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- [S927] Obituary.
Frances E. Weisgerber
1920 - 2007
Frances was born on January 6, 1920 and passed away on Thursday, March 29, 2007.
Frances was last known to be living in Bridger, Montana.
She was active with social organizations, including Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Nu-Art Club and General Federated Woman's Club of Bridger.
She was preceded in death by her husband Sam.
Contributions in her memory can be made to Sacred Heart Catholic Church, P.O. Box 309, Bridger, MT 59014 or to a charity of your choice.
BRIDGER - Frances Eugenia Roth Weisgerber was born on Jan. 6, 1920, and passed to join our Heavenly Father on March 29, 2007, at The Billings Clinic. Mom was the third oldest of nine children born to Adam and Elizabeth (Ott) Roth. She was born in Dickinson, N.D., and raised in the Belfield, N.D. area. She attended school through the eighth grade after which time she began to stay at home to help on the family farm. She worked in the fields alongside her dad and older brother with the horses and equipment of that day. At the age of 16, she and several of her family members began coming to the Sidney area in the fall to "work those rotten beets!" A person has to remember that, at that time, all beet topping and pulling was done by hand - usually crawling down the rows of beets to do the job. Mom's helping with the horses on the farm established a long love for them. One summer, she worked on the "Buddy Ranch," which is now part of the Theodore Roosevelt National Park, cooking and cleaning for guests, with the best part of the day being when she was able to ride the ranch horses in the evening. In the fall of 1938, the family came to the Clarks Fork Valley to work beets. Our family can be grateful that they did because it was at a Halloween dance at the Round Butte School that she was introduced to Simon J. "Sam: WEISGERBER by his brother, Matt, with whom she was supposed to share her box lunch. Needless to say, Sam ate lunch from Frances and the rest is history. Frances returned to North Dakota with her family after that beet harvest. The Roth family then moved from North Dakota to the Clarks Fork Valley of Montana in 1939. Sam and Frances were married at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Fromberg on Jan. 23, l940. Mom lived her married life as a devoted wife and the mother of seven. She loved being a "housewife" and was never at a loss for something to do, even doing sewing for other people. Sam worked for farmers in the earlier years of their marriage and was a heavy equipment operator for the pipeline for over 25 years. Many times, because of Dad's job, he had to be away from home, so Mom was both mom and dad to the kids, especially the youngest two. Mom was a wonderful cook - especially her baking. There were many families, even until recently, that would contact her before a holiday to bake some special bread or rolls, with the Baska "Easter" bread most requested. She, along with Emma Koch, were a couple of the first cooks at the Bridger Senior Citizen's Center. Mom cooked there for about 15 years as one of the regular cooks and also with the members of St. Therese's Circle for their once a month dinner. At the Center, she was able to share her talents for cooking and baking with many, many Bridger residents. Mom enjoyed working outside "in the dirt" and with her flowers. Her garden and flowers were always her pride and joy - making sure that the lawn was always kept green and the flowerbeds weed-free. She enjoyed watching TV (especially the re-runs of the Lawrence Welk Show), crocheting, embroidering, reading and being at home. She also had a great love for riding in a "bobsled" and, for her 70th birthday, was able to go for a sled ride with three generations of her family celebrating with her. She was so excited when, also at the age of 70, she was able to again go for a horse ride when on vacation at Lake Mary near Ronan. In 2004, Mom's lifetime dream came true with a trip to Hawaii to celebrate the marriage of grandson, Dan, to Deb Weiser. If Hawaii was mentioned after that trip, Mom would simply glow with the memory of that experience. Mom was a very active member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church for 67 years, where she did the flowers and altar cloths until recently. She belonged to St. Therese's Circle and Sacred Heart Council of Catholic Women. She was a past member of Nu-Art Club. General Federated Woman's Club of Bridger. VFW Women's Auxiliary. Home Demonstration Club. 4-H leader. FHA mother and many other groups throughout the years. Mom was preceded in death by her husband, Sam; granddaughter, Wendi Weisgerber; her parents, Adam and Elizabeth Roth; a younger sister, Martha Roth; brothers-in-law, Fred Weisgerber, Matt Weisgerber and Jack Weisgerber; sister-in-law, Anne Timmons; and numerous aunts, uncles and cousins. She is survived by her seven children and their spouses, Betty and Gerald Koch of Red Lodge, Kathy and Joe Posorski of Kokomo, Ind., Jim and Lois Jean Weisgerber of Alaska/Hawaii, Don and Iris Weisgerber of Billings, Larry and Connie Weisgerber of Idaho, Shirley Weisgerber of Bridger and Tom and Mary Weisgerber of Billings.Additional survivors include grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren: Tim and Peggy Koch, Alex and Calvin; Tim and Tammy Buller, Bryan and Kari, Tyanna Buller and Ben Buller; Toni and Erick Doolen, Garrett, Taylor and Nicole; Teresa and Tim Mullins, Joshua, Matthew, Luke, Theo and Marc; Tracey and Shelly Koch (a daughter soon to join the family); Chris and Lynnette Pozorski, Caleb, Alyssia and Kirsten; Laurie Pozorski; Patty Pozorski; Joanne Pozorski-Szalay, Elizabeth and Rosemary; Carolyn and Russel Kirchner, Katie, Abbie, Samantha and Charlie; Dan and Deb Weisgerber, Mackenzie; Kevin Weisgerber; Sam and Erin Weisgerber, Maddison; Tricia Weisgerber and Jonathan Weisgerber and Tessa Davila. Other family surviving include sisters, Rosemary Klein of Billings, Marge Schaff of Lewistown, Kay of Colorado Springs, Colo., Eleanor McCowley of Eugene, Ore.; brothers, John and Clara Roth, Fairfield, Calif., Phil and June Roth, Billings, and George "Shorty" and Anne Roth, Calhan, Colo.; a very special niece (Mom always called Cheryl her fourth daughter), Ross and Cheryl Brown, James and Kim; Jenny and Chris Ewing, Boston and John Ross; brothers-in-law, Nick and Sarah Weisgerber, Utah, Joe Weisgerber, New Mexico; sisters-in-law, Gen Roth, Bridger, Vera Weisgerber, Oregon, Rosemary and Marvin Weatherman, Wyoming, Lauretta and Ed Allen, California, Georgia and Joel Hayes, California; and so many nieces, nephews and cousins, plus friends from coast to coast it would take up a full page of the newspaper. A very special thank you is extended to all the medical personnel that have treated Mom in recent years, the crews from the Bridger Ambulance Service, the staff of the Billings Clinic Emergency Room, especially Mark, the TCU staff, especially Aimee and Lindsey, and all the doctors that helped her last hours to be comfortable and peaceful. The vigil for Mom will be at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, April 3, and the funeral Mass will be celebrated at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, April 4, both at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Bridger. Visitation will be 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday, at the Smith-Olcott Funeral Chapel in Red Lodge. A luncheon will be served in the Church basement immediately following the committal at the Bridger Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Sacred Heart Catholic Church, PO Box 309, Bridger, MT 59014; Bridger Ambulance Service, PO Box 84, Bridger, MT 59014; the Wendi Weisgerber Endowment Fund at Rocky Mountain College, Billings; or the charity of your choice.
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1920 - 2007 (87 years)