Brenda Kay (White) Hodgson-Ocheltree
Brenda Kay (White) Hodgson-Ocheltree, came into this world on March 14, 1943, in Independence, Missouri. She was the third child of James and Myrtle White. Three days later, they came back to Montana. She had one older brother, Robert and an older sister, Donna. Her parents had White’s Café in Brady.
She started working there at the age of 7. Her first bicycle was purchased with her p money. She graduated from Brady High School in 1961. She went to Dahl's Beauty School in Great Falls. Married her high school sweetheart, Les Hodgson in June 1962. Their firstborn was daughter, Londa Jane, in February 1963. She settled down to be a mom and wife. Along came James Robert, in June 1965.
In October of 1965, they lost Les to a car accident. She was a single 22-year-old widow with two very small children. Being our mom she did what she thought would be good for us. She got out of Brady and moved us to Spokane, Washington. Meeting all kinds of new people, her friend set her up on a blind date with a guy named Jim. On the second date, he took us kids with them. They dated for a month and got married Dec. 12, 1969. We got a new dad for Christmas. Then in 1971, along came the twins, Aaron Lucas and Allen Lee. Our family was complete. Mom remained a stay-at-home mom but was very busy and involved in the Mothers of Twins Club, the Canoe Club and the Kayak Club. When she wasn’t busy with those, she was carting kids around to different things. In 1976, we were off on a new adventure. Dad and Mom decided to move to Montana. So that’s what we did.
They moved to Kalispell in June of ’76. Dad had his own business and we kids were thriving. Then in 1982, they gained a new brother from a different mother in Nick Stalenski, because Mom and Dad loved orphans and wayward strays. Like all strays, he kept showing up. They would occasionally feed him and he would show up more and more. Mom treated him and worried over him like one of her own. In 1984, Mom and Dad decided to go to Anacortes, Washington, and from there to Spokane, again. Then from Spokane to Great Falls. After many years of being a homemaker, Mom went back to work at First Interstate Bank of Great Falls. She loved the people and the commotion of work. She would run the money trailer at the Great Falls fair because they trusted her. Dad passed away in Great Falls in 2008 leaving Mom a widow after 39 years.
She continued to work until she started losing her eyesight to macular degeneration. She gave up her home and moved into an assisted living facility. She hated it. In 2022, she moved back to Kalispell because she thought Londa needed to be taken care of. She spent the last years living quietly in her apartment. Her body decided to give up this year on May 5. We all hugged and kissed her and told her it was ok to go and be with the Lord.
She is survived by her sister, Donna Schwab of Minnesota; daughter, Londa Meier (fiancé, Larry Blasdel) of Kalispell; son, James (wife, Frances) Hodgson of Harlem; sons, Aaron Ocheltree of Kalispell, Allen Ocheltree of Great Falls, Nick (wife, Cindy) Stalenski of Boise, Idaho; grandchildren, Tawnni (husband, Zak) Clouse; grandson, Matt Hodgson and granddaughter, Elizabeth Hodgson; and grandson, Jacob Ocheltree; great-grandchildren, Hadley and Daxon Clouse and Donna Schwab.
She was preceded in death by her parents, James and Myrtle (Tronson) White, Roy and Roberta White (twin sister and brother); grandsons, Brent and Brandon Meir; Dale Meier (son-in-law), and Robert White (brother).
No services are planned.