Gaylene Marie Moddrell, 74

Gaylene Marie Moddrell of Kalispell passed March 8, 2015, after a short illness. 

She was born July 25, 1940 in Reno, Nevada, to Harold and Virginia Curran. 

Gay moved to the Flathead Valley on Dec. 23, 1977, with two teenage sons, Mike and Tim, her adopted son, Jimmy Glazier, and her infant daughter, Marie, during a snowstorm to a log cabin on Foothill Road. Heated only by wood, this was a big jump from suburban life in Reno where she was a director of Washoe Association for Retarded Children. She was starting a new life, but taking care of those with challenges still mattered most, second only to her family. Gay soon began working for Flathead Industries where she met Randy “Mo” Moddrell. They were married in September of 1982, and had an amazing, special life together until his death in 2005.

Mother, grandmother, a philanthropist, stray animal rescuer, gardener, seamstress, friend, but most of all advocate, she raised the standard of championing for those that need it the most. Gay immersed herself in the community, focusing on making the world a better and more equal place by serving on many boards, producing fundraisers, such as Kids in Motion, Big Wheels Basketball and Indian fry bread, and as the longtime executive director of the Special Friends Advocacy Program. 

She would want to be remembered as a bit of a troublemaker. She admitted to the truths of her early days, like tying up her best friend in a cornfield or “borrowing” the family car by hot wiring it with a silver dollar held between wires by younger brother Jim. Being a troublemaker even included her way of introducing herself at meetings. “I am the executive director of Special Friends and still Gay,” said to throw off balance, even the governor!

She is survived by sons Bill and Tim Henderson of Reno and their wives Teri and Lori, son Mike Henderson and his wife Margie, daughter Marie Moddrell, and extended family members Terry and Marisa Henderson, all of Kalispell; and brother, Jim Curran, wife Judi, of Fallon, Nevada. There are also 11 grandchildren who will go without more of Nana’s hugs.

A celebration of life will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, March 14, at the family home, 500 Robocker Lane. It will be a potluck, so please bring something to share and stories to tell. 

In lieu of flowers, consider a gift to Special Friends Advocacy Program, 230 Second St. E., Kalispell. It is what Gay would have wanted.