Catherine 'Kitsie' Akey, 77

Catherine "Kitsie" Akey, passed away Monday, Feb. 20, 2007, after a courageous eight-year battle with Alzheimer's disease.

Kitsie was born Oct. 31, 1929. She was the third child to John A. and Susan C. Lindsay of Great Falls. She attended grade school at McKinley Elementary and the Ursuline Academy until moving to Whitefish to complete the remainder of her primary education. Kitsie graduated from Whitefish High School in 1947. She attended St. Catherine's in Minnesota and the University of Montana in Missoula.

She met and married the love of her life, Homer "Gub" L. Akey, in 1949. From that union came the focus of the rest of her life, her six children.

Kitsie and Gub took their young family to California in 1960 in pursuit of life's dreams and the care of her ailing father. Their journey brought them back to Montana in the late '60s, and for the next 40 years she and Gub found joy and excitement in many venues and interests. They retired to Whitefish in the mid '90s to enjoy family and the fruits of their diverse careers.

Kitsie was preceded in death by her parents; brother, Jack Lindsay; and sisters, Peggy MacDonald and Mary Jo Larsen.

She is survived by her children, Susan Bender, and her husband, Terry, of Prescott, Ariz.; Carrie Connors and Dean Ulrich, of Newark, N.J., Lindsay Akey and Kathy, of Whitefish; Catherine Eithier and Steve Aaberg, of Billings; Rob Akey and Kim, of Whitefish; and Peggy Shoemaker and Bruce, of Tucson, Ariz.; 13 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren; sister-in-law, Laverne Lindsay, of Great Falls; brother-in-law, Reg MacDonald, of Whitefish; sister- and brother-in-law, Leora and Rob Grinde, of Sykesville, Md.; numerous nieces and nephews; and a tremendous collection of lifelong friends.

We will miss her dearly and always admire her strength, courage and style.

There will be a rosary at 7 p.m. Friday at Austin's Funeral Home. A Funeral Mass will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday at St. Charles Catholic Church in Whitefish, with Father Charles Roman officiating.

The family request any donations made to the North Valley Hospital Foundation.