Olive Dorothy Simpson, 93

Olive Dorothy Simpson passed away Nov. 6, 2009, at Buffalo Hill Terrace in Kalispell, with her family by her side. She was born June 3, 1916, in Redwing, Minn., to Helen Bollum and George H. Shearer. They moved with elder sister Hazel to Laurel, where Charles, Harold, George and Helen joined the family. Olive graduated valedictorian of the class of 1934, but was not able to use the scholarship because her dad didn t think girls needed to go to college. She went to work at the local drugstore and cleaned at a boarding house where she met the most handsome man in town, Jerry Simpson. They married Aug. 15, 1937. Children, Beverly, Bruce and Kathleen were born in Laurel. In 1953, Jerry was promoted to car foreman on the Burlington Railroad in Mandan, N.D. They lived there until retiring in 1974 to a small acreage near Belgrade. In 1982 they moved west of Kalispell to be near the Braig family. Widowed after 57 years, Olive moved to Buffalo Hill Terrace in 2001. Olive was a beautiful seamstress, loved to bowl, play bridge and learned to follow the career of Tiger Woods in her later years. She fixed perfect poached eggs and was famous for her lemon meringue pies. She was a member of Epworth United Methodist Church and proud to have a lifetime rail pass. Known for her chatty personality, she liked to win at Jeopardy and was pretty good at Wii bowling. She altered her own clothes until she was 90. Olive leaves behind her three children; six grandchildren, Rob Braig, Courtenay Braig, Kiersten Alton, Brandee Tyree, Tammy Sides and Jason Yarmer; and 14 great-grandchildren; her sister, Helen, of Palm Desert, Calif.; special nephew, Darrell Anderson; and niece, Maureen Stoleson; plus other extended family members; her adopted daughter, Pat Freebury; and many friends at the Terrace. A celebration of life was held Nov. 8. Her ashes will be spread along the Gallatin River next summer at a family gathering. Memorials may be given to Epworth Church, 329 Second Ave. East; or Buffalo Hill Terrace, 40 Claremont St. To send condolences, please go to www.buffalohillfh.com. Buffalo Hill Funeral Home is caring for the family.