Myrtle Gideon

MISSOULA - Myrtle Margaret Gideon (Patterson), 91, passed away of natural causes, Thursday January. 1, 2009, at Hillside Place, an assisted living facility.





She was born October. 12, 1917, in Kerrobert, Saskatchewan to Frederick William Patterson and Thelma Feldman. As a small girl she traveled back and forth between Canada and western Washington state. She was boarded out from ages 2 to 4 and learned the German language. She later carried the nickname “Dutch” because of the language. She graduated from Oakville High School in Washington State in 1934 and became a naturalized American citizen October. 4, 1945.





She married Henry Gideon in 1935, and they had two sons.





Her mother and husband were both children of Volga River Germans. Except for several years in a logging camp she lived in Centralia, Wash., from 1939 to 1993. Her husband worked on the Northern Pacific Railroad as a fireman and then an engineer. She worked at the Maple Lane School for girls in Grand Mound, Wash., from about 1960 to 1980, when she retired.





She gave accordion lessons in Centralia in the 1950s and she also played the organ.





She was divorced in 1971. In 1985 she visited Scotland, England, and Ireland. Her son was on sabbatical in Scotland and she visited him there.





As a retired person, she played golf and bowled. She made trips to Nevada with her friends. She had many Feldman relatives in the Portland area and visited them frequently. She was a very long member of the Fraternal Order of Eagles in Centralia. She moved to Missoula in 1993, to be by her son and daughter-in-law. She lived on Kensington Avenue for 14 years.





Survivors include two sons, Rudy and wife Beverly in Missoula and Gene and Gerry in Lompoc, Calif. She has five grandchildren and five great-grandchildren; Steve and wife Karen, with children , Sierra and Hadley, Hamilton; Andy and wife Debra, with children Jaxon and Kaden, Thompson Falls; David and wife Brenda with daughter Heather living in Seattle; Greg and wife Debra in Lompoc, and Gina who lives in Maryland. She was cremated in Missoula.

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