LOLA RICHIE obituary

RUDYARD - Lola Lorraine (Patton) Richie, 84, of Rudyard died Monday, July 18, 2005, at the Chester rest home, just a few hours shy of her 85th birthday.

A graveside service will be held at 10 a.m. Thursday at the Rudyard Cemetery. Public visitation will be from 4 to l0 p.m. Wednesday at the Rockman Funeral Chapel in Chester.

Lola was born July 19, 1920, at a farm home near Nodaway, Montgomery County, Iowa, to Emory and Gladyse (Clawson) Patton. Lola received her formal education at Nodaway and graduated from high school at age 16 and was salutatorian of the class of 1936. She had aspirations to attend business college, but times were tough, so she stayed in the community to work and help with family obligations.

Lola married F. Dale Richie at Nodaway on Feb. 5, 1939. They worked for area farmers until 1945, when Dale was called into the military. In addition to raising their children, Lola did contract housework and ironing. She also raised a large garden each year and canned her produce. As a sideline business, she dressed and sold chickens.

The Richie family moved to Hogeland in 1951. Two years later, they moved to Rudyard, where they made their home the rest of their married life. Together, they worked as custodians for the Rudyard school system. Dale developed heart problems and passed away on Dec. 24, 1978, at age 58. Lola continued to work at the school until 1984, then retired after 31 years of public service. She remained in their Rudyard home until the spring of 2002, when she moved to the Wheat Country Estates assisted-living facility in Chester. That fall, her health failed, so she transferred to the Liberty County Nursing Home for extended care.

In her retirement years, Lola enjoyed her road trips to visit family at Jordan and Billings. She also made several trips to California, Hawaii and Alaska. She had always dreamed of visiting Australia, but her health failed before this could happen.

Lola and Dale never had any regrets about coming to Montana. They considered themselves "natives" and were happy to raise their children here. They loved Rudyard, where they held membership at Our Savior's Lutheran Church and were active in other community events.

Lola enjoyed quilting, ceramics, reading and country western music. She collected bells and decorative plates from her travels. She was an excellent cook. Always a quiet woman of dignity and beauty, Lola appreciated her life and counted her many blessings.

Survivors include her daughters, Nancy Sudan of Chester, Grace (Buster) Ness of Rudyard and Jeanette (Ed) White of Billings; son, Keith (Kay) Richie of Virginia Beach, Va.; 13 grandchildren; 19 great-grandchildren; five great-great-grandchildren; sisters, Eva Kernen of Sacramento, Calif., and Fern Matya of Corning, Iowa; sisters-in-law, Louetta Heaton of Anita, Iowa, and Joan Patton of Billings; and many nieces and nephews.

Lola was preceded in death by her husband; parents; daughter, Betty Hart, in 1985; brother, Forrest Patton; sisters, Jean Haley and Luella Bailey; and a great-granddaughter, Isabella Leone.