Margaret Ward

Margaret Louise Ward, 84, passed away Nov. 8, 2006, at the Brendan House in Kalispell.

Louise was born to Victor Allman and Janice W. (Johnson) Allman on Dec. 22, 1921, on a homestead in the prairie east of Melville. She had two sisters, Dorothy and Esther. At age five, she moved to Peaceful Valley, south of Harlowton, where she attended the Peaceful Valley School until age nine, when she moved to Melville, where she attended school through eighth grade.

Starting at age 14, Louise worked summers at the Donald Dude Ranch as a waitress and cabin attendant for $30 a month, which went for school clothes and supplies. During her high school years (two in Harlowton and two in Big Timber), she worked for board and room, as it was too far to travel from Melville. She played basketball and volleyball until the state stopped women's sports in 1940.

Louise met Bud in 1941, and they were married on Sept. 27, 1941. After Bud joined the Army in 1943, Louise and her son Terry returned to Melville, where she lived and worked at the Cremer Ranch until Bud returned in 1946.

In 1947, the family moved to Missoula, in 1948, they moved to Hungry Horse, and in 1952, they moved to Columbia Falls. During those years, Louise had daughters Jan, Kathy and Nancy. In 1965, the family moved to Bigfork, and then in 1976, they moved back to Columbia Falls to be near old friends.

Louise was a den mother for Cub Scouts in Hungry Horse and started the Girl Scouts with Virginia Mason in Columbia Falls in 1954. She was an active member of Our Savior's Lutheran Church in Columbia Falls and Bethany Lutheran Church in Bigfork for many years, teaching Sunday school at both.

Louise also spent 10 years directing exercise classes at North Valley Senior Center in Columbia Falls. Her hobbies were sewing, crocheting, baking breads, pies and special birthday cakes, and gardening. She liked remodeling her homes and huckleberry picking too.

Louise loved and was loved by her family.

She is survived by her sister Dorothy Kamrowski, in Melville; her son Terry Ward, in Deer Lodge; her daughter an Knudson, in Florence; her daughter Kathy Plummer, in Whitefish; her daughter Nancy Ward, in Kalispell; 14 grandchildren, 23 great grandchildren; and one great great grandchild.

A memorial service was held Nov. 18, 2006, at the Columbia Mortuary in Columbia Falls, with Rev. Ron Pierce officiating. Inurnment followed the service at Glacier Memorial Gardens Cemetery in Kalispell.