Lois (Freshour) Delaney

Born in St. Ignatius on Oct. 13, 1933 to George Freshour and Mary Zulema (Krantz) Freshour and was raised on the hill above Pistol Creek along with sister, Helen and brothers, Elmer, Walter, Gere and Don. 

Lois graduated from St. Ignatius (Mission) High School in 1951 and attended Montana State University. While attending MSU she played the trumpet in the Spirit of the West marching band and earned a teaching degree in Physical Education  and Home Economics. She taught PE and Home EC in Stevensville, Dixon, and St. Ignatius. Lois coached girls’ basketball with Verlin Mintz, volleyball, and later was one of the first female Athletic Directors in Montana, a position she held for 8 years. 

Lois married Walter (Red) Delaney on June 9, 1956. Their four children, Tim, Stan, Doug, and Kay arrived in a span of five years, while she continued teaching and helping ranch on Post Creek with Red. She raked hay (often with one of the kids riding along) and fed many readers of this notice, fantastic lunches while they helped stack bales in the hay fields. 

She enjoyed her flower garden, taking care of the bounty Red would bring in from the garden, was a proud Bobcat fan and knew how to sew quite well. When Stan took over the ranch, she excelled in grandparent duties, meeting the school bus at the corner west of the house, provided afterschool snacks, helped the grand kids bake cookies, and provided support on many school and 4-H projects. 

Lois and Red were always to be found at local sporting events and traveling around the state following their grandchildren’s teams making many friends in Columbus, Frenchtown, and Charlo. 

She was an active member of the Mission Valley United Methodist Church and St. Ignatius Senior Center. A special thanks to her Griz friend for the Thursday lunch outings that she enjoyed so much these past few years.

Services will be held on Sunday, Sept. 22, with interment at the Pleasant View Cemetery beginning at 3 p.m. and a celebration of her life at the Mission Valley Methodist Church beginning at 4 p.m., food and fellowship will follow the service. Memorials may be made to the St. Ignatius Senior Center or the Mission Valley United Methodist Church.