Marietta Pfister (Bauder)

BONNER ~ Marietta Bauder Pfister of Bonner, MT, age 82, passed into the arms of her loving Savior after suffering a stroke in February. She died peacefully at home on March 14, 2021 under Hospice Care with family surrounding her.

Marietta was born March 4, 1939 in Decorah, IA to Alden & Bertha Mae Bauder. Marietta was the youngest of three daughters and attended Decorah public schools. She received an Associate Degree in Elementary Education from Luther College in 1958. While at Luther College she sang in the Nordic Choir and played bassoon in the college orchestra.

In June of 1958, Marietta married high school sweetheart Robert Pfister. They lived in Roland, IA where Marietta taught second grade until Robert graduated from Iowa State University in 1960. They moved west, living on a fire lookout in Washington and two locations in Oregon before moving north to various Forest Service locations in Northern Idaho. The young family moved to the Rattlesnake valley in Missoula in 1967.

Marietta completed her B.A. in Elementary Education from the University of Montana in 1972. She loved working with children – teaching swimming lessons to many hundreds of Missoula children at their backyard pool from 1972 to 1986. She also was the music teacher for all grades at Bonner Elementary School from 1978 to 1981 using the skills learned in the Education Through Music program. After retiring from Bonner, she continued substitute teaching for several years in the Missoula area.

Their lives together blossomed after their three boys had grown when they built their dream home on the Blackfoot River at Rainbow Bend in 1988. Marietta volunteered as a music teacher at Potomac School and taught piano lessons at her home. Becoming concerned about river stewardship, she worked with the BLM, FW&P and the Blackfoot Home and Community Club to kick off the annual Blackfoot River Cleanup in 2004. She followed up with a program to provide free litter bags prepared by students at many schools and scout groups as a public service/stewardship education opportunity. This program resulted in regional and national recognition as a model for other rivers.

Marietta heard the music of creation in nature, and in people great and small. She loved making music in the church choir at Atonement Lutheran Church and more recently at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Bonner. She was a faithful sister in P.E.O. in Missoula for many years and treasured the friendships and sisterhood. She inherited her father’s sense of humor and lifted the spirits of all she touched.

Marietta is survived by Robert Pfister (husband of 62 years), sons Gregory (Michelle), Roseville, CA, Alan (Linda), Lolo, MT and Mark(Blair Davison) of Missoula. She was blessed with seven Grandchildren (Katie, Tom, Courtney, Adam, Taylor, Brianna, and Piper) and 11 Great Grandchildren. How fitting that her High School Yearbook caption stated that Marietta was “By Every Age Adored.”

A celebration of life memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, July 24, 2021 at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Bonner, MT. A lunch reception will follow. Masks are required. The service will be live streamed at www.oursaviorsbonner.com and will be archived on their site. In lieu of flowers, hug your children (and your spouse).

Arrangements are under the care of Garden City Funeral Home in Missoula.