Lois Marie Wilson Sands Yaeger, 82

Lois Marie Wilson Sands Yaeger, 82, passed away Oct. 19, 2012, peacefully at her home surrounded by family.

Lois was born Nov. 28, 1929, in St. Paul, Minn. She graduated from high school in South Saint Paul, attending college at Macalester College and the University of Minnesota. She traveled by the Empire Builder Great Northern Railroad to a summer job as a maid at Lake McDonald Lodge in 1949, meeting and marrying her husband William D. Sands. They raised their three children at Nyack, Mont.

After the death of her husband she moved to Kalispell and met and married Harold F. Yaeger, joining him on his farm on the east side of the Flathead valley. They enjoyed traveling extensively.

Lois was preceded in death by her husbands, William D. Sands in 1974, and Harold F. Yaeger in 1996; her parents, Kenneth and Gertrude Wilson; and beloved step-grandchild, Kevin Bolme.

She is survived by a sister, Meredith Wilson of South St. Paul; her sons, William J. Sands and Marion of Alaska, and Thomas E. Sands and Reta of Kalispell; her daughter, Kay Sands McDonald of Columbia Falls; her stepchildren, Roger Yaeger and Linda of Phoenix, Kathy Bolme and Craig of Elmo, and Richard Yaeger of Bellevue, Wash.; grandchildren, Jason McDonald and Sharon, Justin Sands, Chris McDonald and Paula, William Daye Sands, and Jessica Cherot and Rob; step-grandchildren, Meredith Weaver, LaRae Pepper and David, Lynette Bell and Larry, Elizabeth Denton, Megan Montoya and Stan, Frank Yaeger, Brian Yaeger and Michael Yaeger; great-grandchildren, Jacey McDonald, Quinn McDonald, Claire Cherot and Avery Cherot; step-great-grandchildren, Luke McGinnis, Trey Weaver, LaRiesa, Jessica, Emily and Colton Pepper, Lauryn, Larry III and Lissa Bell, and Rylyn, Estrella and Kadyn Montoya; and numerous friends and relatives.

Lois was a longtime devoted member of Chief Ignace Chapter of the Daughters of American Revolution and involved with genealogy, helping all of her family and friends find their heritage for many years. She was also a Past Queen of the Daughters of the Nile and a member of the Order of Eastern Star.

She enjoyed the Flathead Valley and chose it as her only place to live, even after seeing what the rest of the world had to offer.

Services will be held at 1 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 23 at the Austin Funeral Home in Whitefish, with gravesite services following at Glacier Memorial Gardens.

You are invited to go to www.austinfh.com to offer condolences, share memories and view Lois’s tribute wall.

Arrangements are entrusted to Austin Funeral Home.