MALTA-Mary
E. Humes, 93, a retired school teacher and former Big Sandy resident,
died Jan. 4, 2010 at the Country Home in
Malta
of bone cancer.
A memorial service will be held in Big Sandy, MT, at a later date.
Condolences may be sent to
Box
1211
,
Malta
, MT 59538 or posted online at www.kirkwoodfuneralhome.com.
Memorials are suggested to the American Cancer Society Relay for Life,
c/o of First State Bank,
Box
910
,
Malta
, MT 59538. Kirkwood Funeral Home of Malta is in charge of arrangements.
Mary was born on December 24, 1916, in Outlook, MT, the only child of
A.W. and
Elizabeth
March. She graduated from
Plentywood
High School
in 1933 and attended college in
Dillon
,
MT
, earning a lifetime teaching certificate. During her 35 year
teaching career, she taught in Bainville,
Augusta
,
Fort
Benton
, and Big Sandy, MT. She retired in 1979 after teaching for 23
years in Big Sandy. Mary moved to
Malta
in 1998 and had been a resident at the Country Home, an assisted living
residence, in
Malta
since March 2006.
Mary was a life-long learner and a natural born teacher. She
loved hearing from and about her former students. She was an avid
reader, always kept up on the news, and possessed an exceptional wealth
of knowledge. Her quick wit and strong determination to weather
any storm stayed with her until her final days. Mary will be
remembered for her optimistic and rare non-judgmental personality.
She truly looked for and saw the best in everyone. She lived with
a “bloom where you are planted” philosophy even when it became
necessary for her to move to assisted living. She will be greatly missed
by all who knew and loved her.
Mary was devoted to her four girls and had a very special place in her
heart for her six grandsons. She is survived by her four
daughters: Barbara (Deon) Van der Mescht, Port Elizabeth, Africa; Evie
(Fred) Perry, Malta, MT; Ginny (Jim) Heberly, Havre, MT; Arlene (Dick)
Wiggans, Owasso, OK; six grandsons: Jason (Estaline) Cooke,
Soldotna, AK; Jeremy Cooke, Ogden, UT; Shane (Amanda) Wiggans, Dallas,
TX; Anthony (Alissa) Perry, St. Cloud, MN; David Heberly, Bozeman, MT;
Steve Heberly, Havre, MT; and 5 great-grandchildren. She was
preceded in death by her husband, Clifford Humes in 1998.
