MARY E. HUMES obituary

A memorial service will be held in Big Sandy, Mont., at a later date. Condolences may be sent to Box 1211, Malta, MT 59538 or posted online at http://www.kirkwoodfuneralhome com. Memorials are suggested to the American Cancer Society Relay for Life, care of First State Bank, Box 910, Malta, MT 59538. Kirkwood Funeral Home of Malta is in charge of arrangements. Mary was born on Dec. 24, 1916, in Outlook, Mont., the only child of A.W. and Elizabeth March. She graduated from Plentywood High School in 1933 and attended college in Dillon, Mont., earning a lifetime teaching certificate. During her 35-year teaching career, she taught in Bainville, Augusta, Fort Benton and Big Sandy, Mont. She retired in 1979 after teaching for 23 years in Big Sandy. Mary moved to Malta in 1998 and had been a resident at the Country Home, an assisted living residence in Malta, since March 2006. Mary was a lifelong learner and a natural born teacher. She loved hearing from and about her former students. She was an avid reader, always kept up on the news and possessed an exceptional wealth of knowledge. Her quick wit and strong determination to weather any storm stayed with her until her final days. Mary will be remembered for her optimistic and rare non-judgmental personality. She truly looked for and saw the best in everyone. She lived with a "bloom where you are planted" philosophy, even when it became necessary for her to move to assisted living. She will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved her. Mary was devoted to her four girls and had a very special place in her heart for her six grandsons. She is survived by her four daughters, Barbara (Deon) Van der Mescht of Port Elizabeth, South Africa, Evie (Fred) Perry of Malta, Mont., Ginny (Jim) Heberly of Havre, Mont., and Arlene (Dick) Wiggans of Owasso, Okla .; six grandsons, Jason (Estaline) Cooke of Soldotna, Ark., Jeremy Cooke of Ogden, Utah, Shane (Amanda) Wiggans of Dallas, Texas, Anthony (Alissa) Perry of St. Cloud, Minn., David Heberly of Bozeman, Mont., and Steve Heberly of Havre, Mont .; and five great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband, Clifford Humes, in 1998.