Jamie Rae Putnam, 47

Jamie died early in the morning, at home, on July 25, 2018. She had been battling metastatic breast cancer for the last several months.

Jamie was born in Westby, Montana, on Feb. 8, 1971, to Jim and Phoebe Vest. She joined her siblings Terri and Lance. She grew up in Westby and attended high school there. She was very good at basketball and played for the Westby Rangers until just before her junior year, when she blew out her knee during practice.

After high school, she attended Montana State University Bozeman where she was working towards a nursing degree. It was there that she met her future husband Brian. They dated, and got married while still in school at Bozeman. This is also where they had their first child, Courtney.

After Brian graduated, they moved to Polson where they met several good friends. Their second child, Bridger, was born in Polson. While there, Jamie obtained her medical transcription degree. Their next stop was Kalispell. They enjoyed Kalispell greatly, and met lifelong friends.

In 1999, they moved to Rugby, North Dakota. This location was closer to Jamie’s parents in Westby, and Brian’s folks in Miles City. Getting settled took a while, but eventually they enjoyed the small town community. It was here that she also waged her first successful battle against breast cancer.

In 2010, after Courtney left for college, an opportunity came up for the family to move back to the Flathead Valley. Jamie and Brian lived there in their “vacation house,” until the time of her death.

Jamie picked up her creative talent from her mom and brother. Jamie’s passion was photography. She took many senior photos, as well as weddings. Eventually, she switched to graphic design, where she created birth announcements, graduation announcements, wedding invitations, and more under the business she started, PhotoCards4Everything. She was very proud of this, and was creating cards up until she became too weak from her illness.

Her greatest legacy is in the two children she raised.

Courtney graduated from MSU with a degree in microbiology as a medical lab scientist. Courtney stayed in the valley, met her husband Chad Sweigart, and works at Kalispell Regional Medical Center. Courtney was able to oversee several of Jamie’s lab tests during her battle. Jamie was proud of having her do this.

Bridger graduated with high honors this year from the University of Idaho, with degrees in operations management and information systems from the College of Business and Economics. Jamie attended the graduation between chemo treatments. Bridger is now employed in software development and makes his home in Boise.

Jamie was preceded in death by her brother Lance, and mom Phoebe.

She is survived by her husband, Brian; dad, Jim; daughter, Courtney, and Chad Sweigart; son, Bridger (and Elna); sister, Terri, and Bill Milton; grandma, Margie Vest; as well as numerous aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews and cousins.

Jamie will be missed and remembered by all of us.

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.