Mary Ruth (Lapp) Oesch, 94

Mary Ruth (Lapp) Oesch, 94, passed away Saturday, May 24, 2008, at Heritage Place in Kalispell. She was born in Roseland, Neb., on Aug. 26, 1913, to Frank and Lena (Kauffman) Lapp.

Mary moved with her family to the Flathead Valley and attended Flathead County High School. She married Harold Oesch on Sept. 9, 1934, in a double wedding with her sister, Anna Birky, in Creston. Harold and Mary farmed in Creston for a few years before going to work in the woods logging. In 1959, the couple moved to Hesston, Kan., where they both worked at Hesston College. Harold worked on the grounds, and Mary worked in food service. In 1977, they moved back to the valley and settled on Willow Glen.

Mary was a member of the Mountain View Mennonite Church and loved to quilt, crochet, garden, read and travel.

Mary was preceded in death by her husband, Harold, in 1999; two sisters; and three brothers.

She is survived by three sons, Donald and Mary Oesch of Stryker, Ohio, Duane and Leona Oesch of Nampa, Idaho, and Glen and Lois Oesch of Salem, Ore.; one daughter, Shirley Brenneman, and husband, Clifford, of Kalispell; 16 grandchildren; 39 great-grandchildren; as well as five brothers, Jay Lapp of Lakeside, Ed Lapp and Wayne Lapp, both of Kalispell, George Lapp of Columbia Falls, and Floyd Lapp of Molalla, Ore.

Graveside services for Mary will be at 1 p.m. Tuesday, May 27, at C.E. Conrad Memorial Cemetery. Visitation will be from noon to 5 p.m. Monday, May 26, at Johnson-Gloschat Funeral Home. Memorial services will be at 2:30 p.m. Monday at the Mountain View Mennonite Church in Creston.

Johnson-Gloschat Funeral Home and Crematory is caring for Mary's family. You are invited to go to www.jgfuneralhome.com to offer condolences and sign Mary's guest book.