Trudy Ann Phippen

Trudy Ann Phippen, 50, fought a courageous battle against cancer and went to be with the Lord on December 27, 2013.  Services will be held at 10:00 am on Tuesday, December 31, 2013 at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Cut Bank with burial immediately following in Crown Hill Cemetery.  A reception will be held at the church following the services.

Trudy was born in Cut Bank, Montana on January 17, 1963 to Dwayne and Betty Jean Phippen.  She spent her childhood in Cut Bank and graduated from Cut Bank High School in 1981.

After high school, Trudy attended Montana State University in Bozeman and it was there where she majored in “Social Skills.”  She later returned to Cut Bank to earn some extra money where she was employed as a loan processor at First National Bank.  Bored with the banking world, she pursued a position in her field of interest – social work.  As a community social worker for Glacier County, Trudy worked with abused and neglected children. In 1990, she was appointed Deputy Juvenile Probation Officer for the Ninth Judicial District Court and was able to positively impact the lives of youngsters through her supervision and guidance.  Her next job took her back to the City of Bozeman where she served as a parking clerk in the Finance Department encouraging offenders to pay their traffic tickets.  Trudy had great respect for the law and enjoyed helping others understand its purpose, intent and consequences.

In 2001, Trudy moved to Helena and began her career in state government.  Her first assignment took her to the Department of Corrections.  She soon found a home in the Department of Labor and Industry where she was serving as the Executive Director to the Board of Outfitters, Board of Private Security and Board of Sanitarians up until the time of her death.  In addition, she spent a year on special assignment on detail projects for Governor Schweitzer.

Trudy was a faithful "Bobcat" fan which led to many interesting Christmas presents for family members who pledged allegiance to the “other” team and Bobcat/Grizzly football games were the source of many bets and discussions.

The Race for The Cure was a passionate hobby for her.  She was a dedicated volunteer and organizer at many events to raise funds across the state.  She was truly a public servant who believed giving was at the heart of all you do.

Trudy is survived by her father, Dwayne Phippen of Cut Bank; sister, Teri Cummings and her children Tannar, Taylor and Tristan of Belt; brother, Mark Gilham (Lee) and their children Courtney and Jayde of Columbia Falls; and sister, Mollie O’Brien (Mitch) and their children Catherine and Abigail of Kalispell.  She recently became a great aunt to her newest nephews, Owen and Braxton.  She was preceded in death by her mother, Betty Jean Phippen.

Having accomplished much in her career, Trudy's greatest achievement was the impact she had on the lives of others.  She was a loving daughter, sister, friend and "auntie" and will be greatly missed by all those whose lives she so deeply touched.