Venetta Ruth Kimbrell, 87

Venetta Ruth Kimbrell, 87, passed away July 2, 2017, at Kalispell Regional Medical Center in Kalispell.

Venetta was born on Oct. 11, 1929, to Oscar and Lily Anderson in Creston. She was raised in Lake Blaine where she went to a one-room schoolhouse. She had a number of stories about the adventures she had with her siblings and the neighborhood kids.

At 19 she traveled to Indiana where she met and married Louis. They were married on Jan. 14, 1949, after only knowing each other for two weeks. For the next 27 years, they traveled with the U.S. Army until Louis retired, settling in Kalispell. During this time they raised their five children, Linda, Louis Jr., Timothy, Susan and Leila.

Venetta worked as a waitress and cook for many years. People might remember her from the Sportsman’s Cafe on Main Street.

She loved to watch and feed the birds and squirrels that frequented her yard. She loved her flowers and was quite famous for her tulips — the deer in her yard just loved them! She loved to fish and collect rocks while walking the riverbanks. Often she would return from the river weighed down with many rocks in her fishing vest, but no fish. She enjoyed spending time with her family and friends and was a longtime member of St. Matthew’s Catholic Church.

She was preceded in death by her parents Oscar and Lily, her sister Della’ve and brother Oscar Jr., her son Timothy Kimbrell, and her great-granddaughter Laykin Humphreys.

Venetta is survived by her husband, Louis, of 68 years; her children, Linda (Bill) Kral of Nobleford, Alberta, Louis Jr. (Anne) of Kalispell, Susan (Kelly) Hartman of Kalispell, and Leila (James) Lockwood of Kalispell, 10 grandchildren, 31 great-grandchildren, her sister Orletta Loveall of Kalispell, her brother William Lash of Texas, and numerous nieces and nephews. She also leaves behind her beloved cat Marcy and the neighborhood cat Fluffy Pants.

A viewing will be held from 2 to 4 p.m. today, July 7, at Johnson-Gloschat Funeral Home. A funeral Mass will be held at 10 a.m. on Monday, July 10, at St. Matthew’s Catholic Church with burial to follow at Fairview Cemetery.

Johnson-Gloschat Funeral Home is caring for the family.