Marjorie Ann Gerard

Marjorie Ann Brown Gerard, age 92 a longtime resident of Cut Bank, Montana, passed away on November 15, 2o16.  Margie, as she was known by her friends, was born on March 11, 1924, in Kalispell, Montana to James Brown and Rose Connolly Brown. Her siblings included three brothers Murphy, Donald, and Herbie and two sisters, Esther and Eileen. Margie attended Browning High School to 11th grade and completed her high school via correspondence course in the early 70s. She was married to James Gerard, Sr. in 1948 in Cut Bank, Montana. Margie was a hard-working housewife most of her life but also worked at Cut Bank Memorial Hospital as a nurse’s aide for quite a few years. Margie is survived by her brother Herbie of Minneapolis, MN, her children Mary Ann, Lyle, Barbara, Elaine, Judy, Lisa, Gae, Anita and Gary, 20 grandchildren, 21 great-grandchildren and 4 great great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents, siblings Donald, Eileen, Esther and Murphy, her husband Jimmie, step-daughter Karen and son Jimmie Jr.

When Margie was three years old, her family moved from Kalispell to the Browning and East Glacier area then to a ranch at Heart Butte Mountain. Margie had many wonderful tales to tell of growing up on a ranch from the mid-1930s into her early teens. After her marriage to James Gerard Sr. in 1948, they settled in Cut Bank. After James’ death in 1968, Margie went on to raise a large family on her own. She purchased a small ranch near the Cut Bank airport in the early 70s. Margie enjoyed raising horses for which she had a very good eye and was sharp on quarter horse breeds, especially the original foundation breeds. One of her favorite pastimes was having a cup of coffee, talking about horses and sharing stories of her past.

Margie was a passionate jazz lover. She played the flute in high school where she was taught by well-known artist and sculptor Robert Scriver. Her husband Jimmie was a prolific jazz pianist and played in nightclubs locally with his brother Johnny and other area musicians. Throughout her life, Margie met and became friends with many high profile jazz musicians including Ray Brown, Jimmy Rowles, Herb Ellis, Jim Hall and Billie Holiday, to name a few. She loved hanging with the jazz crowd in Helena when she could with her friends Kim Williams, Alexandra Swaney, M.J. Williams and William “Blue” Armstrong.

Margie had a witty sense of humor that she shared with her children, grandchildren and many friends. Margie received the Indian name “Rides a Yellow Horse" by Blackfeet elders and was remembered for riding horseback throughout the reservation.  At one time, she had a golden eagle as a pet which rode on her saddle horn.  During her youth in Heart Butte, she had a pet badger and acquired the nickname “Badger”.

Per Margie’s request, a memorial for family and close friends was held at Whitted Funeral Chapel in Cut Bank, on Monday, November 21, 2016.  Her ashes were interred at the Crown Hill Cemetery in Cut Bank.

The family would like to express their thanks to the Glacier Care Center in Cut Bank for their years of excellent and devoted service to Margie during her final years.

Please send letters and cards of condolence to The Gerard Family at PO Box 1135, Cut Bank, MT 59427.