Jeanette Kay Fincher, 63

Jeanette Kay Fincher left this world at age 63 on Sept. 7, 2015, with her family and loved ones at her side in Kalispell.

Jeanette was born June 2, 1952, in Osceola, Iowa. When she was 2, it was off to Anaheim, California, where she spent the next 14 years sitting on the back steps watching the fireworks from Disneyland with her sister every Friday. At 16 years old she said goodbye to the concrete world of the big city and was off to little Fortine to finish up the last of high school. She graduated from Lincoln County High School.

After high school Jeanette went on to put herself through the Crevier’s Beauty School. After graduating beauty school, she went and worked at the Man Trap Salon. That was the beginning of Jeanette’s working career where she started touching people’s hearts. Throughout her journey she spent time as a filet master at Skippers, bringing season greetings to people at Snow Line Tree Company, bringing happiness in a glass to the crowds at the Rainbow, making sure you got what ya’ needed at Evergreen Gas and Deli, gutting and filleting at the Great Montana Mack Attack, being an active member of the Moose and the Bald Eagles, and bringing you your favorite foods from the Alley Connection.

Jeanette lived her life to the fullest. She loved to go hunting and fishing with her girls and loved ones. She enjoyed gardening in the dirt, flowers and, most of all, her butterflies. Jeanette loved the hot rod scene – all those pretty cars and high horsepower motors, and the smell of burnt rubber. Jimmy Johnson and NASCAR were another love in her life. “Drinkin’ beer and watchin’ NASCAR” “Look! He’s making a left turn!”

Jeanette once wrote, “Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely and in a well preserved body, but rather to slide in sideways, chocolate in one hand, martini in the other, your body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming, Woohoo! What a ride!” — that is what she did, and loved every minute of it.

Jeanette was preceded in death by her father, Franklin Palicz; and her brother, Jerry Palicz.

She is survived by daughters, Tonya Nordtome and Tara Long; mother, Gloria Palicz; sister, Joy Parker; brother, Jimie Palicz; grandbabies, Ava Long and Zephyr Long; the favorite son-in-law, Aaron Long; the last love of her life, Vance McMillan, and many family and friends.

Services will be held at 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 12, at Buffalo Hill Funeral Home, with a celebration of life to immediately follow at the Moose Lodge off Highway 2 in Evergreen.

Friends are encouraged to visit the website, www.buffalohillfh.com, to leave notes of condolence for the family. Buffalo Hill Funeral Home and Crematory is caring for the family.