Luann Westerhaus Peterson, 86

An energetic, hardworking teacher and petite, curly-headed dynamo, Luann was born June 3, 1938, at the hospital in Kalispell.

At the time her parents lived at Half Moon and her father managed the "company store."

She passed away on Dec. 27, 2024, at her home in Bigfork. She was surrounded by her husband, Mel, daughter, Patricia, caregivers, Michele and Tracy, and faithful dog, Bridget.

She is survived by husband, Mel, daughter, Patricia (Brent), and grandchildren, Alyssa Hands, Chelsea Hands and Robert Coyle. 

She was preceded in death by her daughter, Shawn Hands and parents, Louis and Lillian Westerhaus.

Luann moved with her parents to Kalispell at a young age when they built a house in East North Kalispell. Luann lived there during grade and high school years creating many lifelong friends in the neighborhood. She attended Russel, and Central schools and graduated with high honors at Flathead County High School in the class of 1956 in Kalispell. She was coeditor with her friend Claudia Rawson of the school yearbook which won national attention for its innovative indexing of students to their pictures. This was done before computers with loads of index cards.

She played first chair saxophone in the band and was very active in school activities. She had a lead in the school play "Arsenic and Old Lace" and that is where she and future husband Mel met. Summers she worked at her father’s Dairy Queen in Kalispell. Luann and Mel continued to stay in touch with many of their school friends through the years. For many years the FCHS class of 1956 would gather in Kalispell for an annual dinner and visit.

She attended St. Olaf’s College intending to become a dietitian. When that program was discontinued, she transferred to the University of Montana in Missoula as an English major. She maintained a near 4.0 grade point, getting letters from the college each semester. And was invited to the "smartie parties" attended by the two women in each class with the top grades each semester. She was selected as a member of the Phi Kappa Phi national honor society for academic excellence.

Luann was a member of the Delta Gamma sorority. She was a finalist in the Miss Montana State University contest. Her talent entry for that was a classical piano rendition of Clair de Lune.

Upon graduation, she attended graduate school at MSU and taught school in Fort Benton for several years, then moved to teach English at Woodland High School in Woodland, California where she taught for thirty years.

Luann was married to Robert Moriarty in 1962, daughter, Shawn was born Aug. 3, 1964. They later divorced. During her years at Woodland High School, Luann was known as Mrs. Moriarty. 

She was a mentor teacher, teacher of the year and a representative to the state teachers’ association for many years.

Luann’s home was in nearby Davis, California. There she was active in Davis Community church and many of the events around the university. Particularly book clubs and discussion events.

Luann was always an outdoor enthusiast. She and Mel would hike or cross-country ski on weekends in California. She enjoyed hiking on the beach and in the Sierras. Luann would select and save a special stone or seashell from each hike to remember it.

Summers were always at Luann’s favorite place, the family cabin at Little Bitterroot Lake. Luann was a charter member of the Little Bitterroot Lake Association. She took extensive notes at the meetings about preserving the quality of the lake and surrounding area. She saved every set of meeting notes and shared this passion with others. As always, she created a wide circle of friends on her daily walk with her dogs at Bitterroot Lake.

It was here Luann learned to water ski and slalom water ski, then, always the teacher, taught others to water ski.

Her Bitterroot Lake passion was fishing in her father’s fishing boat with one of her dogs in the boat and trolling by guiding the motor with her feet. In a short time, she would catch enough fish which she would fry.

After retiring from teaching, Luann traveled extensively around the world, much of the time with Friendship Force, with travel based on staying in host homes and exchanging and learning about their lives. She made many friends who corresponded regularly throughout her life. She was a member of the Sacramento and Flathead Valley Friendship Force. She visited Japan four times, Chile, Italy, Germany, France, Great Britain, New Zealand, Costa Rica, and Hawaii. She drove the autobahn and into the Swiss Alps and other European locations with her international driver’s license. Luann continued to correspond with dozens of people she met around the world as long as she could. She and husband, Mel also hosted them in California and at Bitterroot Lake.

Eventually Luann and husband Mel returned to Montana permanently and settled in Bigfork to help raise grandson Robert through his teen years. That is when Bigfork got to know Luann and dog Bridget for their daily walks and conversations as long as Luann was able. After each walk, she would recite the names of any of the dogs she and Bridget met that day. She said, "It is important to remember dogs’ names." Luann attended every Bigfork Children’s Theater and Bigfork Summer Theater production. She would be in line at the box office when new production tickets became available so she could get fourth row center tickets. She always stayed for the receptions and enjoyed talking with all the members of those originations. Always the last to leave the receptions, making sure to visit with everyone in attendance. She also proudly attended all of grandson Robert’s soccer games and track events.

Everywhere she went she had a lovely smile for everyone.

She continued a very active and self-sufficient personality as long as she could as the cruel fog of dementia slowly took her from us.

The family wishes to thank the many friends and caregivers who helped Luann through her long journey of dementia. The last verbal phrases she was able to utter, before losing the ability altogether were, "My husband, my husband." 

Services will be held Friday, Jan. 10, at Johnson-Gloschat Funeral Home in Kalispell. Viewing and service at 11 a.m. with burial to follow at Conrad Cemetery. A reception at the Central Museum will take place after graveside services. Everyone is invited to attend.

A celebration of Luann’s life will be held at the family cabin on Little Bitterroot Lake, on Luann’s 87th birthday, June 3, 2025. 

Anyone wishing to donate in Luann’s name to any of the many charities she gave to throughout her life, should do so by contributing to any of these, animal shelters, addiction help organizations, homelessness, and education. Johnson-Gloschat Funeral Home is caring for the family.