Mabel E. Boe, 84
Mabel E. Boe, 84, of Kalispell, died of cancer Wednesday, April 23, 2008, in Kalispell, surrounded by her loving family and friends, and the caring staff of Immanuel Lutheran Home.
Mabel Eloise Poor was born Feb. 24, 1924, to her beloved "Mama," Della Ida Ella (Anderson) Poor, and father, Velluvius Collins Poor, in Littlefork, Minn. After her ailing father left home, 4-year-old Mabel and her six brothers and sisters were raised by their mother. They lived in desperate poverty, often having only stale bread, moistened with water or lard, to eat. The girls' jumpers were fashioned from old World War I uniforms. But the family was able to stay together, with the older ones working to help support them all.
Mabel graduated from high school in Littlefork. Her mother was very proud of her, as she was the only one of the children to do so. Mabel valued education and encouraged others to get a good education and to support the local schools and Flathead Valley Community College.
As the Great Depression finally ended, the Poor family began moving west, many settling in the Flathead. All were self-sufficient and industrious. Mabel remained thrifty her whole life but was always generous to those in need.
Shortly after moving to Kalispell while working at the Norden Hotel, 19-year-old Mabel was introduced to a "real steady, hard-working guy," a woodsworker named Henry "Hank" Boe. He took her to a movie that same night. Mabel married Hank on April 28, 1943. He was a sawyer and operated Hank's Garage on what is now Center Street in Kalispell. They had three children, Beverly, Paul (who died in infancy) and Douglas. Hank died in 1972. Mabel was a homemaker while the children were young. As the children became more independent, she worked as a waitress at the B & B. She eventually started up and managed the food services at Buffalo Hill Golf Course. She held this position for many happy years. She loved golfing and shot a hole in one in 1980. She was awarded a lifetime membership at the golf course when she retired. Mabel really felt at home in the "clubhouse" and made many lifelong friends there.
Mabel loved socializing and was often employed to host parties and society events. Her leisure time and retirement were spent with her closeknit Poor family and her many dear friends, joking, dancing, playing cards and attending music jam sessions several times a week. She attended school and community concerts of band, orchestral and choral music. She enjoyed classical, folk, old-time country music, jazz, swing, rock and roll, accordion and fiddle music. Most of all, she loved people, music and dancing.
She belonged to a home demonstration club, PTA and women's bowling league in the early years. She was a member of the Eagles, Buffalo Hill Golf Course, Jazz Society and several card-playing groups. She also traveled all over the west, parts of the south, and Alaska and Hawaii.
Mabel attended Sunday school at the Littlefork Baptist Church every Sunday through her childhood and high school. While her children were growing up, she was active in the Salvation Army. In later life, Mabel was baptized in the Lutheran Church.
Everyone loved to be around Mabel. She was kind-hearted, gentle and so quick to smile. She'd often laugh so hard that the tears would flow.
Mabel Boe was preceded in death by her husband, Hank; her infant son, Paul; her dear grandson, Paul Michael Boe Mosby; her brothers, Chancy, Val and Jesse Poor; and sisters, Ada Jaquith and Della Robinson.
She is survived by her older sister, Viola Johnson, of Harlowton; daughter, Beverly Boe, and husband, David Mosby, granddaughter, Taylor Torgerson, and husband, Rob Torgerson, all of Kalispell; son, Douglas Boe, and wife, Lou Ann Carver, and grandson, Ryan Boe, all of Spokane.
Funeral services will be held 1 p.m. Tuesday, April 29, in the Johnson-Gloschat Funeral Home Chapel, with burial following at Glacier Memorial Gardens. Reception will follow at Bethlehem Lutheran Church Fellowship Hall.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Children's Transportation Fund of the Flathead Shrine Club, P.O. Box 762, Kalispell, MT 59903, or the Paul Boe Mosby Memorial Scholarship Fund at FVCC, 777 Grandview Drive, Kalispell, MT 59901.
Johnson-Gloschat Funeral Home is caring for Mabel's family. You are invited to go to www.jgfuneralhome.com to offer condolences and to sign Mabel's guest book.