Doris Coates Forkin, 89

Doris Coates Forkin, 89, of Columbia Falls, passed away Thursday, Jan. 12, 2012, at North Valley Hospital in Whitefish.

Doris was born July 17, 1922, on the Coates farm in Charles Mix County, South Dakota. She spent her childhood playing and working on this farm and attending the first eight grades at the local one-room school. When she finished there, she stayed in town 20 miles away with her grandmother and graduated from Platte High School.

The Depression and the drought were still on, so she decided the best thing was to go to normal school in Springfield, S.D. After one year of training, she began to teach in the one-room schools. Her first school was on the Missouri river bottom and is now under the waters of the Fort Randall Dam. After a few years of teaching she spent a summer vacation with an uncle's family in Livingston, helping with the housework.

At a dance she met her future husband, James Forkin, and this marked the beginning of her life in Montana. They were married in 1944 and began their life together in Martinsdale. Two children were born there, Frederick and Katherine.

Eventually, Doris enrolled in teacher training in Dillon and earned her bachelor's degree. In 1954, she obtained a position as a second grade teacher in Columbia Falls and had lived here the rest of her life with husband Jim and two children.

However, there was heartbreak in her life during those years. Unfortunately, Kathy died from open heart surgery, and a few years later Jim also passed away, and then Fred, leaving Doris the survivor of the family.

Doris took summer classes at the University of Montana and earned a master's degree. She became the school librarian, helping many students to develop a love for books.

Doris always enjoyed any adventure that came along and believed in making the most of every day. She and the family planted and cared for a beautiful garden every summer. There were flowers, vegetables and fruit galore. She loved the outdoors and went cross-country skiing in winter and hiked the trails in and around Glacier Park in the summer. After retirement, Doris traveled the world and took tours to many countries, setting foot on every continent.

Doris was also preceded in death by her parents, Rubie and Griffin Coates; and brother, Jerrol Coates, and his wife, Carol.

Doris is survived by her sister, Marilyn Coates Cox, and her husband, Jim, of Roseburg, Ore.; two sisters-in-law, Arcelia Rohletter and Freida Forkin, of White Sulphur Springs; two nieces, Gail Rohletter Gardiner and Elaine Forkin Cope; and four nephews, Dan Cox, Dale Cox, Ben Forkin and Joe Coates.

A viewing is scheduled from noon to 5 p.m. today, Jan, 17. Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 18, at Columbia Mortuary, 1010 Fourth Ave. W., Columbia Falls.

Arrangements are entrusted to Columbia Mortuary

You are invited to go to www.columbiamortuary.com to offer condolences and view Doris's tribute wall.