Mary T Lappe

In the early hours of December 31, 2017, Mary Tracy (McAtee) Lappe passed to her eternal reward. Granddaughter of early Montana pioneers, Walter Henry and Anne Eliza (Conway) McAtee, Mary was born June 30, 1918 in Bozeman, Montana to Everett Conway McAtee and Lynn Frances (Tracy) McAtee. She sent her, early years on the McAtee ranch near Ennis. She was baptized and raised in the Catholic Faith and this was the most important aspect of her life. She recalled riding horseback with her father and grandfather taking sheep from the ranch in Ennis to summer pastures over the mountains to the high pastures of the Big Hole. During the 1930s her family lived in various parts of Montana when her father worked for the ACM.
Mary met Francis LaPointe at church in Plains and they were married on October 8, 1938 at St. James Catholic Church. She and Francis were parents to 8 children who were all baptized at St. James Church, and raised in the Catholic faith. As a young woman her time was spent caring for the eight children, making certain we all ate healthy diets, learned to be polite and respect our elders, learn to value hard work, be forgiving, and follow the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church. She was very kind, and never uttered an unkind word about any living soul. She had a good sense of humor which helped greatly in raising 8 children.
In March 1965 Francis died, leaving her a widow with 4 children at home. She worked as a bookkeeper for McGowan Department Store in Plains from 1967 to 1985. In December of 1967 she married Maurice Lappe at St. James Church and they were married until his death in 1995. She and Maurice moved to Lolo after his stroke in early 1993. Mary lived in the home they built until 2011 when she moved to her daughter’s home in Lolo. She remained active until her death, and enjoyed nothing more than visiting with her family. She was able to spend her remaining years with family thanks to the help of her Lolo daughters and granddaughter, Melanie.
Mary was preceded in death by her parents; E. Conway and Lynn (Tracy McAtee), brothers; Martin and William McAtee, son; Daniel LaPointe, grandson; Kevin LaPointe; great grandson; Nicholas Pucinelli and sons-in-law Duane Roy and Neil Morris.
She is survived by her brother Lynn McAtee, Plains, her children: Mary Ellen Crnich (Tom)Anaconda, Francis Peter LaPointe Jr., Plains, Michael Conway LaPointe (Gayle)Mead, CO, Bernadette Elizabeth LaPointe Roy, Lolo, Nora Lynn LaPointe Morris, Lolo, Elaine Annette LaPointe Vetter, Lolo, and Therese Bridgette LaPointe Baldwin (Joe) Fort Collins, CO.
Grandchildren: Lynn Crnich Higgins(Mike), Deborah Crnich Pucinelli (Ray), Kurt Crnich, Catrina LaPointe, Tracy LaPointe Conway (Butch), Jennifer LaPointe McKillop (Craig), Michael Sean LaPointe (Larry), Peter LaPointe (Suzanne), David LaPointe (Tammy), Daniel LaPointe, Devin Roy (Rosalie), Melanie Roy (Scott), Rachel Flores (Johnny), Bridget Vetter(Cortland), Erin Vetter, Sarah Carter, Anthony Baldwin, Jonathan Baldwin (Sapna), Benjamin Baldwin (Katie), Michael Baldwin , and Elizabeth Lewis (Zack).
Great-grandchildren: Kaleb, Savano, and Owen Roy, Max Higgins, Johnathan, Jesenia, and Jada Flores, Joseph, Drew, and Paige Pucinelli, Andrea, Lauren, and Kurt Crnich, Tiffany Rose, Adrianna Churchill, Hunter and Kolton LaPointe, Jordan and Anthony Tripp, Conner and Callie McKillop, Wayne LaPointe, Peter Gonzales. Stephanie, Stephen and Samantha Holcomb, Sophie and James Baldwin.
Great-great grandchildren: Mara Pucinelli, Kaden and Terrin Rose, and Jordan LaPointe,
We would like to thank the following people for visiting and checking on Mary frequently: Rosalie, Savano Kaleb, and Owen Roy, Betty Riebe, Melanie Roy, Erin Vetter, Bridget Vetter, Max and Lynn Higgins. Your calls, visits and cards meant so much to her.
A vigil will be held on January 5 at 7PM at the Spirit of Christ Catholic Church in Lolo. Her funeral will be Saturday, January 6, 2018, at 10:30 am at the Spirit of Christ Catholic Church. Burial will be Monday, January 8, 2018 the cemetery in Plains. Services are under the care of Garden City Funeral Home.