DIANE ABERNATHY obituary

SHELBY - Dianne Lynne Abernathy, 65, a retired secretary from Cut Bank, died due to cancer at her home Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2006, surrounded by her family.

A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday at the Cut Bank Community Bible Church.

She was born April 2, 1940, to George and Inger (Yates) Renaker in Glasgow. She was raised in Havre, where she graduated from high school in 1958. While in business school in Spokane, Wash., she met Bill Abernathy. They were married May 1, 1961, in Coeur d' Alene, Idaho. They moved to Arkansas, transferred to Great Falls, and finally settled in Cut Bank in 1967. In 1976, she took a job as a secretary for Ken Raemaeker at Border Pipe & Supply, a job she held for 25 years.

Dianne was a wonderful, caring person who was always fun to be around. She could make a person smile just by sharing her joyful, infectious laugh. She was very passionate about her children and grandchildren. She also loved anything and everything about the ocean, especially beaches and lighthouses. She was a precious soul.

She is preceded in death by her parents and a nephew, George Thomas Renaker III.

Survivors include her husband of 44 years, Bill Abernathy of Cut Bank; children, David (Valerie) Abernathy of Eugene, Ore., Cheri (Kevin) Bundy of Cut Bank and Dale (Kari) Abernathy of Orting, Wash.; nine grandchildren; brother, George Thomas (Doris) Renaker II; nephews, Mike and Steve Renaker of Havre; and niece, Karrie Barsotti of Havre.

The family suggests memorials to the Northern Rockies Medical Center in Cut Bank or the Sletten Cancer Research Center in Great Falls.

Whitted Funeral Chapel is in charge of arrangements.