Marjorie Jeanne Fevold

Jeane Fevold (Ashley), 77, was surrounded by family in her home when she passed away Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2013, after a short battle with lung cancer.

She was born in Livingston on Oct. 6, 1936, to Herman and Mary Merene. After her father died in a hunting accident, Mary married the man Jeane knew as her father, Frank Ashley, in 1939. Jeane grew up on ranches in the Paradise Valley and in Livingston, where she rode her horse double with her sister to school, raised grand champion steers in 4-H, and attended Park County High School.

Jeane attended the University of Montana and a medical technology program in Minneapolis, Minn. In organic chemistry at the University of Montana, Jeane met the love of her life, Rich Fevold, and they were married in 1958. They honeymooned at Lake Louise, and together, moved to Salt Lake City, then Uppsala, Sweden, and returned to Missoula in 1963 with Eric and Karen in tow. They added Steve to complete the family and spent the next 44 years enjoying the outdoors of Montana together. Jeane enjoyed being outside: gardening, hiking, birding, fishing, looking for bitterroot on Mt. Jumbo, and foraging – huckleberries, morels and chokecherries were harvested and put up.

Jeane worked in the Microbiology Department at UM. After retiring, Jeane and Rich lived part-time at their cabin on Flathead Lake, and explored the cultures and natural wonders of other regions of the world. They counted sea turtle hatchlings in Puerto Rico, floated the Amazon, birded in Costa Rica, and – mom's favorite – explored the Galapagos. Jeane was always a Griz fan; she and Rich attended most home football and basketball games, including the 2001 national championship football game, and she continued to go to the games regularly after losing Rich in 2007.

Jeane's mother moved in with her from Livingston in 2010, and Jeane enjoyed Mary's companionship until Jeane passed away. Mary Ashley is now living with her daughter Marilynn, in Shelton, Wash.

Jeane leaves behind her mother, Mary Ashley; her sister Marilynn Okert and husband Rudy Okert; sisters-in-law, RuthAnn Opem and Kathy LeFevere; her children, Eric Fevold, Karen Fevold and her husband Hans Van Dusen and Steve Fevold; grandchildren, Hannah and Zach Van Dusen; her aunt Helen Cosick, numerous cousins and nieces and nephews.

Many thanks to the caring staff at Partners in Home Care, their attention to all of us eased Jeane's last days, and enabled her to be comfortable at home with family.

A memorial service at Jeane's home church, Immanual Lutheran, will be held later next spring.

Read Marjorie Fevold's Obituary and Guestbook on www.missoulafuneralhomes.com.