Marion Geraldine (Johanson) Ailor, 93

Marion Geraldine (Johanson) Ailor passed away just shy of her 94th birthday, on Nov. 10, 2011, at Immanuel Lutheran Home in Kalispell.

She was the oldest of four children born to Alex Hilmer and Ida Jeanette (Johnson) Johanson at Troy, Idaho on Nov. 18, 1917. The family moved briefly to Libby, then settled in Lewiston, Idaho in 1929. After graduating from Lewiston High School in 1935, Marion moved to Spokane and graduated from Kinman Business College. She was employed by CIT Corporation and Bernie Hyland Motors. In 1943 she married Cleo P. Ailor in Spokane. After his death in 1946 she remained in Spokane and was employed by the Ranier Brewing Co. In 1956 she was chosen National Secretaries Association, Spokane Chapter, Secretary of the Year. 

Marion was recruited in 1957 by the Department of the Army and received training in Washington, D.C., before being assigned to Tokyo, Japan. In 1962 she was posted to Commander-in-Chief, U.S. Pacific Command (CINCPAC) Honolulu. Marion transferred to the U.S. State Department in 1965 and was posted to the American Embassy in Saigon during the Vietnam War. From there she went on to work at American Embassies in Manila-Philippines, Kuala Lumpur-Malaysia, Colombo-Sri Lanka and finally Kabul-Afghanistan, until her retirement in 1977. Though most of her assignments were located in exotic and dangerous places, Marion seldom complained and always retained a great sense of humor about her experiences. She was awarded numerous medals and citations for her courage and hard work. Through the years she maintained close ties with all she met along the way. 

Upon retirement, she settled in the small community of Lakeside to be closer to her sister. She remarked upon arriving in Montana that all she wished to do was “watch American TV, cook American food and play bridge.” She was very content living in her Lakeside community with her beloved little dog(s), her many friends and bridge partners. Marion considered her crowning achievement winning best of show in 1999 for her Praline Cheesecake during the annual Republican Women's Chocolate Extravaganza. 

Marion was preceded in death by her father in 1931; her husband, Cleo; her mother and stepfather, Ida J. and Arthur E. Anderson, formerly of Lewiston, Idaho; her sister, Carolyn M. (Johanson) Watkins, formerly of Whitefish; and her brother, Norman L. Johanson, formerly of Bellevue, Wash.

She leaves behind her brother, Warren A. Johanson of Bellevue, his children, Lydia Bugatti of West Linn, Ore., Alex Johanson of Phoenix, Ariz., and Patricia Johanson of Bellevue; her sister's children, Mary Carol Marcus of Bigfork, Bonny Williamson of Rohnert Park, Calif., her brother Norman's daughter, Jeanne L. Law of Mount Vernon, Wash.; seven grand-nieces and -nephews; as well as her many loyal and devoted friends. 

The family expresses their deep gratitude to her close friends and neighbors for the comfort and thoughtfulness shown Marion during her final years. Thank you to the staff, nurses and aids of Immanuel Lutheran Home and to Home Options Hospice for your compassionate care of Marion. 

Johnson-Gloschat Funeral Home in Kalispell is caring for the family. Visitation will be from noon to 5 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 15.  Graveside service will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 16 at Glacier Memorial Gardens in Kalispell. There will be a memorial service and luncheon held after the graveside service at 1  p.m. at Vista Linda, 240 Boon Road in Somers.

You are invited to go to http://www.jgfuneralhome.com to offer condolences, view pictures and Marion's tribute wall.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests a donation to Hospice, The Humane Society or the Flathead Spay and Neuter Task Force.