|
 Moyra
Lewis-mother, grandmother, sister and friend - passed from this life into
the next on Monday, September 17, 2007. Moyra, like her mother and sister
before her, battled valiantly through pancreatic cancer until her death at
the Horizon Hospice House in Billings, Montana.
Moyra was born September 5, 1948 in Siren, Wisconsin,
the second of seven children of Doris "Dode" (Sears) and Palmer Reno. She
moved to Montana with her family at age 4. She attended grade school in
White Sulphur Springs and Martinsdale and graduated from Harlowton High
School in 1966. She attended business school in Billings and worked for
the Montana State Board of Equalization in Helena until her marriage to
Dwight Lewis in 1970. Together they became proud parents of four children:
Chelsea, Echo, Tiffany and Miles.
Moyra had a fulfilling and successful career with
the United States Department of Agriculture, working for the Lewis
and Clark National Forest for 22 years. She will be remembered by
many who met her there for her always ready smile and helpful manner
when they came into the office. Two of the things she enjoyed most
about her work were helping the public and watching youth develop
marketable skills during seasonal employment at the Forest Service.
She referred to many of them as "my kids."
She was a woman of many interests. Berry picking,
baking, needlework, crafts, reading, Halloween and Christmas are a
few of her favorite things. Many in the community have been blessed
with her hand crafted gifts and will remember her homemade jams and
jellies, "real" Norwegian lefse and kringlers made lovingly by her
and her sister, Cindy, every year before Christmas. The highlight of
her year was to kick off the holiday season, gather together with
her siblings and bake traditional Norwegian goodies to share with
family and friends.
Moyra is survived by her children Chelsea (Curtis)
Butts of Belgrade, Echo (Kurtis) Bouley of Billings, Tiffany
(Brandon) Smart now of Billings and Miles (Melissa) Lewis of
Lynnwood, Washington. She leaves behind eight grandchildren: Emily,
Bailey, Carson and Katie Butts; Logan and Bradie Bouley and Benjamin
and Evan Smart. She is also survived by her former husband, Dwight
Lewis of Two Dot; sisters Chris (Clayton) Garrick of Hastings,
Minnesota; Cindy (Keith) Cavender of Lennep; Letty (Harold) Crowley
of Butte; brothers Phil (Shelene) Reno of Lewistown; Scott (Kerri)
Reno of Lewistown; and brother-in-law Roger Lindsley of Harlowton.
In addition, there are many nieces and nephews who remember her with
love. She was preceded in death by her parents, Palmer and Doris
Reno, and sister Denise Lindsley.
A celebration of her life will be held at the
American Lutheran Church in Harlowton, Montana on Friday, September
21, 2007 at 2:00 p.m. A reception will follow at the Harlowton Youth
Center. She will be laid to rest in the Lennep Memorial Cemetery.
Memorials in Moyra’s name may be made to the
Horizon Hospice House, c/o Big Sky Hospice, Billings, Montana. |
