Margaret "Marge" Lubbers

Margaret "Marge" Courtney Lubbers

April 20, 1927- March 25, 2025

Marge was born at Sunshine Farm near Yankton S.D., the second child of Clarence D. and Margaret Courtney. She took a pony cart to Fishbeck grade school and graduated from Mount Marty High School in Yankton. After graduation, she and her sister Mary took a train to work at the Pentagon in Washington DC (this was during WWII). A year later she returned to Yankton and worked as a receptionist at Yankton Clinic.

In 1949 she spotted a handsome man with a yellow tie at Mass and it wasn't long before they met and fell in love. She married the love of her life, Jerry Lubbers, the following year. She and Jerry had 7 children and enjoyed building or "flipping" houses which entailed a lot of moves. It was important to them to give their children a Catholic education and they sacrificed to see it done.

While raising her children, she began her volunteering career as a Pink Lady at Huron Regional Medical Center in Huron SD. She also volunteered at the Bargain Basement (now the Bargain Corner), St Joseph hospital in Polson, The Poverello, the Missoula Senior Center and the White Elephant in Green Valley, AZ. She loved working in thrift shops believing that the poor should be able to shop in a neat and organized place too.

Among other awards, in 2007, she was awarded President Bush's Daily Point of Light Award. This was a national award to honor those who have committed to connect Americans through service to meet critical needs in their communities.

Mom loved costume jewelry and often received compliments on her various necklaces. She was also a connoisseur of pies. To her there is no such thing as a store-bought pie. Her favorite pie tip was: to add coconut to an unbaked pumpkin pie-yummy!

According to Ancestry.com, Mom was 99.6% Irish and she was very proud of it. She counted herself lucky to be able to go to Ireland and kiss the Blarney Stone.

As a youth her choir director was not impressed with her singing and told her to just mouth the words so she rarely sang. But she often could be heard singing the same song while housecleaning. The verse went: "There's a tree in the meadow with a stream drifting by" however she usually sang (in a lovely voice)" There's a stream in the meadow with a tree drifting by."

Mom was very devoted to praying the Rosary and in her retirement, made and donated over 22,000 rosaries. She had a very compassionate heart and frequently offered her prayers for family, friends and even strangers. In the days preceding her death, many approached her and her family with kind words of how she had touched their lives.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Clarence and Margaret Courtney, infant sister Patricia, beloved spouse Jerry, infant son Jude, siblings (and spouses) Mary (Don) Henning, Angela (Pat) McGillick, Clarence (Janet) Courtney, infant granddaughter Jill and Jerry's 13 siblings and their spouses, her nieces Patricia, Teresa, Donna Rae and nephews Mike and Ken.

She is survived by her sister Kathleen Courtney OSB, her children John (Heather), Julie (Mike), Jeff (Lis), Jeanne (Mark), Angela (Daemon), Amy, 18 grandchildren and 25 great grandchildren, many "favorite" nieces and nephews and the 8 a.m. daily Mass family.

The family would like to thank SFX Church and staff for the love, prayers and support they have given us. Also, Matt Barton PA-C at the IHI who was so kind and patient with Mom. We are so grateful for the outstanding loving and compassionate caregivers of the Auberge Assisted Living Facility and Partners in Home Care Hospice who worked diligently to help Mom feel respected and comfortable and loved.

She was a humble and beautiful soul who will be missed by many.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks you to consider a donation to the Missoula Aging Services or the Missoula Food Bank.