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Obituary

Betty Ann Gerrity

POLSON — Betty Ann Gerrity, 87, went to her peaceful home Saturday, June 20, 2015, surrounded by her family. Betty was born to Harold and Ranghild Wooster June of 1928, in Bristol, Connecticut. Ranghild passed away due to complications at childbirth. Hilda Larson, Ranghild’s older sister stepped in to care for little Betty. Hilda and Harold fell in love as well and married.

Betty was an only child but grew up close to the large Peterson family that had 12 children and this family seemed like her own. There were so many around she says, “I thought I was a Peterson for the longest time.”

Hilda and Harold raised Betty on a “Grade A” dairy farm in Forestville Connecticut called Acorn Farms. She helped with the chores and delivered milk with her dad to the town and neighboring areas. After high school she worked in an arrow manufacturing company in Connecticut.

On Aug. 3, 1946, Betty married James Olin Hewitt (Red). Shortly after, she and Red, her mom and dad, (Hilda and Harold), all picked up and moved out west to this great place Harold had visited as a young man and fell in love with… called Montana.

They first moved to Bayhorse, Montana, a small dot on the map in southeast Montana. They ran the Post Office there for nine years until the USPS closed the fourth-class Post Offices. They also ran a ranch with only a cistern for water and no electricity or phone. Three very handsome and adventurous boys were born there to Betty and Red, Thomas James, Gary William and Richard Olin.

In 1958 they moved up to the Flathead Valley in northwest Montana. Betty, Red and the boys moved to a farm/ranch in Columbia Falls and Hilda and Harold to a farm/ranch in the beautiful mountains west of Kalispell called Brown’s Meadow, later to be listed on the map as Wooster Ranch.

A tragic farm accident took Red’s life. Betty and boys moved to Kila, Montana, to be closer to Hilda and Harold.

Betty continued to raise the three fine young gentlemen and met Bernard Gerrity and they married in May of 1961. Two even more wonderful children were born to Betty and Bernard, Laurie Ann and James Frances. They resided in Kila until 1967 and then moved to a ranch outside of Polson, Montana. 

Betty held many wonderful positions in her lifetime including: farm/ranch hand boss; US Post Mistress in Bay Horse; retail clerk at Tee Pee West Wear in Polson, … but the one position that made her most proud was that of mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. She loved her family and was so proud to watch them all blossom and grow under her tender, humorous and watchful eye.

She was a member of the Montana Cow Bells, a 4-H Leader, a member of Valley View Women’s Club, Sand Piper Art Gallery, Polson Senior Center and the Red Hat Society. Betty supported many community activities by volunteering her time, as an artist, quilter and anytime someone needed help. Betty loved to garden, always raising enough to share.

Betty was preceded in death by her mother, Ranghild Wooster; her daughter, Penny Hewitt; husband, James Hewitt; father, Harold Wooster; step-mother, Hilda Wooster; granddaughter, Rebecca Ann Hewitt; son, Richard (Dick) Hewitt and husband, Bernard Gerrity. 

She is survived by sons, Tom (Deana) Hewitt; Gary (Denise) Hewitt; Jim (Tammy) Gerrity; daughter, Laurie (Brad) Dassonville and daughter-in-law Judi Hewitt; along with 13 grandchildren: Patricia (Matt) Morehouse; Daishia (Kyle) Brosten; Kim (Mike) Cary; Kari (Josh) Baugh; Jen (Raymond) Dickinson; Jon (Tana) Lowry; Todd (Becky) Horning; Shannon (Ken) Adkins; Matthew Gerrity; Brandon (Chiara) Gerrity; Derek (Emily) Gerrity; Eric (Shawna) Gerrity; Emily Gerrity and 19 great grandchildren: Madeleine Morehouse; Ethan Brosten; Shaniya and Madison Cary; Bear and Kayia Baugh; Otto and Ruby Horning; Josiah, Malia and Elysa Fetveit, Morgan Dickinson; Jordyn and Drew Lowry; Makenna and Paisley Gerrity; Brynn Gerrity; Sweet Pea and Bart Dassonville.

A Chapel Service will be held at The Lake Funeral Home on Wednesday, July 1, at 10:30 a.m. A Graveside Service will be held that same day at 3 p.m. at C.E. Conrad Memorial Cemetery in Kalispell.

Condolences and memories may be left for the family at The Lake Funeral Home and Crematory: www.thelakefuneralhomeandcrematory.com. Donations can be made in Betty’s name for the Polson Senior Center, 504 Third Ave. E, Polson, MT 59860.

 
 

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