Lauretta Jean (Lund) Siderius
Lauretta Jean (Lund) Siderius, passed away peacefully, surrounded by family, on Feb. 16, 2022, at Willow Place Assisted Living — Newberg, Oregon.
Lauretta was born to Gerhard Lund and Ellen Black Lund on March 25, 1934, in Jamestown, North Dakota. One of four children raised on the Sweetgrass Hills of Sunburst, Montana, Lauretta attended North Toole County High School, where she excelled as a student and young musician. She fueled her love of music at Rocky Mountain College in Billings where she graduated with a music education degree and met her future husband, Kenneth Siderius.
Upon graduation, Lauretta flew to France to marry Ken who was serving in the Army at Captieux, France. They spent a once-in-a-lifetime year living in France and touring Europe. Lauretta taught third, fourth, and fifth grades in all subjects at Captieux, played the organ in one of the cathedrals, and enjoyed honing her French language skills. In 1957, Lauretta and Ken returned to the U.S. arriving in Miles City, Montana for Ken's first teaching job. Here they raised four children and Lauretta substitute taught and organized children's playgroups and music groups. The family later moved to Bozeman and ultimately to Kalispell, where Lauretta established her reputation as a first-rate musician and vocalist. Lauretta was particularly proud of the interdenominational boys’ choir she helped start in Bozeman. She was a 4-H leader and welcomed all family and friends into her home. If you were hungry, she made sure you left full.
After separating from Ken in 1985, Lauretta completed graduate work in music at the University of Montana, Missoula and at Silver Lake College, Manitowoc, Wisconsin. After this, Lauretta moved to Milton-Freewater, Oregon to teach and then to Newberg, Oregon and was a constant presence touching her kids and grandkids with love as their lives evolved and changed throughout the years. She was the best damn cook and her chocolate chip cookies could not be beat.
Wherever she was, Lauretta shared her talents with her community, singing and playing both the organ and piano at church, and singing at numerous weddings and funerals and in the Glacier Chorale. For years, she gave private piano and voice lessons at her studio in Kalispell.
Lauretta considered her greatest accomplishment her family and lived for her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. She was a patient teacher, loving mother, and a kind and inquisitive friend. The other lives she touched she enriched beyond measure. Her faith in the Lord above was unshakeable.
Lauretta is preceded in death by her parents, Gerhard and Ellen Lund, and siblings Ellen “Jeanette,” Gerhard "Roger," and Ronald Lund.
She is survived by sons Peter, David (Trudy), Steven (Michelle), and daughter Natalie (Darrell Downs) Siderius; grandchildren Maxwell, and Phoebe, Ellen, Jack and Peter Siderius, and Samuel and Emma Downs; and great-grandchildren Taitton and Kaidden Siderius.
Memorial services will be held on Monday, Feb. 28, at 1 p.m., Johnson-Gloschat Funeral Home, 525 South Main Street, Kalispell, MT 59901.
Memorials may be made to Disabled American Veterans online at https://www.dav.org/ (Lauretta’s brothers served in WWII and Roger was killed in Europe); or,
Rocky Mountain College, Office of Advancement, 1511 Poly Drive, Billings, MT 59102, https://www.rocky.edu/donate.
