Margaret Gesek, 72

Margaret Gesek, 72, died on Nov. 21, 2008, at Kalispell Regional Medical Center. The cause of death was a stroke. Her son and daughter were at her side at the time of her passing.

Margaret was born Aug. 4, 1936, in Dover, Del., the youngest of three daughters to Dauphin and Marie Wharton.

She attended elementary and high schools in Dover and later studied at Stratford College in Danville, Va.

Margaret returned to Dover, where she worked for the state government.

She married Wayne Shanahan of Whitefish while he served as a pilot in the U.S. Air Force. A devoted mother, Margaret raised two children in a career military family. Despite frequent deployments and other hardships faced by military families, she always created a loving home environment. The marriage lasted 31 years.

Upon Wayne's retirement, Margaret moved with her family to Whitefish, where she established deep roots in the community. She worked in retail stores at Big Mountain and Whitefish, making lasting friendships with employees and customers.

She married Robert Gesek in 1996, and continued to reside in Whitefish before moving to Columbia Falls a few years later. In retirement, Margaret volunteered her time for her church and community charities. A wonderful cook and baker, she frequently prepared meals for her friends and neighbors.

Margaret was an avid outdoor enthusiast. She enjoyed walking and loved nothing more than to travel to the mountains with Bob to pick huckleberries and mushrooms. She was especially fond of Glacier National Park and made many trips there to enjoy the rugged mountain scenery. Margaret was adored by her family and friends for her kind heart, gentleness and sense of humor. One of her greatest joys was becoming a grandmother to Fiona Margaret in 2007.

Margaret is survived by her husband, Robert Gesek, of Columbia Falls; her sisters, Mary Sugrue of Carmichael, Calif., and Dauphine Palenski of Dover; her daughter, Mary Shanahan, of Santa Barbara, Calif.; her son, Tom, and daughter-in-law, Irena; granddaughter, Fiona Margaret Shanahan, of Galloway, N.J.; stepdaughters, Diane Delaney of Missoula, and Patricia Merlot of Federal Way, Wash.; and stepson, Bobby Gesek, of Great Falls.

Services will held at 11 a.m. Nov. 25 at Saint Richard's Roman Catholic Church in Columbia Falls. A lunch will be held afterward.

The family requests that donations be made to St. Jude's or a local food bank.