Mildred W. Boyer, 95
Mildred W. Boyer passed away peacefully on Friday, Jan. 18, 2013, at St. Patrick Hospital, after a week of sharing, from her hospital bed, her 95 years of love and wisdom to each of her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and lovingly caressing the cheek of her new great-great-grandson.
She smiled at seeing all her family surrounding her for a last goodbye. She knew how to live and she knew how to die with her deep Christian values strengthening all.
Her last five years were spent happily and independently at Burlington Square Senior Residence in Missoula. She was a natural leader, gathering so many friends together there, playing pinochle, bridge, poker and bowling tournaments throughout the week.
She was born Sept. 15, 1917, in Trenton, Mo., to Harry and Grace (Brassfield) Woodruff, then they moved to Montana to homestead near Knowlton in Custer County. When she was not yet two years old, her mother became ill and passed away on her way to see a doctor in Miles City, 50 miles away.
Her father later married Bertie Jones, a nearby homesteader who had lost her husband, and together they raised Mildred and Bertie’s two sons, Jim and Vern Jones, on their combined homesteads.
School was a large part of her life, having attended country schools nearby, high school in Miles City, college in Eastern Montana College obtaining a lifetime certificate. With her lifetime certificate, she taught in the same country schools she had attended. Later, she graduated with a Bachelor's Degree in elementary education the same year her son graduated from college.
During her teaching career in the early 40s, she met and married Harold L. Boyer. They had a daughter, Joan Annette, and a son, Gary Lee. They farmed along the Yellowstone River near Forsyth while Mildred continued teaching in Forsyth School. They later purchased the Standard Oil Bulk Plant of which Harold operated while she continued to teach well past the time her first students' children began attending school.
After they retired, they moved to Flathead Lake near Lakeside where they enjoyed entertaining friends and family, fishing, gardening, playing cards and traveling in their motor home. After Harold died in February of 1990, she continued to live there attending church, Star, plays, jazz festivals and traveling with her dear friend, Jo Ann Vagg and others until her move to Missoula to be near family.
Surviving family include her daughter, Joan Newman and Rod of Missoula; her son, Gary Boyer and Donna of Darby and Dillon; grandchildren, Rhonda Dolcater and Randy of Darby, Brady Anderson-Wood and Elaine of Missoula, and Renee Morrison and Noel of Darby and Muskogee, Okla.; four great-grandchildren, AJ Jenkins of Washington, D.C., Miranda Simmons and Matt of Darby, Lauren and Lacey Dolcater of Darby; a great-great-grandson, Logan Simmons of Darby, two sisters-in-law, Wilma Boyer and Mary Lou Butcher of Washington; a special cousin, Ruthie Brown of Miles City; and other cousins, nieces and nephews.
In lieu of flowers, please send donations to Mildred Boyer Memorial Fund, Wells Fargo Bank, 1800 S. Russell, Missoula, MT 59801.
There will be a celebration of her life at 2 p.m. on Tues, Jan. 29 at Burlington Square, and at the Knowlton Cemetery this summer.
Arrangements are under the care of Garden City Funeral Home and Crematory. Condolences and memories may be left for the family at www.missoulafuneralhomes.com