Patricia Kathleen Dobson Hurt

ST. IGNATIUS — "You have suffered enough. Come join me in Paradise," said the Lord. With that, Patricia D. Hurt left her mortal world behind on Friday, Nov. 4, 2005. She departed from the Millpond Assisted Living home in St. Ignatius after her daughter Sharon arrived to be by her side.

She was born July 23, 1918, in Lewistown to John J. Dobson and Katherine (Wilson) Dobson. Her father was the Chief of Police in Lewistown at the time. She went to grade school in Lewistown until she was 10 years old when her father died. Her mother remarried when Patricia was 12 years old, so she moved to Butte to be raised by her sister Fay Waite and her husband Bill. She went to Butte Public School and graduated in 1936.

After graduation, Patricia worked at the Grand Canyon Resort in Yellowstone Park selling souvenirs for that summer. She entered Montana State University (now the U of M) in the fall of 1936 and began the pharmacy program. She joined the Sigma Kappa sorority while at the university. She met her future husband, Kenneth R. Hurt, at a Sigma Nu-Sigma Kappa dinner exchange.

She married Kenneth on Jan. 25, 1940, at the Episcopal Church in Butte, with a small family reception following at the Waite residence. They moved to Scobey where Ken was working as a pharmacist. After living in Scobey for a year and a half, it was too cold and windy there for her, so they moved to Missoula where Ken went to work for Smith Drug.

On Dec. 1, 1941 they bought the Mission Drug in St. Ignatius from John Dowdy. They operated the business until 1968 when Ken retired. They spent their retirement years in St. Ignatius and on Finley Point.

She was a very loving, family oriented, and always-on-the-go person. Along with raising three children, she worked alongside her husband at the Mission Drug. Her cherry Cokes and vanilla milkshakes made at the fountain will always be remembered.

Her greatest contributions were always to her family. Cookies were always waiting for the kids when they came home from school, along with her world-famous Almond Roca.

After retirement from Mission Drug, she knitted sweaters and afghans for family and friends. She enjoyed many years of card playing with her bridge club. One of her favorite places to spend time with friends, family, and her Shih-Tzu dog, Chinn, was at their cabin on Flathead Lake.

She was preceded in death by her husband of 53 years, Kenneth R. Hurt, in 1993; her daughter Marciana Mathilda Hurt in 2004; her sister Fay Waite and her brother Dobby Dobson.

Survivors include her son Kenneth W. (Patricia A.) Hurt of St. Ignatius; daughter Sharon (James A.) Gies of Colville, Wash.; and grandchildren Kenneth J. Hurt of Baltimore, Md.; James M. (Marcy) Gies of Spokane; Wendy (Dan) Gottesman of Mercer Island, Wash.; Shaunda M. (Brian) Paske of Spokane; and Jennifer A. (Kory) Kennaugh of Helena; and seven great grandchildren.

Rosary service will be at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 10, and funeral services will be at 11 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 11, at the St. Ignatius Catholic Church.

The family suggests memorials to the St. Ignatius Catholic Church restoration fund. Services will be provided by Foster and Durgeloh Funeral Home in St. Ignatius.