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Obituary

Phyllis Morigeau Piper

POLSON — Phyllis Morigeau Piper, age 95, passed away on Sunday, Feb. 8, 2015, at Polson Health and Rehabilitation. She was born on March 10, 1919, in Wolf Point.

As an infant her parents and her maternal grandmother had her baptized in the Presbyterian Church. Six months later her paternal grandmother insisted she be baptized in the Methodist Church. When she was seven, her family moved to Glasgow. 

The Baptist Church was their only option, as they lived far across town from the other churches. When she was twelve she was sure that immersion was the only “true” baptism and thus became the most baptized one in history.

She completed her education, graduating with the class of 1937. During high school she was a member of the “Scotties” marching band, which won many state competitions and played for President Roosevelt’s visit to check on the progress of the Fort Peck Dam, then under construction.

She then went to Missoula and entered the College of Education at the “U” and was also admitted to the Marching Band without the usual audition because of the excellent record the Scotties had. Incidentally, Phyllis played the tuba.

In 1939 the U.S. Government sent a request to several universities to conduct tests for candidates for a secretarial pool to work in the still-under construction U.S. Pentagon. High marks sent Phyllis off with a top-secret clearance to Washington, D.C. The motivation to move was a salary of $2000 per year as opposed to a teaching salary of slightly over $900 per year. She knew at this point we would soon be involved in WWII. Of course she could not share this information.

Life in D.C. was too hectic for a girl from the Hi-Line. After two years she secured her release and returned to Missoula. On impulse she stopped at the federal building to see if there were jobs available so she could remain a federal employee. The interviewing man said, “…be on the first train to Dixon and go to work for the BLM.” She was not readily accepted, but her ability to clean up out of order records soon secured her acceptance.

Part of her job was reconciling the inventory of roads. This put her to working with John A. Morigeau. A romance developed and she and Johnny were soon married. Considering the superb job she was doing at the BLM, they offered her the superintendence of the entire N.W. and Alaska. Romance won out and she declined. The entire operation was soon closed down and the newlyweds moved to Arlee where they operated a service station and repair shop. While they in Arlee, their daughter Paulette was born. Along with a husband, she also had two stepdaughters, Peggy and June and a stepson Benny.

In 1946, the manufacturing of automobiles resumed and they sold out their service station and moved to Polson. 

Johnny went to work at Kerr Dam and Phyllis worked as secretary of the Linderman School. From her secretarial job she became Deputy County Superintendent of Schools for 13 years. After retiring, she was widowed. Never idle, she became secretary of the Christian Church Disciples of Christ. She also taught Sunday school and sang in the choir. 

During this time retired Methodist minister Hap Piper, also widowed, started filling the pulpit for extended periods of time and once again a romance developed. Both were in their seventies and they prayed for a couple of years together. At the time of Phyllis’ death, they were 4 months short of 19 wonderful and richly blessed years together.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband Johnny; her daughter Paulette; her youngest sister Maxine Brewer; her stepson Benny Morigeau and step-daughter Peggy Collicot. 

Phyllis’ husband Hap Piper; stepdaughter June; her sister Nita Svingen; nieces Judy Cosgrove, Joyce Lewis and Janet Adair and two grandchildren Brian O’Neill and Tammy Hayrynen survive her.

Memorial services have been held. 

Arrangements are under the direction of The Lake Funeral Home and Crematory. (Formerly Grogan Funeral Home and Crematory). Messages and condolences may be sent to the family at: thelakefuneralhomeandcrematory.com.

 

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