan Allabaugh, born on Aug. 7, 2006. One of her greatest joys was getting on the floor and playing "peekabooser" or teaching him how to dance.
Mom was happiest with her family, whether it be spending hours fishing on Lake Mary Ronan or hunting Thompson River, so long as we were all together she was happy.
There are not and never will be the words to express how much we will love and miss her.
One special little boy, Colten Mathew Jacobsmeyer, could turn any of her frowns upside down; for that and for him we will be eternally grateful for the impact he had on not just his "Gram Sam's" life but on ours too. Mom laughed from deep within, she loved from her heart and she lived to love and please her family.
She is survived by her husband, Ed Allabaugh; daughter, Misty; son, Thomas and his wife Adriann, along with grandson Mathew, all of Columbia Falls; her special boy, Colten Jacobsmeyer, of Kalispell; mother Betty Nutzman; brothers, David and James Nutzman, of Salt Lake City; brothers, Ron and Dick Nutzman, of Columbia Falls; sisters, Judy Counsell of Salt Lake City, and Sandy Lainhart of Tulsa, Okla.; along with many nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles and cousins.
She was preceded in death by her father, Ken; brother, Bobby; and numerous aunts, uncles and cousins.
"Mom is now pain free and happy in the arms of our Lord. This is not a final good-bye but merely a farewell until we meet again in God's Heavenly Kingdom. Myself along with Dad, Tom, Adriann, the boys, and all your family and friends will miss you deeply, but we shall rejoice in the knowledge that you are now at peace in Heaven. You will forever be our Christmas Angel. We will never stop loving or missing you … Be Happy Mama."
A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 29, at the Columbia Mortuary in Columbia Falls.