Stella Hammons Flanagan, 85

Stella Hammons Flanagan passed away peacefully, Nov. 15, 2011, with her family at her side.

Stella was born Aug. 31, 1926, in Labret, Saskatchewan, to Joseph and Clara Parisian. Her family came to Montana when Stella was just an infant and settled in Box Elder. Stella had a lively and spirited childhood with five sisters and three brothers. Stella attended school at the St. Paul's Mission School in Hays, and later in Rocky Boy.

Stella married Fred Hammons in 1948 and remained married for 26 years before his untimely passing. They lived in Rexford and then Eureka, and raised three children, Dick, Sharon and LaVerna. Stella moved to Great Falls after Fred's death and then married Franklin Flanagan. They lived in Great Falls for several years and later moved to Kalispell where they would spend most of their married life. Frank and Stella enjoyed 39 years of marriage before her passing. Together they entered the Montana Veterans Home in Columbia Falls in 2010.

Stella enjoyed all that Mother Nature has to offer. She thrived in the outdoors, as she was an avid gardener, and loved picking huckleberries and camping with her family. She was proud of her Native American heritage and was of the Catholic faith.

Stella was preceded in death by her first husband Fred, her son Dick, her parents, and six siblings.

She is survived by her husband, Frank; sisters, Bernadette and Olive; daughters, Sharon Osler and husband Bob of Whitefish, and LaVerna Munro and husband Dave of Eureka, grandchildren; Trini Garrison of Eureka, Darci Greenwood and husband Tim of Whitefish, Dana Grove and husband Coby of Whitefish, and Dusty Osler and Amanda Netzel of Columbia Falls. Stella is also survived by her great-grandchildren, Keaton, Kennedy, Alexis, Wyatt, Piper and Arden.

Memorial services for Stella are being held at 2 p.m., today, Nov. 17, at the Montana Veterans Home in Columbia Falls.