Doris L. (Sammons) Ehli

Doris Lorene Sammons Barrows Ehli went to her heavenly home on Monday, April 26, 2021 at 91 years of age.  Doris was born on May 25, 1929 to Lincoln and Margaret (Murphy) Sammons on the family ranch near St. Kilda, Alberta on the North end of the Sweet Grass Hills.  She arrived prematurely at a whopping 3 lbs. and spent several weeks wrapped in a breadbasket on the oven stove door.  She and her two younger sisters, Edith (Wilson) Long, Vancouver, B.C. and Vera (Jim) Barrows, Edmonton, Alberta, attended school a mile from the ranch in a one room schoolhouse.  They later attended high school in Coutts, Alberta.

Following high school, Doris was married to Leonard Barrows of Coutts and they spent the next two years farming with Leonard’s parents on the family farm one mile East of Coutts before they immigrated to the United States and worked on the Beller farm East and North of Sunburst.  To this marriage three children were born, Artha (Dick) Dunk of Sunburst, Brian (Vicki) Barrows of Billings and Lee (Udeen) Barrows of Great Falls.  After four years Leonard and Doris purchased the Beller farm and continued to farm for 20 more years.  They sold the farm to Artha and Dick Dunk and retired in Sunburst.

Leonard passed away on Doris’ 60th birthday, May 25, 1989.  On January 2, 1992 Doris was married to Gilbert Ehli who had two adult children, Dwayne (Pamela) Ehli and Nancy (John) Ellis.  They lived on the Ehli farm 8 miles East of Sweet Grass.   Gilbert passed away on October 26, 2000.  Doris remained on the farm until the winter of 2018 when she moved to an apartment in the Heritage Center in Shelby, where she remained until her passing.

Doris was a fighter from birth and a strong competitor.  She loved to play any kind of games and especially card games.  She always remarked that it was just for fun but always played to win.  She loved riding her horse, Pat, on the family ranch during her youth and played the piano for dances and church fellowship for many years.  Music and poetry were a daily part of her life.  She wrote many poems about her Savior during her life here on earth.   She was a devoted farm wife and enjoyed preparing meals for the farm crew at harvest.  Doris received Christ as her savior at the age of 10 and continued to follow Christ throughout her life.  She and Leonard led a Bible study on Thursday nights as Missionary Pastors to the Blackfeet Nation in Browning for over 19 years.  Doris was known in the family as the prayer warrior.  She spent several hours a day in prayer for family and friends during her later years and her love relationship with Jesus was evident to many.  Doris is also survived by numerous grandchildren, great grandchildren and great great, grandchildren.

Her celebration of life will be at the Sunburst Methodist Church on Saturday, May 1 at 10:00 am with food and fellowship immediately after at the church.

M emorials may be sent to: Sunburst Lions Club, Sunburst Secret Santa, or Shriner’s Organization.