Helen Freshour Smith

On June 29, Helen Freshour Smith passed away in her sleep at St. Luke Hospital in Ronan, thus ended a life of service to her family, country, and community. Born on Dec. 23, 1921 in the old Holy Family Hospital in St. Ignatius, to George and Zulema Freshour, she grew up on family ranches along Pistol Creek Road moving slowly down from the top of the ridge. After completing St. Ignatius High School in l940 she attended Great Falls Commercial College, then worked for Montana Power Co. Helen, always wanted to travel, so as soon as she turned 21 and with WW ll going  she  enlisted in the Women’s Army Corp, “Because I wanted to see a lot and have  someone take care of me”.  She was in a troop which handled Top Secret coded combat field reports for Allied Command which kept her in the thick of the European Theater “action” going from London, before the Germans were routed from France, to Paris, only days after its liberation, where she stayed until the end of the war in Europe. Returning to St. Ignatius after the war, Helen worked for Beckwith‘s store as a bookkeeper.  She married Lyndon Smith on June 1, 1948. From Beckwith’s, she moved to the power office of the BIA until her retirement in 1979.  Years later as a widow she moved to Clark Fork Riverside in Missoula. Community service was always important to Helen. Whether it was a project like renovating the old High School Gym, building up the St. Ignatius Senior Center to a stable enterprise, or a service project like the Montana Elderly Nutrition Program and doing audits for the Senior Center or her church the thing she enjoyed doing was helping others.  That’s why her work with St. Patrick’s Volunteers in Missoula was such a special joy. Her last residence was St. Luke Extended Care in Ronan.  She enjoyed all those who were so caring there, and spent many hours reading and doing crossword  puzzles. She is preceded in death by her husband, Lyndon; her brothers, Elmer and Walter; and her daughter, Kathy. She is survived by two living children; Clifford (Barbara), from Polson and Greg, from Pasco, Wash.: sister Lois (Red) Delaney, from St. Ignatius; brothers Gene (Jeannie) Freshour, from Canyon City, Ore., and Don (Mona) Freshour from Helena; three grandchildren and six great grandchildren. Between friends, family, service and travel at every opportunity Helen Smith had a life well lived and will be greatly missed by many. A celebration of her life will be held Friday, July 19 at 11 a.m., at the Mission Valley United Methodist Church. (top of Post Creek Hill) If desired, memorials may be directed to any Veterans group, St. Ignatius Senior Citizens, Mission Valley UMC, or a charity of your choice.