Lois Mae Rose, 88
Lois Mae Rose, 88, was born to Mary and Earl Fleharty on Sept. 11, 1936, in Lewistown. Growing up on a ranch near Winnett, she quickly became her dad’s right-hand helper — driving the International Harvester tractor, raking hay, riding horses, and bringing cows in for milking. She attended Winnett schools and graduated from Winnett High School in 1955. Since no one would hire a female farmhand back then, Lois headed off to Montana State College in Bozeman, majoring in health and physical education with a minor in biology. Every summer, though, she returned home to lend a hand on the ranch.
It was in a psychology class that Lois met Joe Rose, the love of her life. They married on Dec. 29, 1958, and after graduating in 1959, Joe began working for the County Extension Service. Their journey took them to Livingston, where their first child, David, was born. Later, Joe’s work moved them to Joliet, Stanford, and Cut Bank, where Rodger and Karla joined the family. In 1963, Joe switched careers to banking, eventually bringing the family to Columbia Falls.
While raising her kids, Lois stayed busy substitute teaching in Columbia Falls schools, coaching softball and high school girls' track, leading junior bowling teams, and chasing her kids all around the Flathead Valley. An athlete herself, she enjoyed bowling, softball, and golfing in local women’s leagues. In recent years, she loved relaxing and watching any sport or game on TV.
In 1977, Lois and Joe ventured into business together, starting with gates and fences, then expanding into cedar shakes. By 1987, they created personalized hiking sticks for Glacier National Park, a business that grew to include parks and gift shops from the East Coast to Alaska, including Yellowstone, Yosemite, Crater Lake, Mt. Rainier, and the Grand Canyon. Lois also taught herself — and others — to craft beautiful pine needle baskets, which became popular in gift shops nationwide.
Lois loved fishing, especially at their ranch on the North Fork. She knew all the secret huckleberry patches, could always spot wild baby’s breath, had a green thumb for gardening, enjoyed spirited games of pinochle with her siblings, had an infectious laugh, and was often seen disappearing in a cloud of smoke.
Lois passed away peacefully on Friday, March 14, 2025.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Earl and Mary Fleharty, her husband, Joe, and her sister, Marilyn.
She is lovingly remembered by her sister, Lou Ann Fleharty Sharkey, brother, Jim (Carol) Fleharty, children, David (former wife, Marcy Smith Hall), Rodger (Fernalyn), and Karla Swank (Dewey), as well as her beloved grandchildren, Mathew Rose and Morgan (Rose) Williams, Christopher (Mallory) and Zane (Kristen) Levengood, and also Scotta, Xander, Leo and Charlie her great-grandchildren.
A long-time member of St. Richard Catholic Church, Lois will be buried in St. Richard’s Cemetery, with her husband, Joe.
Services will be held Thursday, March 20, at St. Richard Catholic Church in Columbia Falls. Recitation of the Rosary will start at 1 p.m. with the funeral beginning at 2 p.m. A reception will follow. Johnson-Gloschat Funeral Home is caring for the family.