Geraldine Doris Maercklein

Geraldine Doris Maercklein, known to family as Mitzi, passed away on Dec. 28th in Missoula at the age of 86. She was born in Helena in 1938, and lived in Boulder, MT in childhood. As a young woman she completed her nurse training at St Patrick Hospital in Missoula and worked as a nurse serving her community. She married an air force officer and raised two children while stationed at many bases around the United States, the last of these being Great Falls, MT.

Later she went back to school and earned her masters in counseling. She was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis during this time. Despite this she again turned her life to the care of her community working as a nurse and counselor at a drug addiction center in Great Falls. She remarried and moved to Thompson Falls and worked at the Sanders County Mental Health Clinic as a counselor. When her M.S. progressed and she was no longer able to work, her grace, faith and perseverance were an example to many who were impressed by her tolerance and forbearance under the hardships of the disease. At the end of her life she has chosen again to give to her community by donating her body to the School of Medicine in Bozeman. She leaves behind her 2 children, 3 grandchildren and 9 great grandchildren as well as her 5 surviving siblings.

We will miss her.

In keeping with her spirit of service to the community we are providing the following local charity in her home town of Missoula, MT. Please feel free to make a donation in her name in lieu of a service or sending flowers for the family. (https://thepoverellocenter.org/donate/) You may notify us by including the following email in your contribution if you wish, gardencity@missoulafuneralhomes.com.