Lois Eccleston, 83
Lois Eccleston, 83, passed away "peacefully" Thursday morning, Feb. 1, 2007, at the Community Hospital of Anaconda.
Lois Jane was born June 10, 1923, in Anaconda, the oldest of three daughters born to Harry and Margaret (Bertsch) Barnard. Lois' mother died when she was 6 years old. She was raised by her father and educated in Anaconda.
On June 17, 1942, she married Sylvan William Eccleston in Anaconda. They made their home in Anaconda, where he worked for the Anaconda Company and she worked at Milkovich Grocery In 1954, they moved to Columbia Falls, where Sylvan worked at the aluminum plant and Lois worked at Davall mercantile.
They were blessed with a daughter, Diane. Sylvan retired in 1985. Sylvan and Lois would spend the next 16 years living in Yuma, Ariz., in the winter and at Georgetown Lake in the summer on Eccleston Bay. In 2002, they moved into Anaconda.
Lois was an avid reader, and enjoyed music, baking, making the best chocolate cake, playing cards - especially pinochle - and sewing. Her greatest love was spending time at Georgetown Lake with grandchildren and great-grandchildren, where the evenings were spent watching the sunsets over the lake and meadow.
She is preceded in death by her parents; and two sisters, Anna May and Viola.
Survivors include her loving husband of 65 years, Sylvan, of Anaconda; daughter, Diane Slobojan, and her husband, Tim, of Kalispell; four grandchildren, Teresa Monaco and her husband, John, of Anaconda, CWO2 David Slobojan-USCGC-Fir of Astoria, Ore., Mike Slobojan and his wife, Lisa, of Snohomish, Wash., Jerome Slobojan and his wife, Jill, of Kirkland, Wash.; seven great-grandchildren, Meagan, Marcus, Michael, and Mitchell Monaco, Taylor, Connor and Courtney Slobojan; sister-in-law, Ester Eccleston, of Butte; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Service of remembrance for Lois will be conducted at 11 a.m. Monday, Feb. 5, at the Anaconda Chapel of KT Riddle Funeral Homes, with the Rev. William Wohlers officiating.
Memorials are requested to the Anaconda School District Special Olympics, c/o Anaconda School District.
Services and cremation are under the care of the KT Riddle Funeral Homes.