Grace I. Larkin, 96

Grace I. Larkin, 96, a lifetime resident of Columbia Falls, died Saturday, Feb. 7, 2009, at Colonial Manor in Whitefish. Born Sept. 17, 1912, in Columbia Falls to Arthur and Ida Green, Grace attended Columbia Falls schools, graduating from Columbia Falls High School in 1930.

She was later married to Bud Darling.

During the construction of Hungry Horse Dam, she had operated the Snack Shack Cafe; she also had been a telephone operator and a dispatcher for the Columbia Falls Police Department. Grace later had been employed by the U.S. Postal Service in Columbia Falls as a clerk and sorter.

She married Henry "Hank" Larkin in 1952.

Grace and Hank had lived in the Teakettle area and later at Lee's Meadow on Tamarack Road (now Meadowlake), as well as residing at their place on Ashley Lake and spending winters in Apple Valley, Calif.

Grace had been a longtime member of the United Methodist Church and Royal Neighbors of America, as well as serving as a volunteer at the Klothes Kloset community clothing store.

Hank preceded her in death in 2001. Also preceding her in death were her siblings, Wilfred "Bud" Green, Vera Darling and Hank Green.

Survivors include her sons, Gene Darling and wife, Mary, of Los Alamos, N.M., and F. Scot Larkin and wife, Stephanie, of Columbia Falls; a stepdaughter, Barbara Buentemeier, and husband, Ron, of Columbia Falls; her grandchildren, including Peggy Hoppe and husband, Bill, of Columbia Falls; as well as several great- and great-great-grandchildren.

Graveside services will be held at 2 p.m. Friday, Feb. 13, at Woodlawn Cemetery in Columbia Falls under the direction of Columbia Mortuary.