Sarah Schoales Stevenson

Sarah Schoales Stevenson was born to Virginia Jocelyn (Vanderlip) and Dudley Nevison Schoales September 1944 in New York. Sarah died peacefully at her home on Flathead Lake in Bigfork last week. Raised on the family’s Beechwood Estate in Scarborough on Hudson, her education began at the Scarborough School founded by her grandfather, continued at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and finished with graduate school at USC.

Sarah wore many hats during her lifetime, including author, musician, community theater producer, successful guest rancher, patron of the arts, EMT and wilderness outfitter, to name a few. She held many positions including president of the Dude Ranchers’ Association and board member at the C.M. Russell Museum. She created two successful albums with the Candy Band in the late ‘70s and was a voting member of the Grammy’s Recording Academy. Sarah continued to work on musical and written projects until her passing. Her outgoing, generous nature and spirit of adventure created friendships easily and she will be missed by many.

Sarah was preceded in death by her grandparents Frank A. and Narcissa (Monnie) Vanderlip, Mr. and Mrs. James Joseph Schoales, parents Dudley and Virginia Schoales, brother Dudley Schoales Jr., and husbands Lt. David E. Hollatz, U.S. Navy Vietnam veteran, and Richard G. Stevenson, Angus cattle rancher of Hobson, Montana.

She is survived by her two children Melissa (married to Joseph Weber) and Peter (married to Sabine Hollatz), her sister Narcissa Ann (married to George Thom), Richard’s two children, many loving nieces, nephews, grand-nieces, grand-nephews and lifelong writing partner Julie North Schwarz.

A celebration of life will be held in conjunction with her beloved C.M. Russell Museum Benefit Auction in Great Falls on Thursday, Aug. 18. A private family interment will take place in Sleepy Hollow, New York.