Obituary - Loretta C. Loftus

Loretta C. Loftus, 82, passed away due to natural causes at Benefis Medical Center Monday, April 26, 2021.

A visitation will be held from 5:00 until 7:00 p.m. Friday, April 30, 2021, at Holland & Bonine Funeral Home. Funeral services will begin at 10:00 a.m. Saturday, May 1, 2021, at the Community Alliance Church.

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

Please visit Loretta's online memorial page and leave a message of condolence for her family at http://www.hollandbonine.com .

Loretta was born May 4, 1939 in Temvik, ND, to Ludwig and Bertha (Pfaff) Schoepp. She was raised and educated in North Dakota until the family moved to Anaconda, MT. where she graduated from Anaconda High School in 1957. Loretta attended Montana State University in Bozeman for one year and then transferred to Northern Montana College in Havre, where she graduated with a degree in nursing.

Loretta married Kermit L. Loftus October 6th, 1962, in Anaconda MT. They made their home in Havre, where they raised their three children. While in Havre, Loretta worked as a nurse for about 10 years before taking over as manager of volunteer services at Northern Montana Hospital, a position she held for over 25 years until she retired. After she retired, she volunteered at the hospital, sheriff's office and the Senior Center. She spent countless hours working on scrap book albums for her family and extended family.

Church and community were an important part of Loretta's life, and she was always willing to work and help where she could. For years, Mom opened her home for Wednesday night prayer meetings. She was always willing to pray with or for you if you asked and even if you didn't. Her great love for Jesus was shown not only in the type of work she did but how she did it and how she treated those around her. She knew she was heaven bound and wanted to take as many with her as she could.

More than anything, Loretta loved and enjoyed people. Not just the patients that she cared for or the volunteers and volunteens that she managed but their families and extended families also. When Dad passed away, Mom made it her personal goal to bring cinnamon rolls to every person in the care center that took care of Dad. She always wanted to show her appreciation for the kindness shown to her and Dad. She loved entertaining her family and friends and having people over was almost a weekly event.

Mom drew a lot of strength and comfort after Dad died from the group of ladies that she played games with and laughed with from Rolling Hills neighborhood. Those ladies were a healing balm in her hardest, darkest days.

The last eight months in Great Falls, she touched many lives and was hosting a Bible study up until the last week of her life. Mom strongly believed that you bloom where you are planted. So each medical person, each in home health person, each caregiver, each visitor mattered and Mom was on mission to let them know that.

Loretta was preceded in death by her parents, three brothers, two sisters and her husband, Kermit.

She is survived by her sons, Dean (Lorie) Loftus of Pinedale WY, Doran (Sally) Loftus of Havre, and daughter Diana (Gary) Greytak of Great Falls; 12 grandchildren - three are in heaven - multiple foster grandchildren, six great grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.

Memorials in Loretta's honor may be made to Red Cliff Bible Camp for the lodge Rebuild Fund, PO Box 846, Pinedale, WY. 82941, or the charity of the donor's choice.