Eleanor Ann (Murray) Mejie

After a valiant battle with cancer, former Havre and Eagles Manor of Great Falls resident  Eleanor Ann (Murray) Mejie passed away Dec. 7, 2014, at Benefis Peace Hospice in Great Falls.

A visitation will be held 5-7 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 11, 2014, at Holland & Bonine Funeral Chapel in Havre. Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Friday, Dec. 12, 2014, at First Lutheran Church, with Pastor Linda Rose officiating. Interment will follow in Highland Cemetery. Eleanor's family has requested that memorials be made in her name to Benefis Peace Hospice or to the charity of the donor's choice.

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

Eleanor was born to Benjamin and Catherine Rose (Martin) Clark in London Township, Ontario, Canada, in 1924. At birth, she was given the name Myrtle Alice Clark. She was the fifth child in a family that would eventually have seven children. After the death of her father in 1929 and her mother in 1931, she and her brothers and sisters were adopted by their maternal grandfather, who vowed to find homes for all of the children. One last picture was taken in 1935, and all seven children would not be together again until 1975, when a family reunion was held in July in High River, Alberta. It was said that after the adoptions, family spanned both the United States and Canada.

In 1933, Eleanor came to live with George and Anna (Lohse) Murray, and in April 1934, the couple adopted her, ever enlarging her family. She attended grade school in Havre and Lewistown, and went on to graduate from Havre High School in 1942. Eleanor attended Northern Montana College, graduating with a teaching certificate, of which she was always proud. Even though she was adopted by U.S. citizens, Eleanor had to go through the naturalization process, and on May 10, 1954, she became a naturalized citizen of the United States.

She started working as a clerk for H. Earl Clack Hardware in the late 1940s. In early 1950, she was hired by the Great Northern Railroad as a steno clerk, where she would stay, and finally retire from in 1984.

On July 7, 1979, Eleanor married Eddie Ernest Mejie, starting yet another leg of her life's journey. She gained another entire family with the Mejies. Throughout her life, she was so proud of all her families, whether obtained through birth, adoption or marriage, she loved them all equally.

Eleanor was an active member of First Lutheran Church. She was also a 30-year-plus member of the Havre Eagles Auxiliary, serving as president a number of times. On Thursdays, she could be found cooking or helping with the supper. She was the lady that cooked all of the funeral dinners, and often joked with friends, "Who will be here to do ours?" Eleanor's other love was joining Ed or sometimes her son playing Santa and Mrs. Claus. Even after Eddie's death, she continued to be Mrs. Claus for school and could always be found at the lighting of the Community Christmas Tree. She was awarded the Five Star Award by the Greater Havre Area Chamber of Commerce for service as Mrs. Claus.

Eleanor was preceded in death by her husband, Eddie; her birth parents, Benjamin and Catherine Clark; her adoptive parents, George and Anna Murray; her sisters, Lucille Cummings, Dorothy Bruce and Ruth Aaro; and her brother, John H. Clark.

She is survived by her son, W.J. "Mick" (Barb) Murray of Great Falls; her granddaughter, Angela Murray of Great Falls and Amalie Hahn of Missoula; numerous step-grandchildren, including her special grandson, Nick Anderson; her great-grandchildren, Brody and Azriella; her siblings, George (Dorothy) Campbell and Ellen Lisso, all of Guelph, Ontario, Canada; her cousin, Clarence (Ramona) Lohse of Havre; her stepchildren, Mike (Rene) Mejie, Cheryl McTaggert and Sheila Anderson, all of Rathdrum, Idaho; and numerous nieces and nephews.