Elizabeth “Beth” Steen

Elizabeth “Beth” Steen

Elizabeth “Beth” Steen, 85, died Oct. 8 at The Springs in Missoula. Beth was born Feb. 22, 1931, in Missoula to Juanita and Glenn W. Wood. She graduated from high school in Missoula in 1949, moving to Helena soon after.

She was employed by Montana Teacher’s Retirement System and later retired from Mountain Bell in Helena.

Beth married Forrest R. “Russ” Steen, April 1954, at St. Paul’s Methodist Church, Helena, where they continued to live until retiring to Flathead Lake near Rollins in 1983. They thoroughly enjoyed that life until Russ’ death in 1994.

She maintained her home there until she reached 75, at which time she purchased a condo in Lakeside. She moved to The Springs in her hometown of Missoula in 2015. Beth read widely and loved discussing books. She readily identified many of the birds of Western Montana, had a flair for entertaining and did not mind dog sitting for friends.

Besides her husband, her parents and sister preceded her in death. A number of nieces and nephew survive in Arizona, California and New Mexico. Beth’s niece, Nancy Sue McIntyre lives in Trout Creek, special sister-in-law Kitty Lou Rusher lives in Glasgow, sister-in-law and brother-in-law Ila and Harvey Steen live in Helena and special friend Becky Slater in in Polson.

At her request, no funeral services are planned. Cremation has taken place and she will be buried near her parents and husband in Missoula.