Shirley Lois (Frazier) Brantner, 91

Shirley passed away peacefully on Feb. 8, 2012, in her home with her loving family around her. 

She was born to George R. and Ethel F. Frazier on Feb. 9, 1920, in Jordan.

She grew up on her dad's cattle ranch in eastern Montana until 1935. Their homestead ranch was on the Missouri River breaks. Shirley and her brothers and cousins made their fun by sliding down gumbo mounds after drenching cloud bursts. It is said that people who grew up in the Missouri River breaks were truly special people.

After living on the prairie of eastern Montana, the family moved to Rollins. As a young girl, Shirley would watch the moon rise over Flathead Lake from her bedroom window. One of her favorite memories was the diamonds of light dancing on the water.

Shirley graduated from Polson High School in 1938. She was a member of the school newspaper. At the start of World War II, she joined the Navy WAVES, Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service. As a WAVE, she worked as a machinist on airplanes. Once, while on leave, she rode the bus from Texas to Montana. She exited the bus in a terrible blizzard along U.S. 93 near Rollins, where she was eagerly greeted by the family dog, Snip, who guided her on their walk toward the house down the hill past the big red barn. She was discharged from the Navy in August of 1944. At one point during the war, Shirley and her three brothers were in military service at the same time. At the end of the war she was married to Jack LaBonty but later divorced.

Shirley preserved though a rough stretch of time as a young woman with three children. Balancing responsibilities such as housekeeping, getting her kids ready for school, arranging baby sitters, working at a Christmas tree yard, and picking and selling pine cones were accepted tasks. She drew upon her varied experiences and faith to forever maintain a positive outlook and provide love and friendship to all family and others throughout her life. Those who knew her could count on a friendly smile and unquestionable assurance.  

James Brantner and Shirley were married in 1957. They lived in Kalispell for 10 years, in Havre for 10 years, and Santa Maria, Calif., for 15 years. When James retired, they moved back to the Flathead Valley and Polson. They square danced all their married life, and were charter and longtime members of the Polson Community Church. Shirley attended lunches, played cards and participated in Bible study meetings with her dearest friends until her death.

Shirley’s great joy was raising her three “kids” with the help of James. She liked reading, knitting, quilting and traveling. She enjoyed competition and excelled at bowling and playing games, and she championed sportsmanship and fair play above winning. She never missed a University of Montana Grizzlies game on television and she liked to watch the Lakers and Yankees.

She was preceded in death by her husband James in 2006; her parents; three brothers; and many aunts, uncles and cousins.

Survivors include her son, John LaBonty and wife, Sharon; son, Dennis LaBonty and wife, Anza Ketterman; daughter, Linda LaBonty and husband, David; grandchildren, Tom and Susanna LaBonty of Oregon, Eva LaBonty and Greg Clensy of Oregon, Andre and Megan LaBonty of Idaho, Elizabeth LaBonty of Kentucky, and Mindy and Bill Surber of Oregon; and great-grandchildren, Shey, Amelia, Ruby, Ethan, and Peyton.

A memorial service will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Monday, Feb. 13 at Polson Community Church.

Grogan Funeral Home and Crematory in Polson are entrusted with arrangements. Messages of condolence may be shared with the family online at www.groganfuneralhome.com. The staff of Grogan Funeral Home considers it a privilege to care for the Brantner family.