Eliene Gridley

Eliene Mary Gridley, 96, passed away peacefully on July 2, 2013, of natural causes at Timber Creek Village, where she had resided for the past year.

She was born Sept. 30, 1916, on a homestead at Fresno to Nick and Mary, of Lammerding Schend. The family moved to Havre in 1923 and she attended grade school at St. Jude’s Catholic School and graduated from Havre High School in 1935.

Eliene worked as a waitress in Havre before marrying Miles Gridley in February 1941. They made their home in Havre where Miles worked for the Great Northern Railroad prior to his death in 1976.

Eliene was very active in St. Jude’s Altar Society and Catholic Daughters of America in Havre, and was a member of St. Richard’s Parish in Columbia Falls. Her hobbies included volunteer work, reading, needlework and knitting.

She always loved a party and never missed a chance to spend a holiday or special event with her family and friends. In her younger years she enjoyed fishing and camping in the Bear Paw Mountains.

Eliene moved from Havre to Columbia Falls in 2000 to be nearer to her cousin, Ken Ausk, and other family members, and with their help she was able to maintain her own apartment and to live independently until she was almost 95.

“Auntie”, as she was known to her family, was always cheerful, kind and patient no matter what life dealt her. She was a terrific cook and baker and was always willing to share her knowledge of gardening, flowers, cooking, canning, and the Catholic faith and traditions.

Eliene was preceded in death by her husband, parents and brothers Bernard and Henry.

Survivors include Ken and Phyllis Ausk, of Columbia Falls; Ralph, Keni and Taylor Hopkins, of Columbia Falls; Tom and Theresa Kolczak, of Columbia Falls; Wade and Susan Hodgson, of Calgary, Alberta; Brandy Hodgson and family, of Didsbury, Alberta; Kyle Hodgson and family, of Calgary, Alberta; David and Colleen Schend and family, of Spokane, Wash.; Janet Fisler and family, of Snohomish, Wash.; Frances Sommars, of Kalispell; Vince and Toby Allan and family, of Columbia Falls; Kathy and Tyrell Lundman, of Missoula and New York City; and other family and friends.

Rosary will be recited at St. Richard’s Catholic Church in Columbia Falls on Friday, July 12, at 7 p.m. Her funeral Mass will be held at St. Richard’s on Saturday, July 13, at 1 p.m., with Father John Miller officiating. In accordance with her wishes, interment will follow at a later date in Highland Cemetery at Havre.