Sharon Lee (Boe) Tutvedt, 73

Sharon Tutvedt, a very loving and fun-filled wife, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, cousin and friend, left us all to join her other loved ones in heaven on Jan. 15, 2010. Sharon would want us to remember the many good times we ve had with her and know that her faith has been with her all her life. That life began on Jan. 6, 1937, in Cut Bank. Her parents, William Bill and Evelyn Nelson Boe, and her sister, Shirley, welcomed her to this world with open arms. When Sharon was 4 months old the family moved to North Hollywood, Calif., where she loved being able to play outdoors, and eat the fruit from the backyard trees. When World War II began, the family moved back to Cut Bank. She attended school there from second grade to graduation. During those school years Sharon was an active member of the congregation of St. Paul s Lutheran Church, participating in Sunday school classes, Luther League, children s and adult choir and singing solos at church. Her musical ability, in addition to singing, included playing the piano and playing the French horn in the high school band. She also enjoyed cheerleading for three years at Cut Bank High School and band and concert choir for four years. Sharon graduated from CBHS in 1955, after which she attended college at Montana State University in Bozeman. Again, she was involved in cheerleading and musical activities. From MSU, Sharon went to school in Billings where she received her teaching degree. Her first teaching assignment was first grade in Kalispell. She was frequently told by those students that she was among their favorite teachers. In later years she was a substitute teacher and will be remembered by her students as the teacher who sang The Birdie Song. Sharon also taught piano lessons for many years. After marrying Paul on Nov. 7, 1959, they lived on the farm in the West Valley area where they still have the farm which is now managed and owned by the three sons. They were members of Stillwater Free Lutheran Church where Sharon was involved in all aspects of church life. She loved to sing, and sang at many funerals as well as in choir. Playing cards was a favorite past-time and she made many, many friends because of her upbeat personality. Sharon loved to entertain and had many dinner/card parties at their home. Sharon and Paul became snowbirds in the fall of 1994 and became very active in the Sunbird Community Church as a pianist and singer. They developed a wide array of friendships. Sharon always put her family first. She was a storybook grandma who loved playing with her grandchildren, jumping on the trampoline, playing dolls, tea parties, tractors, ball games, building forts in the front room and anything the kids wanted to play. Sharon enjoyed flower gardening and being outside in the fresh air. She was a joy to be around with her fun, outgoing personality. She was preceded in death by her mother and father, Evelyn and William Boe; stepfather, John Taylor; and niece, Pam Amberson. Survivors are her husband, Paul Tutvedt, and their three sons, Craig and Laurie Tutvedt, and his children, Breann, Taylor and Will, and their mother, Michelle Tutvedt; Brian and Suzanne Tutvedt, and their children, Megan, Garrett, Nate and Boe; and David Tutvedt, all of Kalispell; Max and Shirley Amberson, sister, of Bozeman; along with many cousins, nieces and nephews. Services will take place at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 24, at Stillwater Free Lutheran Church. A celebration of life and catered open house is scheduled from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, June 12, at Doug and Jody Siderius barn. In lieu of flowers, memorials can be given to the Ten Commandments Fund (a benevolent fund used in the community for those in times of need) at Stillwater Free Lutheran Church, 1401 Church Drive, Kalispell, MT 59901.