IRENE STUART obituary

CONRAD - Irene Shephard Stuart, 94, of Conrad died Thursday, Oct. 21, 2004, at the Pondera Medical Center of natural causes.

A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday at the Pondera Funeral Home. Burial will be at a later date. A memorial will be held at Gildford at a later date.

Irene was born on April 7, 1910, in Derrick, N.D., to Allen H. and Freda (Corenke) Shephard. She graduated from Devil's Lake High School in North Dakota in 1928. She moved to Montana with her parents in 1928.

Irene married Walter G. Stuart on Sept. 5, 1929, in Great Falls. They lived on a farm near Gildford for all their working years. Irene was a longtime member of the Gildford Baptist Church, a charter member of the Gildford Home Demonstration Club, and was a 50-year plus member of the Order of Eastern Star and Daughter of the Nile.

Irene enjoyed gardening and flowers, sewing, crocheting and making baby blankets that she donated. One blanket made it all the way to Bosnia. She also enjoyed fishing and traveling with her husband or sister.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Walter on Feb. 19, 1977; daughter, Denise on Feb. 3, 1948; parents; siblings, Gordon Shephard, Earl Shephard, Allen Shephard, Janet Lucke and Blanche Stafford; granddaughter, Rachelle Stuart; and great-granddaughter, Rhanda Stuart.

Survivors include her son, Reid (Irene) Stuart of Valier; grandchildren, Boyd (Sheryl) Stuart of Valier, Jill (Roger) Ash of Malmstrom Air Force Base in Great Falls and Bruce (Julie) Stuart of Goodletsville, Tenn.; six great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews.

Memorials may be made to the Shrine Crippled Children's Hospital or to the charity of one's choice.