Obituary - Margaret B. (Mosbrucker) McNair

Margaret B. (Mosbrucker) McNair, age 92, passed away at Riverstone Health Hospice Home from complications related to a hip fracture followed by a stroke.

Margaret was born February 13, 1928, in Center, North Dakota, to Monica (Matz) and Florian Mosbrucker, the fourth oldest of seven children - five sisters and one brother. As an infant, she moved with her family to Senate, Saskatchewan, and then to Montana in 1939, where the family farmed north of Havre. She attended country school through the eighth grade and graduated from Havre High School in 1947.

Upon graduation, Margaret worked as a bookkeeper for Ryan Havre Co., where she met Morris E. (Mac) McNair. They were married September 13, 1952, at St. Jude Thaddeus Catholic Church in Havre, and had two children: Nancy and Dean.

Over the course of her working life, Margaret worked as the executive secretary for O.R. Rubie at Citizens Bank and then as an assistant in the loan department for 21 years. She went on to work another 20 years for the law firm of Weber, Bosch, Kuhr and Dugdale, retiring in 1991; at which time, she and Mac moved to Billings.

Faith and family were Margaret's priorities. A life-long Catholic, she was a member of St. Jude Thaddeus Catholic Church in Havre and St. Pius X Catholic Church in Billings. She was a member of Catholic Daughters Court St. Cecelia and Mother Teresa's Circle and participated in other church activities. She volunteered for many years at The Gift Corner of St. Vincent Hospital. She started her own chapter of the Red Hats Society and belonged to Widowed Persons, where she enjoyed attending dinners with friends.

At the age of 89, she moved to Westpark Village Senior Retirement Living in Billings. In her own words, she had a "good life" there and met lots of "new friends and nice people, including the staff."

Margaret was blessed with five wonderful grandchildren: Keith, David and Lindsay Clawson; and Duncan and Tessa McNair. Grams was the kind of grandmother everyone wished they had. Her grandchildren have many fond memories of times spent with her: playing, reading, making gingerbread houses, baking cookies, doing crafts and learning how to drive, unbeknownst to their parents!

Margaret and her sisters were close and enjoyed spending time together. Known for their energy and laughter, they often gathered for sister reunions and made German food.

Everyone loved Margaret, and she had many friends, young and old. She was fun to tease and ready for anything. She had an unflappable personality, taking life in stride. She focused on the positive and was never one to complain, facing adversity with courage and faith. One of her mantras was, "God never gives us more than we can handle," and she lived by that, along with her belief in the power of prayer. Her temperament was very even, and her children can't remember a time when she raised her voice or said a swear word. Above all, she was kind to everyone, even at the end of her life.

Margaret loved learning new things and had many interests. She often took adult education classes and learned to paint, decorate cakes and quilt. She loved to bake, sew, read, play cards, do crossword puzzles and word searches, walk, put together jigsaw puzzles and garden, which included canning relish and making jam. She was famous for her pies and cookies. She learned to FaceTime at age 92, thanks to her niece, Joyce Miller.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Mac, in 1996; sisters Jennie Hanson, Mary Armstrong, Odelia Mitschke, Pat Garding and brother, Frank Mosbrucker.

Margaret is survived by her daughter, Nancy, and son-in-law, Steve Clawson of Missoula; son, Dean McNair and Andrea Hample of Billings; grandchildren, Keith, David and Lindsay Clawson of Kalispell, Duncan (Lauren) McNair of Austin, TX, and Tessa McNair of Billings; sister Anna and brother-in-law Russell Rismon of Havre; sister-in-law Bonnie Mosbrucker of Havre; numerous nieces and nephews; dearest friend Judi Filler of Kalispell; and Duncan's mother, Nancy Roth, of Richmond, TX.

Special thanks to nieces and nephews Joyce and Rob Miller, Carol Ruble, and Ed and Becky Garding, who were always very good to Aunt Margaret, including her in everything and bringing her to Missoula several times.

Margaret, you were the best mother, grandmother and mother-in-law anyone could have ever had! We love you and will miss you.

A funeral Mass will be celebrated at St. Pius X Church at a later date. Cremation has taken place. Michelotti-Sawyers Mortuary is in charge of arrangements.

Memorials may be made to Riverstone Health Hospice, 123 South 27th Street, Billings, MT 59101. The family is forever grateful for the compassionate care they provided for Margaret.