Caroline Oie Anderson

COLUMBIA FALLS — On Aug. 8, 2006, Caroline Oie Anderson passed into Heaven. Caroline, or more affectionately known as Carrie, lived 90 years in Polson the home of her birth. During the past five years she resided in Columbia Falls with her daughter and son-in-law.

Carrie was the third child of 11 children born to Ole and Margaret Oie of Polson. Her father was a blacksmith and her mother was busy raising and tending to the large family.

Carrie, as a youth, was very industrious and ambitious and found numerous jobs to help out the family, often at the expense of her own needs and ambitions. She completed her schooling through high school in Polson, graduating in 1928. She was married to Carl E. Anderson of Polson in 1932. They had two children, Carl James Anderson of Polson, and Karen Marie Anderson (Anderson) of Columbia Falls.

Carrie's eventual calling as a retail sales person began during her high school days when she asked for work at Davis Mercantile in Polson. She worked there after school and weekends, and later she worked at Funke and Sons retail clothing and general goods store. Much of this work was for little pay due to the economy. She was a very dedicated employee and in a brief time had mastered many of the necessary skills of retail sales.

During the ensuing years she managed to keep gainfully employed throughout the Depression era. At one point, after the birth of her second child, she was forced to leave Polson briefly to find work in the panhandle of Idaho, again in the clothing business located near a Civilian Conservation Corps facility.

On her return to Polson she began her long tenure with Pearce Style Shop in Polson, and became sought out by her many customers from miles around. She had that ability to make a customer pleased with the purchase and took the time necessary to make a positive sale. Carrie was the consummate employee; loyal, hard-working, responsible and always available.

She later became associated with Doreen's Fashions, also in Polson and after a brief retirement from clothing sales, she was back to work with Krubsack's Jewelry in Ronan. In this position she commuted to Ronan from her Polson home and lent her experience and loyal service to Mrs. Krubsack over the next six years leaving only after the business was sold. She had worked with the public in sales into her 80th year, concluding over 65 years of being "on the job." When she was not at work she found relaxation by sewing and baking.

She was toughened mentally and physically by living through two World Wars, and numerous geographical conflicts, the Great Depression, loss of siblings and parents, loss of her husband, a mugging, several broken bones, and a hip fracture at age 93. In all of that she never lost interest in family, and particularly her children to include grand and great-grand children.

She is survived by her brother Robert Oie and sister Virginia Peek of Polson; her son James and his wife Arliss; daughter Karen and her husband, Bill; grandchildren Alan and wife Denise, of Camas, Wash., Anna and husband Eric Larson of Petersburg, Alaska, Jean and husband Gary Soderberg of Cossman Cove, Alaska, John Anderson of Buckeye, Ariz., Pamela and husband Brett McCrumb of Polson, Tricia and husband Norman Rosenthal of Princeton, N.J., Lynnette and husband Thorsten Jessat of Columbia Falls, Jill and husband Josh Johns of Seattle; 16 great-grandchildren, and four great-great-grandchildren, and numerous cousins and nephews.

A family memorial service was conducted in Polson Aug. 12 at Lakeview Cemetery.