Ione Fitzpatrick, 89

Ione Lois Fitzpatrick passed away on Sept. 20, 2023, in Polson.

Ione was born on Aug. 10, 1934, in Sidney, Mont., to Louis E. and Mabel L. Pollard. She was the second of three children. She attended Newlor School, five miles from Sidney, through the seventh grade.

The family moved to Columbia Falls in 1947. Ione graduated from Hoads School of Beauty in 1952. She worked at Lavelle’s Beauty Shop for three years before moving to Ronan and opening her own beauty shop in 1956.

Ione met and married Thomas Gale Fitzpatrick of Hot Springs in 1959. To this union four sons were born, and later Mary Ann Matt came into their lives through foster care and was raised by Tom and Ione as their daughter with the Fitzpatrick boys.

Her family includes son Thomas Daniel (Arlene) Fitzpatrick of Curlew, Wash., and grandsons Bo Daniel (Ashley) and Jason; son Brett Joseph (Elisha) Fitzpatrick of Polson, grandson Payton (Katelynn), and great-grandsons Nolan and Ryan, grandson Grey (Shelbi) Fitzpatrick and great-grandson Case; son Jack Edward (Barbara) Fitzpatrick of Polson, grandson Loren (Raychel) and great-grandchildren Conan, Alethea, Samuel and Elijah, and granddaughters Dillon and Katie (Jake) Fitzpatrick; son Zane Gale (Sandi) Fitzpatrick of Polson, grandsons Tim (Courtney), Bridger and Caden; and daughter Mary Ann Matt (family) of Ronan.

Ione always had a way to bring family together. With everyone’s busy lives, she made sure to bring everyone back together and to appreciate what’s most important – family. She always made sure everyone was doing good and well taken care of.

Ione mastered the craft of homemade bread, cinnamon rolls and dinner rolls. She baked amazing pies. She also loved to play cards, Yahtzee, and other games. She was hard to beat at any kind of card game.

During calving and lambing season, she always kept a pot of coffee and a card game going for all the guys between shifts of checking stock. She also loved to fish and once caught a 25 lb. salmon in Washington with her son, Dan. She loved to see all the baby lambs, calves, and colts born every year and was always good for advice on gardening.

She was a wonderful mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, aunt, and friend to many. She will be forever loved and missed.

She is preceded in death by her parents, husband Thomas Fitzpatrick, brother Mandel Pollard, and nephew Claude Smith.

Ione was baptized as Jehovah’s Witness on Oct. 14, 1995, and it brought her much joy. Messages of condolences may be shared with the family online at www.shriderthompson.com.

Arrangements are under the care of Shrider-Thompson Funeral Home.