Yvonne J. Lane, 102

After a long, full life of 102 years, Yvonne J. Lane died of natural causes on Oct. 19, 2010. She left this world peacefully in her sleep in the company of family at Wel-Life in Kalispell. Yvonne was born in Webster County, Mo., on Sept. 6, 1908, and raised in the Fordland area of southwest Missouri. Yvonne graduated from high school in Marshfield, Mo., and also attended Teacher s College there. She taught school for a year in a one-room school near Marshfield. Yvonne married Ellis Burks on Feb. 13, 1929, in Springfield, Mo. She and Ellis had one daughter, Alice Joan Burks. Mr. and Mrs. Burks were divorced on Jan. 27, 1935. Yvonne and her young daughter Joan traveled to western Montana on the train in the mid-1930s to join extended family already living in Missoula and Ronan. After working odd jobs in both Missoula and Ronan, she worked at the Ronan Post Office for 38 years, serving as postmaster for the last six of those years. During most of that time she walked to and from work, no matter what the weather. Yvonne enjoyed working with the public and commented many times that she wished she could still work. Yvonne loved her family and lived much of her life in Ronan with her mother May and sister Hazel. She was a member of the Ronan Christian Church for many years. Yvonne enjoyed sewing, baking, needlework and gardening. Older Ronan residents may remember the beautiful gladiola gardens her family proudly maintained at their residence along Highway 93 in Ronan. This past spring, at the age of 101, she continued the tradition of helping her granddaughter Susie plant flowers at her home in Kalispell, and was able to come see the beautiful flowers on her 102nd birthday in September. Yvonne was a pioneer, always dedicated and hard-working. Her strength and determination were admired by family and friends. She was never one to give up, even when the challenges were great. Her quick wit and humor were with her until her final days. Even then, she offered a few smiles and her own special wink. Yvonne is survived by her daughter, Alice Joan and John Hanger of Missoula; and grandchildren, Karen and Glen Adams of Potosi, Mo., Susie and Jon Alper of Kalispell, John C. and Jennifer Hanger of Alpharetta, Ga., and Julie Hainline of Missoula; great-grandchildren, Ben Smith of Milwaukee, Wis., Libby Fields of Columbia Falls, Sophie Hainline and Jonathan Hainline of Missoula, and Larisa Hanger, Ana Hanger, Katia Hanger and Zachary Hanger of Alpharetta, Ga. She was preceded in death by her mother, May Byrd Lane; father, Thomas R. Lane; and sister, Hazel Lane Menter. Graveside services will be held at noon, today, Oct. 22, at the Mountain View Cemetery in Ronan.