Joanne G. McElfresh, 90

Joanne G. McElfresh, 90 of Stevensville, passed away from natural causes at the Living Centre Nov. 10, 2024. She had resided there and been well cared for in the past four years following a stroke. Her family was at her side, witnessing a remarkable woman of pioneering spirit and great story-telling ability enter her last great adventure in heaven.

She was born Sept. 28, 1934, in the Station Hospital in Fort Sam Houston, Texas to Jeannette (Boggess) Golden and Col. Joe E. Golden. Joe was a class of 1932 graduate of the West Point Academy. The family lived in many places during his career, including Texas, Georgia, Fort Missoula, Alaska, Virginia, Panama, Puerto Rico and Wisconsin. Living in all these places was disruptive to attending school but provided a rich and diverse cultural and environmental experience. She graduated from High School from Puerto Rico in 1952.

In the fall of 1952, Joanne bought her own bus ticket back to Missoula being called back to the wilderness and enrolled in the UM School of Forestry. She graduated in the year of 1956 with a degree in Forestry with the Timber Management option. She was the first female graduate to go into the field as opposed to clerical work. She was a career forester who served in various assignments throughout region 1 primarily in the Division of Timber Management in Missoula. Her favorite job adventure was when she was promoted to zone timber planner for region 1 forests. Many of her stories came from this time in Butte, 1975-1979. She also completed a certificate in Forest Ecology and Silviculture and attained an MS in forest and range management from Washington State University in 1980.

Joanne met Richard J. McElfresh in Wisdom where he was a Ranger in 1962. They were married Sept. 12, 1964, in the Church of the Holy Spirit in Missoula. Their first home was in forest service housing in Wisdom. They shared 40 years of a wonderful marriage prior to his passing.

Joanne enjoyed a wide circle of friends and activities. She preferred to be outdoors and loved to ride horses, hike in the mountains, hunt, fish, ski, camp and look for rocks. She was an artist in several media including photography and painting which in her later years evolved into the computer arts. She loved collecting, documenting, going out to eat, long conversations and Native American culture. She was a champion of women and had the bluest eyes and most fiery spirit. She was a member of the Stevensville Garden Club, St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, supporter of St. Mary's Mission, member of Delta Gamma Sorority and named Humanitarian of the year for Stevensville in 2013.

She was preceded in death by her parents, husband Richard, brother Joseph Golden and nephew Joey Golden.

She is survived by her sisters, Eleanor (Stan) Billheimer of Kalispell and Trudy (Eric) Erickson of Helena; nieces and nephew, Jeannette (Larry) Hartmann of Kalispell, Gail Golden (David) Anderson of Taos, New Mexico, David (Billie) Billheimer of Snohomish, Washington, Joy (Mike) McKay of Missoula, Aimee Ager-Erickson of Elizabethtown, Kentucky and Lesley Erickson of Helena. She has nine great nieces and nephews and many special friends.

Services will be held at the Whitesitt Funeral Home in Stevensville at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 23, with a luncheon following at the Senior Center in Stevensville. A private burial will be held at the St. Mary's Cemetery in Stevensville.

Memorial suggestions include St Stephens Episcopal Church, 203 Main St., Stevensville, MT 59870 or the non-profit that has been established per Joanne's wishes for her estate for education and spiritual formation called YES YOU SHOULD GO and is in c/o Joy McKay, 2524 Galena Court, Missoula, MT 59808. You may feel free to plant a tree and or give to a charity of your choice as well.

In Joanne's own words. "An education opens doors and minds. It was an awesome adventure, and I have no regrets." She will be missed dearly but her influence and her help of others will carry forward. 

Condolences and memories may be shared with the family at www.whitesittfuneralhome.com.