Vivian Marjorie (Wheeler) LaMeres, 91

Our mother, Vivian Marjorie (Wheeler) LaMeres passed unexpectedly after a brief illness, at the age of 91, on May 22, 2016. In her final moments on earth, Mom was surrounded by the love of her children and extended family members. 

“She has gone on ahead to be with our father, William J. LaMeres; her mother and father, Meril and Irene (Cummings) Wheeler; her brothers Harry, Gordon, Norman, and Richard “Dude” Wheeler, and her sister Marian Stacy.”  

Mom was born the fifth of seven children in Wibaux on April 28, 1925. She is survived by her six children, including Kathleen Riehle of Rapid City, South Dakota; Bill LaMeres (Kathleen) of Syracuse, Utah; Clare LaMeres (Greg Bain) of Lakeside; Mary LaMeres of Reno, Nevada; Patty Smith (Bill) of Kalispell, and Robert LaMeres (Michelle) of Albuquerque, New Mexico. She is also survived by her brother Edwin Wheeler (Gretchen) of Florida. In addition she is survived by 12 grandchildren, including Brian, Bruce, and Brock, Kim, Gena, Rick and Scott, Jason, Justin and Jessica, and Sydne and Ernie. Mom is also survived by two stepgrandchildren, Vanessa and Brian; as well as 16 great-grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.

Mom grew up on a farm just outside of Wibaux. At the age of 16, she graduated from high school and moved into “town.” At the age of 18, she married Dad, and their happy union produced six wonderful children! During her lifetime, Mom lived in Wibaux and Billings and Minot, North Dakota, for a few years, then back to Billings for 13 years. After a few years in Reno, she moved with Dad and the family to Los Angeles and Orange County, California, where she lived for 28 years. She moved to Lakeside in 1990 and enjoyed its beauty for 21 years. Her last five years were spent back in Reno. 

Mom loved baseball, birds and the beauty of nature. She held season passes to the California Angels baseball team and became a big Giants fan in her final years in Reno. She also loved to play bridge, dance, grow beautiful flowers and listen to beautiful music. She enjoyed singing in the Lakeside Chapel choir, and she participated in numerous volunteer projects for the Republican Women’s Club. Mom went from being a consummate homemaker devoted to raising six children to becoming a successful entrepreneur working alongside Dad and us children owning and running a motel in Reno for a few years, then owning and running two motels for eleven years located across the street from Disneyland in Anaheim, California. After Dad’s passing, her entrepreneurial spirit continued, and in 1983 she worked with business partners Jimmy Stovall and Bill O’Connell to build a motel across the street from Disneyland, which 33 years later is still going strong.

What Mom loved to do more than anything else was simply to help people. She was a strong woman, an incredibly generous soul and a natural-born caregiver. After Dad had a stroke at the age of 52, he was bedridden and unable to move or speak. Mom insisted upon taking him home, where she cared for him for almost four years until his passing at age 56. She set her clock through the night, so that she could get up and turn Dad every two hours. In that four-year period of time, Mom never once complained about caring for Dad. Her love knew no bounds. And Mom, our love for you knows no bounds either. You taught us to be strong, hardworking, caring people. Fiercely independent until the very end, your indomitable spirit lives forever in our hearts, our souls and our DNA! 

Mom, although your 91 years were well spent, our hearts are broken in a thousand pieces. We know in time we will put those pieces back together as we live our lives in ways that honor your memory as well as Dad’s memory. Thank you, Mom, for the ultimate gift you and Dad gave to us — the gift of life. We promise to use that gift wisely and well.

At 11 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 20, a celebration of life will be held for our mom, Vivian Marjorie (Wheeler) LaMeres, at the Lakeside Chapel in Lakeside. Interment will be in Huntington Beach, California, alongside Dad at the Good Shepherd Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Vivian may be made to the Lakeside QRU, P.O. Box 911, Lakeside, MT 59922.