Lorine Lillian Yeager

 Lorine joined her husband Kennith in heaven May 25, 2024. Their “eternal courtship” began with marriage on August 8, 1943. They then were sealed on October 28, 1954 when they were married for all time and eternity in the Cardston, Alberta Temple of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

 Lorine was born to Florence and Irvin Walston in the Conrad Hospital on September 24, 1925, during a terrible early snowstorm. Childhood challenges included scarlet fever at six and the impact of the great depression. When her father’s farm machinery business failed during the depression, he turned to farming in Pondera County. Lorine did farm chores including hoeing and feeding and watering the animals. Up at 5:00 AM, she started the wood stove and made breakfast while the others milked. She learned the value of hard work. Throughout her youth, Lorine was devoted to her Swiss Grandmother, Magdalena Pieth Denzer. Life on the prairie was a far cry from the Swiss Alps and Lorine helped to bring a smile to her grandmother’s face.

 At Conrad High School, Lorine was courted by “Kenny”. She gave him her undivided attention. They enjoyed dancing, even driving to proms at other high schools. They married shortly after her graduation in 1943. Together they undertook the wartime responsibility for the George Yeager farm North of Conrad. There was no electricity in their 3-room home – A converted grainery. Water was hauled from town in tin cans. All the cooking for the hired men was done on a wood stove. In 1951 they built a prefab house from Sear's catalog and moved onto the homesite.

 While operating the Montana farm, three children were born. Ken and Lorine explored and then decided to move to California to establish a chicken ranch near Lorine’s parents. A fourth child was born in California.

 A heatwave devastated the chicken ranch. The family moved to various locations in California as Ken took painting jobs in subdivisions and then missile silos. Lorine was steadfast in supporting her husband and raising the children. The children brought them the greatest joy.

 In 1962, the family returned to Montana, settling on the Beringer Ranch North of Conrad. They were instrumental in the growth of the Conrad Church Ward with Ken serving as Bishop and Lorine as Relief Society President.

 In later years, they accompanied their son, Irv, and wife Rose in establishing feed lots in Washington, Arizona, and Kansas. Lorine found joy in her hobbies. Flowers were everywhere in her house and yard; twice she served as president of the Conrad Garden Club. Daughters were sewn fashionable dresses and prom formals. Quilts, cabbage head and raggedy andy dolls were sewn for grandkids. Vegetable gardens were provided for the family; but, her “legacy hobby” was family history. She traveled with Ken and her daughter, Karen, to Switzerland to her grandmother’s village connecting with “long lost” relatives. She recorded extensive Yeager and Walston history in notebooks gifted to all her children.

 In a marriage of seventy years, Lorine and Ken were a model couple. They truly relished sharing in the lives of their 21 grandchildren and 44 great grandchildren. Lorine nursed Ken through his long fight with Parkinson’s and then settled into longterm care at Pondera Medical Center in Conrad. The family deeply appreciates the care provided by the staff.

 Lorine is survived by two of her four children. Gary deceased (Bobbi) of Conrad, MT; Karen Nelson (Terry) of Washougal, WA; Julie Alexander (Rick) of Washougal, WA; Irvin Deceased (Rose) of Scott City, KS; Doug Anderson "Adopted son" of Fort Worth, TX and many grand and great grandchildren. She is preceded in death by grandson, Shane Yeager.

 A funeral service for Lorine will be held on June 1, 2024 at 10:00am at the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Conrad. Visitation will be one hour prior at the church.