Ellen J. Wilson

Ellen J. Wilson, 92, of Missoula, passed away Sunday, Jan. 10, 2016, at Bee Hive Homes, where she had resided for the past two years.

Ellen was born Feb. 27, 1923, in Libby to Joseph and Magdalena Stuhlreiter, the youngest of five girls. Despite losing her father in a tragic accident when she was just 7 months old and growing up during the Depression, Ellen was still able to recall her childhood fondly. She had a resourceful mother who raised her own chickens and vegetables and was a wonderful cook who always found room for one more at the table. Ellen's older sisters looked out for her, including making her beautiful clothes. Ellen loved growing up amid the natural beauty of northwest Montana, where she spent much of her youth hiking, fishing and swimming. Music was a passion of hers; she had a beautiful voice and was accomplished on the piano and violin.

Upon graduation from Libby High School in 1941, Ellen attended the University of Washington in Seattle and Normal School in Billings, now MSU-Billings, where she majored in education. Upon graduation, although her specialty was elementary education and remedial reading, she was so eager to obtain a position that she agreed to take on all sorts of grades and subjects, including music and physical education, during her years in Grass Range and Park City.

In 1947 Ellen moved to Terry because her Park City superintendent, Russell Bolin, was relocating there, and he was eager to have her as his remedial reading teacher. It was during that time that Ellen caught the eye of Terry's eligible bachelor, county extension agent Phil Wilson. Ellen and Phil married in Seattle in 1949, and once they started their family, Ellen retired from teaching and took on the roles of homemaker, mother and community volunteer.

She was involved in Eastern Star, Ladies Aid and the Community Presbyterian Church, where she taught nursery school. Ellen also served as a homeroom parent, Medical Self Help instructor and an observer for the Ground Observation Corps. In later years she became involved with the Prairie County Museum. A beautiful calligrapher, Ellen was often asked to print signs and documents, many of which can still be seen around Terry.

In 1968, when her youngest child was in second grade, Ellen was asked to return to the classroom. Thus began her second stint as a teacher. She spent part of several summers on further education at Concordia College in Minnesota. Five years after returning to the classroom, Ellen became a widow at the age of 50 when her husband Phil suffered a fatal heart attack in 1973. Teaching her first-graders became Ellen's outlet, a role in which she truly excelled. She could be found at school early in the morning, late in the afternoon and even on weekends. She was proud that she never took a sick leave day in all her 31-year teaching career.

With family in Missoula, she would often take the bus after school Friday, attend weekend education seminars at the University of Montana, and then ride the bus home Sunday, arriving hours before her Monday class day. Even though her class size was sometimes well over 30, it seemed everybody wanted "Mrs. Wilson" to get their child off to a good start, so the administration opted not to divide up the class, instead employing aides. One school board member said that if they paid Mrs. Wilson what she was worth, they couldn't have afforded her! Ellen finally retired from teaching in 1992, and she admitted that initially it was a difficult adjustment, as she loved the students and staff and looked forward to going to work every day.

Ellen enjoyed traveling. She liked returning to her hometown of Libby, crossing the state over 700 miles to get there, often with four kids on board and no air conditioning! Some years ago, she inherited her sister's home in Libby, so that became a frequent destination for the family, the last time being this past September when she, Richard, Barbara and Scott went there for Nordic Fest. Ellen and Phil saw a great deal of the country when Phil was an officer in the National County Agents Association. Some of her favorite trips were to Pittsburgh, Atlanta and New York City. In 1979, she and daughter Peggy took a trip to Western Europe, and she said she saw all the countries she really wanted to see, including her family's homeland in Bavaria. Later in life, she and Peggy, using their traveling identities "Sara" and "Meg," hit the road in Ellen's little '94 Toyota Corolla, which she called "Dexter." In later years, daughter Barbara "Betty" joined them. Recently, Ellen especially looked forward to Sunday breakfasts and rides with her children.

In 2006 Ellen moved from Terry to Missoula, where two of her four children lived. She valued her years at Grizzly Peak Independent Living. Two years ago, she and her family decided she need a bit more help, so she became a resident at Bee Hive, where she had excellent care in a home-like atmosphere. The family is grateful to the Bee Hive No. 5 staff, as well as Partners Hospice, for giving their mother such good care until the very end.

Ellen is survived by her four children, Richard Wilson of Hampton, Virginia, Peggy (Mark) Latrielle of Missoula, Barbara (Bill) Ifft of Medical Lake, Washington, and Scott (Kasandra) Wilson of Missoula; grandchildren, Sam (Ashley) Kuehn, Alison (Corey) Boone, Eric Wilson, Andy (Ashley) Ifft, Nora Ifft, Olivia Wilson, Mason Wilson and Hayden Wilson; and her great-grandchildren, Emmie and Lucy Boone and Jackson Ifft.

A memorial service will be held later in Terry. For those who wish to make a donation in Ellen's name, she indicated that she would like to support the Prairie County Museum and the Terry Presbyterian Community Church.

Cremation Burial Society of the Rockies of Missoula and Stevenson and Sons of Miles City are helping the family with arrangements. Condolences can be sent to the family via stevensonandsons.com.


Read Ellen Wilson's Obituary and Guestbook on www.missoulafuneralhomes.com.