Alvina Rose Nikki Stringfellow, 80

Alvina Rose Nikki Stringfellow died on May 8, 2010, at the age of 80. Nikki was born in Manhattan on Jan. 15, 1930, to Earnest Colonel and Mary Warwood. She was raised in Bozeman and Kapowsin, Wash. She left school and married her first husband, Harold Forman, when she was just 17. Harold died of cancer when she was 19. She then made the difficult choice to return to Gallatin County High School where she graduated in 1950. Next, she fell in love with Norman Stringfellow. They were married in Missoula in January 1953 and made their home in Columbia Falls. This partnership lasted until Valentine s Day 2001, when Norman passed away. Theirs was a lifetime of hard work and adventure. Nikki was truly a logger s helpmate. They loved to explore the country and enjoy the outdoors in their camper. Their lives were filled with family and friends. Pinochle games played a pivotal role in many of these gatherings. Nikki worked as a telephone operator in the 50s and early 60s. But her meaningful life s work was as a homemaker and mother. She loved crafts of all types, sewing, pets, reading and going to garage sales. She made friends easily and often. She is survived by her daughters and sons-in-law, Tiki and Alan Levinson of Delta Junction, Alaska, and Judy and Len Hall of Tallahassee, Fla.; grandchildren, Taylor and Thea Levinson of Delta Junction, Erika Pollner of San Diego, Tara Norick of Columbia Falls, Deirdra Dougherty of Landenberg, Pa., Michael Mountan of Kalispell and Shawn Mountan of Martin City; great-grandchildren, Tristan and Alina Pollner, Brandon, Colter, Colin and Cassidy Norick, Ryan Janzen and Anya Dougherty, and Joey, Ty, and Lillian Mountan; brothers, Ward Langeway, Bob Smith and Bill Warwood; and sister, Doreen Hoss. She was preceded in death by her husbands; her daughter, Renee Mountan; and her son, Ty Stringfellow. Services will be held at 3 p.m., Friday, May 14, at Columbia Falls Mortuary. Burial will follow at Woodlawn Cemetery.