Edna B. Kelch, 91

Edna B. Kelch, 91, passed away on Sunday, Nov. 22, 2009, at Kalispell Regional Medical Center in Kalispell. She was born on April 10, 1918, in Galata, the daughter of Martin and Bertha (Wollan) Dukleth. As a small child her family moved to the Badrock area south of Columbia Falls. She attended grade school at Badrock and Columbia Falls, until her senior year in high school when the family moved to their log house at the entrance of Tally Lake. She graduated from Flathead County High School in 1937. Edna met and married Everett Kelch in the summer of 1937. Together they built a home near her parents and farmed and cleared the land. They had their first three children, Ellen, Larry Dean and John. World War II began and the family moved to Seattle to work, making things for the war effort. Their son John passed away at nine months, so Edna put their two children in daycare and went to work as a drill press operator. After the war, the family moved back to the Flathead to their home in the Bissell community. Edna and Everett had three more children, Lloyd, Sherry and Robert Bob. The family farmed, milking cows and sold the cream to the Equity supply as ice cream. They fed the milk to the calves and pigs. In the fall of each year they would cut Christmas trees. Edna baked bread, cakes, cookies and pies and enjoyed cooking large dinners. She also canned fruit and had a large garden every year. We were always fishing and she loved the fresh trout. Edna was always proud of the fact her children all graduated from high school. In 1969, she and Everett divorced and she went to work at the Viking Lodge in Whitefish as a housekeeper for about 15 years. She later went to work at the Snowline Tree Company, where she made wreaths and Christmas rope. While working at the Viking, she also started a love for china painting and made many plates, dishes and cups. She stayed on the farm where she fed the cows in the winter and cut hay in the summer. Edna sold the farm in 1992 and moved to Lake Blaine to be near her daughter, Sherry. She kept her garden and also had a flower garden. She belonged to the Stillwater Grange, Bissell Home Demonstration Group and also volunteered with 4-H projects. She loved to have you come for a visit for a short time and then she d say, You go home now and take that dog with you. Edna moved to Renaissance Assisted Living in October 2009. She was preceded in death by her parents; two brothers, Owen Bud Dukleth and William Bill Dukleth, and their wives; one grandson, Jason Madsen; three sons, Larry Dean Kelch and Robert Bob Kelch, and infant son, John Kelch; and son-in-law, Dave Creighton. She is survived by two daughters, Ellen Creighton, and Sherry Madsen and husband, Gerald, both of Kalispell; son, Lloyd Kelch, and wife, Marcia, of Columbia Falls; daughter-in-law, Evelyn Kelch, of Polson; 17 grandchildren, 48 great-grandchildren and 10 great-great-grandchildren. Funeral services for Edna will be held at 10 a.m. Friday, Nov. 27, at Johnson-Gloschat Funeral Chapel, with Pastor Tim Bartholomew officiating. Burial will follow at C.E. Conrad Memorial Cemetery. Johnson-Gloschat Funeral Home and Crematory is caring for Edna s family. You are invited to go to www.jgfuneralhome.com to view Edna s guest book, offer condolences and share memories.