Beulah Hunnes

Beulah Montana Hunnes, beloved daughter, sister and aunt, died in Billings early Sunday morning, March 4, 2007. She was 87 years old. Beulah was born on August 5, 1919 in Forsyth, Montana, to a Norwegian immigrant father, Burt Hunnes, and a Romanian immigrant mother, Barbara Schemer.

Burt and Barbara Hunnes met and married in Butte. In 1914, they purchased a homestead relinquishment 14 miles east of Ingomar on the Great Porcupine Creek where they built a home and raised 3 children – John, Beulah and Fred. Beulah attended grade school at a one-room school in Davidell and graduated from Vananda High School. Beulah did not find life on the Great Porcupine Creek to be her cup of tea. She decided to embark on a lifetime career in nursing. In 1941, Beulah graduated from the School of Nursing at Deaconess Hospital in Billings. She then studied Public Health at the University of Minnesota, returning to her native Montana to work as the public health nurse in Crow Agency.

Beulah continued her nearly 50 year career as a registered nurse with Dr. Vye, first in Laurel and then in Billings. After Dr. Vye’s retirement, Beulah went to work for Dr. Robert Jackson. She was very dedicated to Dr. Jackson, and they became good friends working together until they both retired in 1990. Beulah had many devoted friends, including the nursing students from her class at Deaconess Hospital, who faithfully assembled for monthly lunches after Beulah’s retirement until her recent illness.

The center of Beulah’s life was her family. She spent many summer vacations and leisure time with her brothers John and Fred and their families. In 1993, she, John and Olive Hunnes traveled to her father’s homeland of Norway and were delighted to visit the farm where Burt grew up and meet the cousins and relatives who still thrive there today. In recent years, Beulah cooked wonderful weekly dinners for her Billings family and enjoyed the antics of her young compatriots, Trevor, Alex and Synnove. Beulah will be missed by her family, friends, neighbors and all who knew her.

Beulah is survived by her sister-in-law, Olive Hunnes of Boulder, Colo., her four nieces and nephews and five great-nieces and nephews, Bob (Eileen) Hunnes and Eric of Boulder, Colo., Ruby (David) Dehls, Joy and Malinda of San Antonio, Texas, Jackie Hunnes of Miles City, and Jeff (Cristi) Hunnes, Trevor, Alex and Synnove of Billings. She was preceded in death by her parents and both brothers – Beulah was the last of the Great Porcupine Creek generation.

A memorial service will take place at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, March 9, at the American Lutheran Church, followed by a lunch. Memorials in Beulah’s name are suggested to American Lutheran Church, 5 Lewis, Billings, MT 59101, or to Big Sky Hospice, P.O. Box 35033, Billings, MT 59107. Michelotti-Sawyers is entrusted with arrangements.