Laura D'Arcy

Laura Montana DArcy, 92 passed away August 31st at her assisted living home of complications of lung cancer and has finally been released of her pain.A funeral liturgy will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, September 14, 2013 at Corpus Christi Catholic Church.A graveside service will be held at Ft Harrison on Friday, September 13, 2013 at 3:00 p.m. Schnider Funeral Home is handling arrangements.Laura Montana (Flood) DArcy was raised in the Boulder Valley with her ranching parents; Ed and Anna Flood. She had two brothers, Ray and Stanley.She worked on her family ranch and later cooked for a neighboring ranch. She enjoyed the frequent barn dances.She graduated from Jefferson County High School in 1941 and moved to Butte to attend Butte Business College.She became a medical secretary and learned transcription. She started at Fuller Paints in Butte where she met her future husband, John Brix DArcy.They dated 10 years and married in 1957 in Boulder.She did bookkeeping for Fullers and when they married she was let go since relatives could not work in the same business. They moved to Great Falls soon after their marriage.They purchased their new home in the gumbo soil in the newly established Riverview.It was to be her Christmas and Birthday for the next 55 years.Brix always said she married well.Becoming parents at age of 40 was risky but they were thrilled. Their only child, Annette was born in 1959.Laura was a stay at home mom, while Brix was on the road as a salesman for Fuller Paint. She was a care giver to over 30 children.Laura was the ultimate homemaker for the next 52 years. She was an accomplished seamstress, creating lined suits, swimwear, lingerie and home dcor.Shed have three sewing machines going at one time.The handmade handiwork that she shared with all she came in contact with were cherished due to the amazing perfection of detail.She knit afghans and baby blankets and argyle socks as well as crocheted large tablecloths and doilies.She taught herself to hardanger and a very old, tedious craft of tatting using her fingers and thread knots.She entered many State Fairs and walked away with many honors as well as Best of Show.She possessed great cooking skills using a basis of meat and potatoes.She baked like a trooper and loved her sweets.Her cookies were always homemade.The grandkids favorites were her peanut butter cookies and rosettes.She was involved in Camp Fire and 4-H with Annette.They amended their garden soil many times and created a huge garden.Nothing went to waste. She was an avid food preservationist and canned everything for her pantry.She spent many hours at the garden cleaning the vegetables to be canned.To her delight, she spent her last month picking in her raspberry patch, canning sour cherries, chokecherries and apples for jam and jelly. She enjoyed her yard, lilacs, gladiolus and her all uses Vinegar Book.She spent many years swimming at the Natatorium and procured the latest Jack LaLanne exercise equipment.She was a successful Weight Watcher member who helped Brix succeed as well. When she became ill and lost weight, she was encouraged to eat more. She commented that all these years trying to keep the weight down she was finally at a great weight and she was encouraged to eat more.She was a character and said it how it was.She would always use her expletives @%*#... quite often when expressing her self.She enjoyed her neighbors, sunsets, and her bay window. She delighted hearing about the activities of the grandchildren.She adored Darcy and Alexander as they grew. She celebrated her 92nd birthday 5 days before her death.We would like to thank her friends who consistently visited her and Suzi who took in meals to their home. The girls at Rivers Edge who cared for my Mom and Dad this past year, as if they were their own.We are thankful to the Hospice Staff for their continued support to our family and Park Place Rehab.Laura leaves behind her daughter, Annette (Dave) Chandler; granddaughters Karena (Brad) Sara, Megan Chandler; grandsons Gunner and Tiller; two great grandchildren, Darcy and Alexander.