Alice Fite Grilley

Alice Fite Grilley

Alice Fite Grilley, 90, a long-time resident of Polson, died Saturday, Oct. 1.

  She was born to Carl and Louise Malgren on Oct. 4, 1925 in Kalispell. She started working at the S and J Dime Store when she was 13 years old. During high school she worked at Security State Bank in Polson. She graduated from Polson High School in 1943. After which, she joined the Air Service Command and worked as an air traffic controller. From there, she worked at the Federal Reserve Bank in Helena. For 17 years she worked for Parker Malone Irrigation as a hydraulic engineer.

  She married Harold Thomas Fite in 1945 and they had two children, Steven and Susan. Tragically, Harold was killed in a highway accident in 1979. She met Ward Grilley in Alaska and they married in 1982. She and Ward enjoyed Senior Citizen activities and spent their time between Alaska, Arizona and Polson.

  Alice professionally made wedding and birthday cakes. Her other hobbies included ceramics, oil painting, and sewing. Cooking for her family brought her great joy and she especially loved hosting fish fries. She loved making pies which she learned from her grandmother in Rollins. She was acknowledged for 50 years of service in the Order of the Eastern Star.

Alice was preceded in death by her parents Carl and Louise Malgren, and her first husband Harold Fite. She is survived by her husband Ward Grilley; son Steven Fite and his wife Pearl; daughter Susan Lamphere and her husband Randy; grandchildren Nathan Lamphere and wife Sarah, Aaron Lamphere, Thomas Fite and wife Michelle, and Karl Fite; great-grandchildren are Malysa, Ryan, Kaitlynn, Hillary, Davyn, and Allyson Lamphere; brother Delbert Malgren; stepdaughter Rosalie Bench; stepsons Randy Grilley and Russell Grilley; niece Christine Malgren, and nephews Neil Crannell, Gary Crannell, Kenneth Fite, Kenny Malgren.

Funeral services for Alice will be held on Thursday, Oct. 6, at 11:30 a.m. at the Polson Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. There will be a visitation from 11 a.m. until 11:30 a.m. in the Relief Society Room of the church. Burial will follow services at Lakeview Cemetery. Memories and condolences may be sent to the family at www.thelakefuneralhomeandcrematory.com.

Arrangements are under the direction of The Lake Funeral Home and Crematory.