Streets leave $1.1M to foundation

Mary Jane and Russell Street took ownership in Whitefish. They not only enjoyed the town, but they spent their lives working to make it better.

Now even after passing away, the Streets have found a way to give to their community. Through a charitable trust, they are bequeathing $1.1 million to the Whitefish Community Foundation.

The Streets were instrumental in the early development of Whitefish. They opened Street’s Grocery in 1947 on Central Avenue which they operated for 16 years. During the late 1950s together with partners they purchased the Bay Point Cabin Camp. The couple was also involved with Whitefish Mountain Resort.

Mike Jenson, who is Mary Jane’s nephew, said they would be happy knowing that they will continue to be part of the effort to build the community through the foundation.

“They had nothing they were more proud of than Whitefish,” Jenson said. “They were big promoters of Big Mountain and Whitefish.”

Gerald Hanson served as Street’s accountant beginning in 1974 and lived in one of their cabins for a short time. Over the years he came to know the Streets and assisted with creating the charitable trust which provided for Mary Jane until her passing.

“They were very community-minded,” he said. “Whitefish was their town.”

The donation will be placed in an endowment fund that will further the mission of the foundation to benefit the community.The gift is one of the largest to a Whitefish nonprofit, according to the community foundation.

“The faith and trust Mary Jane and Russ Street have placed in our foundation speaks well of our efforts on behalf of our nonprofit community,” Foundation Board President Carol Atkinson said. “Simply put, their generosity will help us do even more,” she said.

Mary Jane passed away this spring following Russ’ death in 1995. The couple leaves a long history of community involvement.

Mary Jane Bretthauer grew up in Whitefish and graduated form Whitefish High School in 1940. She married Russell Street, who also lived in Whitefish, in 1941. The couple returned to Whitefish after Russ was discharged from the Army.

In a 1994 interview with the Pilot, Russ was modest about the couple’s accomplishments.

“All we wanted to do was be a part of Whitefish — nothing else,” he said. “I didn’t want to be a king pin.”

During the time the couple owned Street’s Grocery they developed and marketed a spice product called Alpine Touch. They later sold the business, but the spice remains on store shelves today.

They operated the Bay Point Cabin Camp through the ‘60s. After buying out their partners they went on to develop the Bay Point Resort Condominiums and later Bay Point Country Homes.

Russ was involved with Whitefish Mountain Resort when it was known as Big Mountain Ski Resort. Besides being a member of its first board of directors, he could also be found doing whatever job the ski resort needed: parking cars, delivering food supplies for the restaurant from the grocery and financially helping to keep the ski resort afloat in the early days. Russ’s Street on Whitefish Mountain Resort is named for Russ.

Mary Jane was right alongside Russ helping at the ski resort, managing the grocery store, running the Bay Point Cabins and working as part of the original “dirty dozen” planning the annual Whitefish Winter Carnival. Mary Jane was a member of the First Presbyterian Church and started an endowment fund at the community foundation that continues to benefit the church today.

In the 1994 Pilot interview, Russ was asked his reason for staying in Whitefish.

“Why? There’s no better place to live than Whitefish,” he said.