Rose Ellen Richlie (Mudd)

Rose Ellen (Mudd) Richlie died unexpectedly but peacefully of a heart incident in her home on Sunday, Nov. 16, 2014.

Rose was born on Aug. 2, 1930, in Missoula, the sixth child of J. Otis and Nell Mudd and was a lifelong resident of Missoula. She attended St. Francis Xavier Parish Grade School and Sacred Heart Academy, graduating in 1948. Rose was a national winner of the 1948 Voice of Democracy contest and traveled to Washington, D.C. to meet President Harry S. Truman. She attended the University of Montana-Western at Dillon and completed her degree in education in Missoula.

Rose had been a teacher for the Missoula County Public Schools for 29 years and taught at Washington, Roosevelt and Hawthorne grade schools. She was Montana Education Association teacher representative for the school district. Rose always enjoyed teaching and especially liked fourth grade.

Rose had a quiet, private temperament, and was always loyally devoted to her family, friends and church. She was known for her love of books and games. After her retirement she read constantly and played bridge weekly. She loved crossword puzzles, and taught her children and grandchildren many forms of solitaire.

She is also remembered for avidly attending each summer the horse races at the Missoula County Fair, and for gambling as entertainment with an occasional win at One-Eyed Jack. In her later years she enjoyed playing games on her iPad.

Rose enjoyed travel and attending Grizzly football with her younger sister Doris. They were close and later in life lived across the hall from each other at The Village Senior Residence at Fort Missoula.

Rose is preceded in death by her husband Robert Richlie, who died in 1987.

She is also preceded by her two brothers, Jack and Joe Mudd and her sisters, Sr. Rita Mudd, Mary Moholt, Lex McCullough and Doris Anne Haggarty.

Rose is survived by her five children, Diane (Stuart) Sharp of Leawood, Kansas, Larry (Carol Brennan) Richlie of Eagle, Idaho, Al (Allene) Richlie of Gilbert, Arizona, Dan (Dara) Richlie of Denver and Elaine Richlie (Mark Norelius) of Seattle.

She kept her apartment full of photos of her eight grandchildren and spouses, Katherine and Scott Spal, Alexander and Reyna Sharp, Courtney Richlie, Jenna Richlie, Kaylee and Josh Thomas, Tyler Richlie and Jim and Claire Richlie Fahey, and her two great-grandchildren, Tommy and Peter Spal.

She is also survived by her treasured sister-in-law, Carol Ann Richlie of Gilbert.

A funeral Mass will be celebrated at St. Francis Xavier Church, 420 W. Pine St. on Saturday, Nov. 29, at 10 a.m. A lunch reception will immediately follow the service at Garden City Funeral Home, 1705 Broadway at Mullan Road.

Burial will be at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday at St. Mary's Catholic Cemetery, 641 Turner St., following the reception.

The family suggests any donations made in Rose's honor be to a charity of your choice.
Read Rose Richlie's Obituary and Guestbook on www.missoulafuneralhomes.com.