Luanne M. (Burch) VanArtsdale

Luanne M. (Burch) VanArtsdale, 71, passed away Sunday, July 11, 2004, at Colonial Manor Care Center in Whitefish after a long battle with lung cancer.

She was born July 30, 1932, in Kalispell, to Arthur and Carrie (Anderson) Burch. She attended school in Kalispell and graduated from Flathead High School in 1950. As a child, she spent summers in Many Glacier, where her family owned and operated Glacier Park Boat Company. She loved Glacier Park and explored most of it on foot or horseback.

Luanne married Eugene VanArtsdale in 1954 and they settled in Libby, where she owned and operated Vimy Ridge Recreation Sports. The summer months were spent at Two Medicine and Lake McDonald operating boat concessions. Upon retirement, Luanne and Van moved to Bigfork and another retail venture was undertaken — Forget-Me-Not Gifts, and was located on Electric Avenue until 1991.

Van passed away in 1996 and Luanne moved to Kalispell, where she was active with Friends of the Library, Kalispell Repertory Theatre, antiques and auctions.

She was preceded in death by her husband; and infant son, David; and her parents.

Survivors include her son, Mark VanArtsdale, and his wife Denise, of Kalispell; two daughters, Carrie Wick and her husband David, and Gena Wilson and her husband Mitch, all of Whitefish; a brother, Art Burch and his wife Billy Ann; numerous nieces and nephews; and her six grandchildren, whom she dearly loved, Maggie, Erin, Alexander, McKenzie, Murphy and Dawson. We will all miss her.

A celebration of life open house will be held at Luanne's home, 14 Buffalo Circle in Riverview Greens (off Whitefish Stage) from 2 to 4 p.m. Thursday (today).

Arrangements are under the direction of Johnson Mortuary and Crematory.