Marlene (Herron) Berard, 89
Our beloved wife and mother, Marlene (Herron) Berard passed from this life on Nov. 5, 2022, after bravely enduring the tribulations of kidney dialysis for the last seven years of her life.
She was born on Sept. 27, 1933, in Havre, to Charles W. and Irene Herron, the second of four children.
Marlene’s early childhood was spent on a sheep ranch near Cleveland, Montana, before moving to Missoula. Marlene attended Franklin and Willard grade schools, Missoula County High School and the University of Montana where she earned her Bachelor of Arts, and Master of Education degrees. Marlene became a teacher and taught at Cold Springs and Jefferson elementary schools in Missoula until moving to Alaska where she was a traveling special education teacher near Dillingham, an elementary teacher on Annette Island and a special education teacher in Barrow.
Marlene first met her future husband Walter “Wally”) at a seventh-grade basketball game. It was a relationship that was meant to be and they were married on May 1, 1954. Wally and Marlene called their marriage a no-cut contract. Their earthly union lasted 68 years with plans to meet in heaven. In Missoula they raised three children, Chris, Denise and Wayne. During the childrearing part of her life Marlene was a consummate wife, mother, homemaker, seamstress and gardener. Retirement years were spent in Polson and also as snowbirds in Tucson, Arizona. Winters in Arizona offered her a change of pace, and it was there that her artistic talents bloomed and her generosity for sharing techniques and ideas led to more close and endearing friends.
She is survived by her husband, Walter (Missoula); brother Mike (Edna) Herron; son Chris (Genine) Berard; daughter Denise (Robin) Pfau; son Wayne (Jennifer) Berard; grandchildren, Brittney (Chris) Rains, Brook (Josh) McRoberts, Morgan (Spencer) Berard, Katie (Jason) Miller, Justin (Christina) Pfau, William Berard and Samuel Berard; and great-grandchildren, Jason Miller, Emma Miller, Carnell Miller and Everett Pfau.
She was preceded in death by her parents Charles and Irene Herron, her sister Mary Lou, and brother Pat.
A private family graveside service will be held on Friday, Dec. 2, at Sunset Memorial Gardens in Missoula.
A celebration of life will be held on Saturday, July 8, at 1 p.m. at Ninepipes Lodge in the Mission Valley.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests a donation to the Mission Valley Animal Shelter.