Cornelia Graham

Cornelia Clack Graham, 95, died peacefully Friday, Feb. 1, 2008, at Kalispell Regional Hospital, after a mild heart attack.

She was born April 22, 1912, in Havre, the only daughter of Philip David and Cornelia (Timmons) Clack. Her parents were Texas natives and she always valued her Southern roots.

Her cousin was an early Montana pilot and she loved the adventure of fearlessly "barnstorming" with him in his bi-plane when few had ever flown. She began studying piano as a child and received many awards in state music competitions.

After graduating from Havre High School in 1929, she enrolled at Montana State University (now the University of Montana) where she earned a bachelor's in music education. She was a member of Alpha Phi Sorority.

Upon graduation, she traveled to Fontainebleau, France, to study piano with world-renowned concert pianist Robert Cassadesus. She returned to Montana and began teaching at the Montana School for the Deaf and the Blind in Boulder. When the school moved to Great Falls, she relocated there where she continued teaching and later worked for the military at Gore Field.

As a young woman, she began annual trips with her parents to Lake McDonald in Glacier National Park and a lifelong love affair with the park was born. She hiked almost every trail in Glacier and always told stories of the wonderful backcountry tent camps that she described as being as "welcoming as any night at the Waldorf Astoria." She began each summer with a fast-paced trek to the Mount Brown Lookout and always felt if she could do that quickly, she could hike anywhere in Glacier.

She met her husband, Robert McKoy Graham Jr., in Great Falls. He served as a Naval officer during World War II and they were married in Great Falls on Feb. 10, 1943. They moved to Kalispell in 1946 and founded the Culligan Soft Water Service.

She taught Sunday school at the First Presbyterian Church and accompanied the Children's Choir for many years. She was a Girl Scout troop leader, a Cub Scout den mother, and always a willing helper for her children's and their friends' activities. She volunteered for the American Cancer Society, the American Heart Fund and the hospital, was president of Chapter AB, PEO, was a member of the Daughters of the Nile and worked at Flathead High School.

After selling their business in Kalispell, both Cornelia and Bob returned to the field of education and taught school in Avon, later moving to Cut Bank, where Cornelia retired after many years of teaching third grade.

Preceding her in death were her parents; husband Bob; brothers Worth and Raymond Clack, and their wives Irene and Shirley.

She is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Robin and John Bailey, of West Glacier and Hamilton; son Robert M. Graham, of Kalispell; grandchildren Chris Bailey, of Whitefish, and Katie Bailey French and husband Dale French, of Portland; great grandchildren Will and Addison French; sister-in-law Mary Agnes and brother-in-law Bill Roberts, of Great Falls; sister-in-law Sue Schwetz, of Spokane; nephews Geoff Roberts, of Kalispell, and Kim Graham, of Gardnerville, Nev.; niece Jane Roberts, of Great Falls; and numerous great nieces and great nephews and cousins.

Plans call for a memorial service in Glacier Park next summer. The family suggests memorials be sent to the Glacier Natural History Association, P.O. Box 310, West Glacier MT 59936 or to the Great Falls Symphony Association, P.O. Box 1078, Great Falls MT 59403.