Mildred ‘Millie’ Marie Hellman Heister

Millie Heister flew home to Jesus on Jan. 21, 2021, at Kalispell Regional Healthcare after sustaining a fall that caused a brain injury. God answered her prayer to pass peacefully in her sleep, pain free and on 1-21-21.

Millie Heister came into the world on Sept. 9, 1923, to James “Jim” Hellman and Mary Lorenze Hellman. She was born in Columbia Falls.

Raised in the Flathead Valley, she attended St. Matthew’s Catholic School through her sophomore year and then graduated from Flathead County High School. She attended business school in secretarial sciences.

She was a member of St. Matthew’s Catholic Church, receiving her First Communion and Confirmation. She was a devoted Catholic all of her life, belonging to both St. Matthew’s Catholic Church and Risen Christ Parish.

Millie lived a colorful life filled with adventures and travels with her sister Hellie. Her fondest memories are of her trips to Hawaii and playing bingo all over the Northwest. She lived in Washington, Idaho and Montana and was proud of being a Montana born native. Throughout her life she worked as an executive secretary wherever she lived. She retired from Flathead County Library in Kalispell where she served in that role for several decades. She loved being organized and was proud of the fact that she knew where everything was in her home right up to the time she passed away. Millie was an avid reader, finishing five to seven books per week. She loved literature, words and numbers, which brought her to enjoy Scrabble and bingo. In her 70s and 80s she danced in her home daily and worked hard at being physically fit. At age 97 she was still reading, and watching game shows daily. She connected with many friends on a daily basis by phone and encouraged others who were ill or lonely. She loved music, dancing, butterflies, all things that sparkled and her family and friends. Millie loved life and lived it with passion, grace, and gratitude for all things. She was proud of her Czechoslovakian heritage and considered herself of Gypsy decent.

Millie collected friends and admirers with her outgoing personality. She brought joy and sparkle to other peoples lives with her brightly colored attire. She brought a smile to just about everyone’s face as she went about her life. She loved the Lord her God with all her heart and prayed to him daily, talking to him as he was her very best friend.

Millie is survived by her son Lonnie and his wife Cindy of Greenacres, Washington; her daughter Sydney Johnsen and her husband Scott of Kuna, Idaho; her son Patrick Montgomery of Sheridan, Wyoming; her sister Helen “Hellie” Benson and her husband Larry of Boise, Idaho; her brother Philip Hellman and his wife Juliana of Kalispell; her “sister” cousin Betsy Clague of Masa, Arizona; and her beloved dog Sir Bailey Frederick.

She loved all of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and her many nieces and nephews. Her niece and kindred spirit, Lorraine “Raine” Hellman-Robertson, played a special part in Millie’s life, taking her shopping and spending many special times with Millie. She also leaves hundreds of bingo buddies who shared the game of bingo.

She also leaves behind a host of friends who became her support system in her later years: her Thursday afternoon Scrabble partner Ethel of over 30 years; her friend Daniel Ertz of Tacoma, Washington, Robin Tucker and Lorinda Selinger — her bingo partners who faithfully made sure Millie was able to participate in weekly bingo in both Whitefish and Kalispell, and her special friend Suzie Morey-Menke who brought laughter and light to her life.

She is also survived by her friend of 48 years LeRoy Aasheim and longtime friend Sherry Stevens who shared two dogs with Millie, as well as Doug “Charlie” Houtz. All three assisted Millie with daily living needs during her later years.

Millie was preceded in death by her mother and father Jim and Mary Hellman, her brother William “Willie” Hellman, her sister Henrietta Irish, her son Michael Montgomery, and her little dogs Binky and Fluffy.

Millie wanted to acknowledge her medical providers who cared for her — Dr. Jim Kiley, Dr. Andrew Palchak, Dr. Dennis Peterson, Dr. Roger Barth, and beloved medical provider Melanie Zander. She wanted to thank the Home Options Hospice staff and volunteers who lovingly cared for Millie and the amazing staff at Kalispell Regional Healthcare who took care of her at the end of her life. Millie was also grateful for the Meals On Wheels program and the drivers who visited her when they brought daily meals.

Her son Patrick says she was a good mom and her daughter Sydney remembers her as a very loving person. Son Lonnie remembers her as a walking cyclopedia and a best friend.

A celebration of Millie’s life will be held today, Jan. 27, at 11 a.m. at Risen Christ Parish in Evergreen. Interment will follow at C.E. Conrad Memorial Cemetery where Millie’s cremated remains will be buried next to her parents and her son Michael. Masks are required and social distancing will be observed.

Johnson-Gloschat is caring for the family.