Obituary - Olive Kathryn Murphy

Olive Kathryn Murphy of Havre, Montana, 98, passed away peacefully Sunday, July 9, 2017, at the Northern Montana Care Center.

Cremation has taken place and a memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, July 15, 2017, at Holland & Bonine Funeral Home. Burial will be at Highland Cemetery at a later date.

Please visit http://www.hollandbonine.com to leave a message of condolence for the family.

Holland & Bonine Funeral Home has been entrusted with services and arrangements.

Olive was born Aug. 25, 1918, in Poplar, Montana, at the midwife's house to Andrew and Johanna Hoem Christopherson. Olive grew up in the Vida, Montana, area and attended Longview Grade School through eighth grade. Olive's mother died when Olive was 12 years old, and she had to take over caring for all her brothers and sisters as well as helping with the family farm.

To earn extra money, in the mid-1930s, Olive began working for neighbors, then traveled with her sister Irene to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, for work. Following her return to Montana, Olive worked in Wolf Point, Glasgow and Cut Bank as a hotel maid.

Jan. 15, 1947, Olive married Vance Victor Murphy in Wolf Point, Montana. Olive and Vance had one daughter, Elaine (Phil) Moen of Havre, Montana. After marrying, Olive and Vance made their home in Havre, Montana, on the family farm. Olive worked as a homemaker until she entered the Care Center.

Olive enjoyed communicating via letter with her large and wide-spread family. She also greatly enjoyed visiting with family and friends, whether at home or on one of the many trips that she and Vance took. After Vance retired from the railroad, they purchased a motor home and joined a local R.V. Club. They had monthly camping trips to the Bear Paw Mountains, as well as pot-lucks in the winter. Olive was a member of the Eagles Ladies Auxiliary and the Happy Hi-Liners R.V. Club.

Olive's greatest joy was her two grandsons, Brett and Miles, who grew up just across the county road from the Murphy's and whom she got to see every day as they were growing up.

Olive was preceded in death by her husband, Vance; her parents; her sisters Irene Vraa and Else Tolan; her brother, Paul Christopherson; and her step-daughter JoAnne Murphy.

She is survived by her daughter, Elaine (Phil) Moen; her stepson, Donald Murphy of Butte and his son; her stepdaughters, Caroline (Gil) Fleury of Great Falls and their children, Deanna (Bud) Tuss of Bozeman and their children; her grandsons, Brett and Miles Moen; her sister Vera Paulson of Glendive; her brother Russell Christopherson of Libby; along with many nieces and nephews and numerous extended family members.