Myrtle Annie Zumwalt Barfoot Carter, 96

Myrtle Annie Zumwalt Barfoot Carter, 96, passed away peacefully on June 17, 2015, at Heritage Place in Kalispell. She was able to live on her own, in her own home, until the age of 95 and lived for 62 years at her family home, “the little pink” house on Rose Crossing.

Myrtle was born on January 25, 1919 in Saskatchewan, Canada, to parents Ernest and Edna Zumwalt. In her younger years her family tended to move from place to place. Early travels when she was young were in covered wagon, if you can imagine. A brief time was spent in Manhattan, Montana, with stops in Chico, California; Riddle, Oregon and Belgrade, Montana. The family moved from place to place depending on work availability but eventually the family settled in Ronan. Myrtle graduated from Belgrade High School in 1938.   

One year later she married Ed Barfoot, the father of her natural-born children. He preceded her in death due to a logging accident in 1951.

She is also preceded in death by her parents and siblings Margaret, Vivian Tabitha, Percy “Bud,” Irvin, Clifford (who died at only 15 months) and Clyde.

Her one living brother, Lloyd Zumwalt, resides in the Spokane Veterans Home in Spokane.

In her early 30s, Myrtle married Lloyd Carter on July 15, 1952. They lived in Ronan for a time and then moved to the west side of Kalispell. Soon thereafter they ended up at “the little pink house” on Rose Crossing where they blended their families and continued to raise his three kids, her three kids and then their own precious daughter, Wendy, was born on April 24, 1954.

At one time the whole family shared the tiny little two-bedroom “pink house.” As the kids grew up, they moved out and found their own mates and then all that was left at the family home was their youngest child, Wendy.

After years of hard work and struggle, Myrtle and Lloyd had the time of their lives and enjoyed their retirement years together. She accompanied him to all of his horseshoe tournaments and fiddling contests, his accomplishments were her accomplishments. She spent hours and hours traveling all over the state watching Lloyd as he fiddled with the Old Time Fiddlers “CRAZY BUNCH.” She loved to dance the two-step, the waltz, and the schottische. She was a lover of music. They camped on the Thompson Lakes with Lloyds’ brother Tip and his wife Bess. They spent many happy hours together. The men caught and cleaned bass after bass and the ladies cooked them up and served them. Then they fiddled and played cards before turning in for the night. They enjoyed the company of one another.

Myrtle lost her beloved partner, Lloyd, on Nov. 15, 1993, after a long battle with Alzheimer’s.

Myrtle was very fond of playing cards with anyone who would play. She played with her friends and she also taught her grandchildren how to play. Many of her senior years were spent at the Senior Center in Kalispell playing cards. She was always so excited when she won a dollar or two. She played pinochle, cribbage and bingo. She did crosswords and word finds by the hours to keep her mind and brain active. She also loved to read.

As was mentioned before she loved music and very much enjoyed The Three Tenors. Myrtle was an occasional visitor with daughter Lois to Glacier Symphony and Chorale. She spent evenings by herself in her little house by her cozy fire putting puzzles together and watching baseball or PBS on TV.

She took care of her yard mostly by herself, raking the pine needles from her giant trees. When she needed a break she rested on her covered porch with her many wind chimes and bird feeders swinging in the breeze. She made the best maple bars of anyone in the whole country and the family is all lamenting that no one ever watched her to get the handful of this and the pinch of that recipe. She never let any grass grow under her feet.

She remained active with old friends and made new friends wherever she went. Her roommate at Heritage House, Cecile, is missing her company greatly.

Her most precious times were when family visited or when she was able to visit them. Her son, Dee, took his “lady bug” out on Driving Miss Myrtle excursions out and about the valley and she noticed any and all new construction and commented on what was new and what was old. She cherished her phone calls and visits from her daughters Sandra and Barbara and daughter-in-law Donna. She spoke to them all by phone two days before having her third and final stroke.

She enjoyed her Tuesday lunches at Wheat Montana with daughter Lois and some of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She also loved being included in birthday parties and celebrations with the Hoerner family. Any occasion to be with any part of her large family was treasured time. One of these times was when she took her first and only airplane ride to see her stepson, Lyle, and his wife Donna at age 93. She also dressed up in borrowed leathers and took a ride on the back of a Honda VTX 1800 street bike and stayed in a fancy hotel during that same trip.

From covered wagons to jets and street bikes, it was quite a life she had.

One of Myrtles biggest heartbreaks was the loss of her precious daughter Wendy due to complications of diabetes on Dec. 16, 2013. Myrtle missed her daughter’s loving companionship greatly right to the time of her own passing. She never had expected that she would outlive her daughter and it weighed heavily on her. There was a tremendous void in her life but she still carried on uncomplaining and unwavering. Myrtle loved all of her children and grandchildren equally and showed no favoritism whether they were hers by blood or not. She loved them all and we all loved her.

She is survived by son Elward “Dee” Barfoot of Kalispell; daughter Sandra Lee Hoye of Veneta, Oregon; daughter Barbara Ann McNamara of Summerville, South Carolina, and son-in-law Gary Hoerner of Columbia Falls.

She is also survived by her stepchildren Lyle and Donna Carter of Big River California, Joan Nussrallah of Denver, and Lois and Clifford Swallow of Kalispell.

She is preceded in death by her cherished daughter, Wendy Hoerner, daughter-in-law Sue Barfoot, son-in-law Mort Hoye and son in law Ken McNamara.

She is also survived by her 14 grandchildren, 22 great-grandchildren, and 15 great-great-grandchildren, all of which were dearly treasured. She miraculously remembered the birth dates and life event dates of each and every one right up until her last days.

She impacted everyone she came into contact with. Her nurses commented through their tears that she was such a kind soul and a joy and they were honored to have been able to care for her. She was not demanding or insistent she just took whatever cards were dealt her and played them to the best of her ability.

She was content with what she had and her lot in life and did not desire more for herself. She will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved her.

Arrangements are being handled by Columbia Mortuary.

The funeral will be held at 1 p.m. on Tuesday, June 23, at Columbia Mortuary. Ron Pierce will be officiating. Burial will be at Woodlawn Cemetery for those who wish to attend.

A covered bring a dish reception will be held from 3 to 5 p.m. at Teakettle Community Hall 234 Nucleus Ave. in Columbia Falls.