Helen M. Witts, 88
Helen M. Witts, 88, passed away on Friday, Dec. 14, 2012, at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Polson. She was the first daughter of Fred and Lenore Tri, born June 11, 1924, in Havre. She attended private Catholic schools in Havre and Great Falls. She moved with her family to Minnesota and graduated from Bemidji State Teachers College with a degree in elementary education in 1947. She often joked about having boys in her classrooms for the first time in college.
After graduation, she worked for a year as a secretary for a military base. She met her future husband, William J. Witts. She taught school in Minneapolis for two years while Bill attended college, after his discharge from the Army. They were married on June 11, 1949.
In the spring of 1951, they moved to Kalispell to help her parents with their business, Nash Finch, later called Glacier Wholesalers.
Helen joined St. Matthew’s Catholic Church and began her teaching career at Russell. She took a couple years off to raise her sons, Arthur “Art” and William “Bill,” returning to teaching when they were both in school. She taught at St. Matthew’s Catholic School for two years, returning to Russell Elementary to begin her career as a first grade teacher. She was active in the Kalispell Education Association and Montana Education Association, holding both local and state offices. She returned to college in the summer of 1975 and completed her master’s in elementary education in 1976 at Northern Montana College in Havre in specific learning disabilities. She spoke of the summers with a smile, as she was able to live with her Aunt Helen and Uncle Frank, creating many fond memories. Helen retired in 1986, after 36 years of teaching children in Kalispell.
Helen and Bill were very active in the Kalispell community. For many years they helped with the VFW and St. Matthew’s concessions during the Northwest Montana Fair and volunteered with Flathead Valley Ducks Unlimited. They were also members of the Eagles, the Elks and the Moose Lodge in Evergreen. After her retirement, she also volunteered at Kalispell Regional Medical Center in the gift shop and became a member of Church Women United.
Helen was one of the original members of Risen Christ Catholic Church in Evergreen and took great pride in assisting with the new church. After the death of her husband Bill in 1993, Helen moved to Polson to live with her son Bill. She joined Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Polson soon after. She continued her volunteering at church and Cherry Valley Elementary, working with children. Helen enjoyed all children, especially her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Helen was preceded in death by her parents, Fred and Lenore Tri; her husband of 44 years, Bill; and her sisters, Sharon Gillett and Marjorie Wagner.
She is survived by her sons, Art and wife Maria of Craig, Colo., and Bill and wife Lynn of Polson. She is also survived by three grandchildren, Frank Witts of Kalispell, and Erin Witts and Eric Witts of Polson; and four great-grandchildren, Jada and Caiyou of Kalispell, and William and Caylee of Polson.
The rosary will be said at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 20, at Johnson-Gloschat Funeral Home. Mass of the Resurrection will be at 11 a.m. Friday, Dec. 21, at Risen Christ Catholic Church. Interment will follow at Glacier Memorial Gardens.
Johnson-Gloschat Funeral Home and Crematory is caring for Helen’s family.