Patricia Lee ‘Chuckie’ McClure
courtesy photo
Patricia McClure
PABLO — Patricia Lee “Chuckie” McClure, 53, a proud member of the Confederated Salish & Kootenai Tribe, passed away peacefully in her sleep with her trusted and loving dog “Sis” at her side on Nov. 9, 2016.
Born Aug. 31, 1963, to Marge (Phillips) Blixt and Frank McClure in Polson, she was the third of nine children.
Chuckie was raised on Post Creek and graduated from St. Ignatius High School in 1981. Following graduation, she worked as a ranchhand in Wisdom and Jackson Hole, Wyoming, and was the first female bull-rider in Lake County. Continuing with her education she earned a carpentry certification and a CDL license/Heavy Equipment Operator Certification from SKC followed by a Culinary Arts Degree in Oregon.
A skilled, hard worker, she worked for Mission Valley Power, Schellinger Construction, Two Eagle River School and the oil fields in North Dakota along with numerous other jobs.
Chuckie was an avid outdoorswoman and enjoyed many outdoor activities including; fishing, camping, hunting, working in the potato fields and helping her brothers with stock car racing. Her brothers and nephews have many fond memories and hunting stories of the times they spent with Chuckie in the woods.
She is preceded in death by her father, Frank M. “Porky” McClure; sister, Andrea Blixt Brown; brother, Jay Ryan and son, John Wittle.
Surviving Chuckie are her parents, Marge (Phillips) Blixt of Pablo and Jim (Connie) Blixt of Niarada; children, Destiny Brown, Arthur “Artie” Matt; granddaughter, Ayonnah Matt; sisters, Leslie McClure of Pablo, Charleen Yellow Kidney of Albuquerque, New Mexico, Dureen Blixt of Pablo, Carla (Danny) Tracy of Polson, and Lonnie Smith of Polson; brothers, Cheyenne (Kristin) McClure of Mission, Shawn (Ambree) Blixt of Polson, Jon (Savannah) Blixt of Pablo, and Les Ryan of Polson; her aunt Sally Hance of Pablo as well as numerous nieces and nephews.
Services will be held 10 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 12, 2016, at the Elmo Hall followed by burial at the Jocko Cemetery in Arlee. Rosary will be at 7 p.m. on Friday evening. Memories and condolences may be sent to the family at www.thelakefuneralhomeandcrematory.com.
Arrangements are under the direction of The Lake Funeral Home and Crematory.
