Obituary - Emily Ann Baldik Brown

Emily Ann Baldik Brown was born Feb. 27, 1919, to Frank and Mary Petr Baldik at Iliad, Montana. She passed away on Nov. 3, 2014, at the age of 95. Emily was the last remaining member of that generation of the Baldik family.

Emily had a very long life and saw many changes throughout those years. She loved riding horseback with her brothers and rode to the Iliad school in all kinds of weather. Emily graduated from eighth grade at the Iliad School. She was quite independent and self-sufficient. The first car she owned was a 1947 Olds two-door, slope-back sedanette.

Emily married Clyde Webster June 11, 1932. Clyde was a professor at Western Montana College, now University of Montana-Western, in Dillon, Montana. They divorced in 1936. and Emily moved with her son, Clyde, to Havre, Montana.

Emily worked hard all her life, beginning as a child with chores at home, then working for neighbors for room and board, and later, Deaconess Hospital for five years, the Great Northern Railroad for 13 years and finally as a ranch wife. 

  Emily talked with pride of the years she worked at Deaconess Hospital in Havre and later the Great Northern Railroad. She mentioned many times of the kindness everyone showed her during her many years of employment. Emily worked at the Deaconess Hospital from 1936 to 1941. She had a great deal of respect and admiration for Dr. Houtz at Deaconess. She spoke of how wonderful Dr. Houtz was for his having saved her legs after they became frozen in a snow storm while traveling with her brother Frank.

Emily worked on the Great Northern Railroad as a depot agent from 1942 to 1955 transferring from  Coffee Creek to Vaughn to Moccasin and finally to Big Sandy.

Emily married Walter L. Brown on June 1, 1955. They were married 45 years before Walter passed away in May 2000. Emily continued to work at the railroad for a few months after their marriage, then began the full-time job of being a ranch wife out southeast at Eskay, Montana.

Emily always had a big garden with many trees, flowers and vegetables. She raised chickens to provide eggs and the occasional chicken and dumplings for the family. Mom loved animals. She even had a few angora goats for a while, but that ended abruptly one day when the billy with big horns cornered her for hours in the yard, until Dad came home from the field and rescued her. That was the end of the goat raising! Emily had geese too and certain cows, dogs and cats that were her favorites. 

  Emily was an excellent cook and no one ever left the table hungry. It seems she was always cooking or cleaning up and starting the next meal. During the summer, whenever we were working out riding or farming, she brought hot meals to us. Very few times did we ever have to eat cold sandwiches!

Over the years, there were so many things that Emily enjoyed. One was walking around looking for arrowheads. I don't think she found many, but enjoyed looking for them.

Emily loved participating and volunteering at the Chouteau County Fair. She always had baked goods, flower arrangements and vegetable entries and donated her time at the 4-H booth and the Rebekah bingo booth.

Emily was a very loyal member of the Methodist Church of Big Sandy. She enjoyed participating in Sunrise Services at Easter, potlucks and the many functions associated with the Methodist Church. She cherished the friendships of the members there.

Emily loved to be involved in the community. She sold poppies for the VFW Buddy Poppy program and delivered CowBelle beef certificates to grade school kids each year. She was a long-time member of the VFW; NorthCentral Montana CowBelles, president in 1979; Historical Society, Hopp-Iliad Extension Club and the Rebekahs.

Emily was creative. In 1964, she had a great time dressing the whole family up for the Montana Centennial celebration. Dad grew a beard and Mom did such a great job dressing us in Civil war-era clothing that we won the first place award. One time she dressed up for Halloween as an old colored women and no one recognized her, not even Dad.

Emily spent the last five years, since March 12, 2009, of her life residing at the Big Sandy Medical Center. The staff's kind, loving and expert care resulted in Mom's final years being pleasant, worry-free and safe.

  She was preceded in death by both parents, her stepfather, George Fry, brothers, Frank and George Baldik, half-sister, Martha, and husband, Walter. 

She is survived by her children, Clyde (Dianna) Webster, Leta (Mac) Clark, William (Renita) Brown; grandchildren Sheila Duncan, Pam West, Marcia Webster-Davis, Brenda Webster, Shawn Webster, Jeff Herzog, Brianna Clark, Ian Clark, Megan Brown, Chelsea Brown and Weston Brown; great-grandchildren Suzie, Samantha, Karin, Sheena and Sterling; and great-great grandchildren Lyndee, Trygvee, Charlee, Grace and George.

Services will be at the Big Sandy United Methodist Church, Nov. 8, 2014, at 2 p.m. Donations may be sent to the Walter L. Brown Memorial Fund or the charity of your choice.

Holland & Bonine Funeral Home has been entrusted with services and arrangements. Please visit Emily's online memorial page and leave a message of condolence for her family at http://www.hollandbonine.com.