Marie Battle

Sunnyvale, California - Marie was born on New Year's Eve, 1917, on her family's ranch near Dillon, Montana, the eldest daughter of John Hansen Anderson and Egidia Jepsen, both immigrants from the island of Aero, in Denmark. Her father was a much respected rancher in the state, being one of its largest wool producers during WWII. When Marie was about 3 or 4 years old, the family moved to another ranch near Alder, Montana, where Marie, her brother John and sisters Edna and Clara grew up. Marie attended grade school in Alder, high school in Virginia City and Butte Business College in Butte, Montana.
In December of 1938, Marie married George Battle. The couple had 5 children: David, Sharon, Barbara, Tom and John. Ranching not being George's forte', the family moved with some frequency due to George's various business enterprises, but finally settled in Missoula, Montana. Throughout all these moves, Marie remained a loving and devoted wife, a fine homemaker and a wonderful mother while she supported George's entrepreneurial adventures with her business training.
George passed away in 1971, leaving Marie to raise her youngest son, John, who was still in high school, on her own. Marie never remarried as she said George was the love of her life and no one could replace him. Marie had a strong belief in education and was proud that all of her children had a college education.
She had returned to the workforce around 1965 as the bookkeeper for Sacred Heart Academy and later for St. Francis Catholic Parish in Missoula. She continued to help guide the parish's financial path while supporting herself and her family until she retired at the age of 72.
Around 1989, with none of her children remaining in Missoula, Marie moved to Auburn, Washington, to be near her daughter, Barbara, and Barbara's husband, Glen Dunlap. When Barbara and Glen moved from Auburn, and with failing eyesight and declining physical abilities, Marie moved to an assisted living facility in San Jose, California, near where her younger sons, Tom and John, lived.
Marie passed quietly away on September 29, 2013 in Sunnyvale, California, at the age of 95. She is survived by her 5 children and their spouses, 10 grandchildren, 5 step-grandchildren and 8 great-grandchildren. She will be buried next to her husband, George Battle in Missoula, Montana. May she rest in peace.
Funeral services for Marie will be held on Saturday, October 5, 2013 at 10:30 A.M. at Garden City Funeral Home. Burial will be at 1:00 P.M. at New St. Mary's Cemetery, On Scott & Otis Streets in Missoula.
Arrangements are under the directions of Garden City Funeral Home and Crematory

Read Marie Battle's Obituary and Guestbook on www.missoulafuneralhomes.com.