Mavis Ann Schlappy

MISSOULA – Mavis Ann Schlappy passed away peacefully on Monday, June 10, 2013.

Mavis was born on Feb. 22, 1935, in Salt Lake City, Utah. She was the second child of John and Loeta Steele.

Mavis married Arnold Keith Schlappy on June 21, 1955, in the Idaho Falls Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Mavis and Keith were lifelong members of the church and dedicated their lives to its service.

We who were blessed to know her as wife, mom, grandma and friend knew Mavis to be a woman of great faith with a generous spirit and a joyful heart. She dearly loved all of God's creations. She and her young family spent many happy hours enjoying the wonders of nature, camping, fishing and exploring the wild places of Montana. Annual family vacations to Camp Tuffit at Lake Mary Ronan, a tradition begun when Mavis was young, are still cherished events. Together with Keith, the love of her life, her favorite times in recent years were their trips to the Bison Range where they knew, and even named, the creatures most visitors never see.

As a child in a military family, Mavis spent her young life traveling to many places in the world. They called many places home, including Alaska and postwar Germany. Her family moved to Montana in her teens, where she graduated from Missoula County High School and attended the University of Montana, studying music and business education. It was in Missoula she met and married Keith and they began their family.

Mavis started piano lessons very early. She began playing for church services when she was 12 years old, and continued playing both piano and organ to Sunday congregations throughout her life.

Mavis was a talented composer, musician and teacher who shared the gift of her music to soothe, inspire, comfort and commemorate. She loved passing on the gift of music to her students. She played the "Messiah" for nearly 20 years and twice conducted the LDS Chamber Orchestra for special performances. Mavis also loved to play for the elderly at Missoula retirement homes. She began composing at "the tender age of 65" and produced five CDs of her own music.

Above all Mavis treasured her beloved family. Holidays and other gatherings were occasions for song, great food and games. These special moments were always accompanied by Mavis at the piano.

Mavis was preceded in death by her brother, Jackie; her daughter, Lezlie Rae; her grandson, Brian; and her parents, former Montana Rep. John Steele and his wife, Loeta.

She is survived by Keith, her husband of 58 years; her sons, Brent and his wife, Judy, John and Rock; grandchildren, Melissa and her husband, John; step-grandchildren, Nikki and Ryan; and great-grandchildren, Katie, Isaac, Andrew and Lizzie.

Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday at the LDS Church at 3201 Bancroft. A dedication of the grave will follow at Sunset Memorial Cemetery.

The family suggests that memorials be made to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation in the care of John Schlappy, 523 Speedway, Missoula, MT 59802.

Arrangements are under the care of Garden City Funeral Home.

Read Mavis Schlappy's Obituary and Guestbook on www.missoulafuneralhomes.com.