Bertha Coyle Leslie
Bertha
Coyle Leslie, 96, went to be with her Heavenly Father on June 13, 2009
at West Park Village Senior Living, where she resided for the past
thirteen years. A native of Helena, Bert was born on April 24,
1913 to Cornelius and Bertha Wirth Coyle. Following her graduation
from St. Vincent Academy, she worked for Montana Power Company until she
married Robert M. Leslie, a Helena banker, in 1938. Just following
Bob’s transfer to Havre, he was commissioned by the U.S. Navy and
entered WWII, serving as a lieutenant in the Pacific Theater, while Bert
remained in Havre to care for their young family. The Leslies
moved to Kalispell in 1945 where they raised their five children.
Bob assumed another position in Mandan, ND and eventually retired as the
President of Norwest Bank in Billings in 1969, where Bert has resided
since.
From her birth to her final days, Bert lived an active life which centered around her family and friends. It was not uncommon to see her walking in West Park Plaza on a brisk winter morning, caring for patients as a hospital volunteer, playing in the West Park Village Kitchen Band, or enjoying pancakes following morning Mass with her fellow group of parishioners from St. Pius church. She will be remembered for her gracious spirit, infectious laugh, beautiful smile and her genuine love for all those who were privileged to call her Mom, Grammie, GaGa and friend.
Bert was preceded in death by her husband Bob, the one love of her life, along with her parents, brother, Ed Coyle, sisters, Mary Coyle and Elizabeth Coyle Flaherty, and two sons-in-law, Michael Cook and David Swanson. She is survived by her children, Robert J. (Barb) Leslie of Surprise, AZ; Linda (Rand) Robbin of Big Fork; Laurie (Myron) Vogele of Roberts; Mary Kay Swanson of Fargo, ND; and Coyla Cook (Dean) Scheel of Kewaskum, WI. She is also survived by her grandchildren, Marca (Dave) Gibson; Tia Robbin (Dan) Wilson; Kris (Beth) Vogele; LynAnn Vogele (Brian) Henderson; Randy (Jenny) Vogele; Ty (Marca) Vogele; Paul Swanson; Danny (Kim) Swanson; Rhonda Swanson (Bill) Evans; Jenny Leslie; Ryan Leslie; Scott Leslie; Mark Leslie; Chad (Tina) Cook; Leslie (Chris) Schmidt; Billy (Amy) Cook; Nathan Scheel; Casey Scheel; and twenty three great grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.
The family expresses sincere appreciation for the extraordinary friendship, thoughtfulness and care given to Bert and all of us by the West Park Village Senior Living staff over the years, and more recently, Riverstone Health Hospice Services. In lieu of flowers, memorials can be directed to a charity of one’s choice.
Vigil services will be held at Michelotti-Sawyers Mortuary at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, June 16. Funeral Mass will be held at St. Pius X Church at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, June 17. She will be placed to rest with her husband at the Custer Battlefield National Cemetery.
Remembrances
Please leave your name and remembrance in this public guest book. Your comments will be shared on this page and forwarded to the family.
"Bert" will be greatly missed. What a wonderful woman she was, always with a smile and a sparkle in her eyes. Such a positive, cheerful woman and with such class! Our love and prayers to the family.
Sandy and Tom Ferch
My husband, Dave, and I had the privilege of getting to know Bertha on our visits to Montana. Our prayers have been with you for the past several weeks and we are rejoicing with you in her "stepping on shore and finding it heaven, of touching a hand and finding it God's, of waking up in Glory and finding it Home." She was a joy to visit and her smile brought sunshine to our soul. Thank you for letting us know her.
Mary Wyrtzen