MUSSELSHELL - Florence M. Smeding Meredith, 89, of Musselshell, passed away Aug. 21, 2007, at Horizon Hospice Home in Billings.
The daughter of August and Wilhelmina Volz Rieman, Florence was born on Oct. 30, 1917, in a tent near Shepherd.
Florence married Sam Smeding on Aug. 17, 1938. They ranched south of Musselshell for many years, and later owned and operated Lone Mountain Dude Ranch, which later became Big Sky Resort. From there, they moved over the mountain and built a dude ranch on Indian Creek near Cameron. They retired to a ranchette at Gallatin Gateway for a few years, but the altitude was still too high for Florence's failing heart, so they bought a place on Bridger Creek.
Although Florence loved ranch life, she also had a passion for teaching. After earning a teaching degree from Normal School (MSUB) in 1940, she received one of the last Lifetime Certificates issued. She taught rural schools in Tyler and Staley on Flat Willow Creek north of Roundup, Cold Spring School in Yellowstone County and Goulding Creek School west of Roundup and Ophir School near Big Sky. During World War II, she taught in the Huntley Project Schools and later the Ryegate School.
After the death of Sam in 2002, Florence moved to Big Timber. On Oct. 17, 2003, she married Chuck Meredith and again became a ranch wife when they moved to his ranch south of Musselshell.
During her busy life, she was past matron of Eastern Star and had an active part in Montana CowBelles and the Bridger Creek Women's Club.
Florence loved gardening, whether it was her vegetable garden, flowers or berries, and loved sharing all she grew with neighbors and friends. During the winter, she was busy doing handwork: knitting, crocheting, needlepoint or sewing on the machine, which she also shared with many. She was a wonderful cook and no one left her kitchen hungry.
Florence is survived by her husband, Chuck of Musselshell; daughter Alice (Morlee) Vander Voort of Ryegate; son Edward "Bud" Smeding of Glendive; grandchildren Mark Vander Voort of Billings, Peggy (Robert) Everts of Ronan, Mandy (Keith) Allan of East Helena, Angie Mullikin of Basin; sister Shirley Thomas of Worden; brothers Willard (Joyce) Rieman of Ballantine, Roy (Dorothy) Rieman of San Antonio, Texas; six great-grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Sam; and grandson Wayde Vander Voort.
The daughter of August and Wilhelmina Volz Rieman, Florence was born on Oct. 30, 1917, in a tent near Shepherd.
Florence married Sam Smeding on Aug. 17, 1938. They ranched south of Musselshell for many years, and later owned and operated Lone Mountain Dude Ranch, which later became Big Sky Resort. From there, they moved over the mountain and built a dude ranch on Indian Creek near Cameron. They retired to a ranchette at Gallatin Gateway for a few years, but the altitude was still too high for Florence's failing heart, so they bought a place on Bridger Creek.
Although Florence loved ranch life, she also had a passion for teaching. After earning a teaching degree from Normal School (MSUB) in 1940, she received one of the last Lifetime Certificates issued. She taught rural schools in Tyler and Staley on Flat Willow Creek north of Roundup, Cold Spring School in Yellowstone County and Goulding Creek School west of Roundup and Ophir School near Big Sky. During World War II, she taught in the Huntley Project Schools and later the Ryegate School.
After the death of Sam in 2002, Florence moved to Big Timber. On Oct. 17, 2003, she married Chuck Meredith and again became a ranch wife when they moved to his ranch south of Musselshell.
During her busy life, she was past matron of Eastern Star and had an active part in Montana CowBelles and the Bridger Creek Women's Club.
Florence loved gardening, whether it was her vegetable garden, flowers or berries, and loved sharing all she grew with neighbors and friends. During the winter, she was busy doing handwork: knitting, crocheting, needlepoint or sewing on the machine, which she also shared with many. She was a wonderful cook and no one left her kitchen hungry.
Florence is survived by her husband, Chuck of Musselshell; daughter Alice (Morlee) Vander Voort of Ryegate; son Edward "Bud" Smeding of Glendive; grandchildren Mark Vander Voort of Billings, Peggy (Robert) Everts of Ronan, Mandy (Keith) Allan of East Helena, Angie Mullikin of Basin; sister Shirley Thomas of Worden; brothers Willard (Joyce) Rieman of Ballantine, Roy (Dorothy) Rieman of San Antonio, Texas; six great-grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Sam; and grandson Wayde Vander Voort.
MUSSELSHELL - Florence M. Smeding Meredith, 89, of Musselshell, passed away Aug. 21, 2007, at Horizon Hospice Home in Billings.
The daughter of August and Wilhelmina Volz Rieman, Florence was born on Oct. 30, 1917, in a tent near Shepherd.
Florence married Sam Smeding on Aug. 17, 1938. They ranched south of Musselshell for many years, and later owned and operated Lone Mountain Dude Ranch, which later became Big Sky Resort. From there, they moved over the mountain and built a dude ranch on Indian Creek near Cameron. They retired to a ranchette at Gallatin Gateway for a few years, but the altitude was still too high for Florence's failing heart, so they bought a place on Bridger Creek.
Although Florence loved ranch life, she also had a passion for teaching. After earning a teaching degree from Normal School (MSUB) in 1940, she received one of the last Lifetime Certificates issued. She taught rural schools in Tyler and Staley on Flat Willow Creek north of Roundup, Cold Spring School in Yellowstone County and Goulding Creek School west of Roundup and Ophir School near Big Sky. During World War II, she taught in the Huntley Project Schools and later the Ryegate School.
After the death of Sam in 2002, Florence moved to Big Timber. On Oct. 17, 2003, she married Chuck Meredith and again became a ranch wife when they moved to his ranch south of Musselshell.
During her busy life, she was past matron of Eastern Star and had an active part in Montana CowBelles and the Bridger Creek Women's Club.
Florence loved gardening, whether it was her vegetable garden, flowers or berries, and loved sharing all she grew with neighbors and friends. During the winter, she was busy doing handwork: knitting, crocheting, needlepoint or sewing on the machine, which she also shared with many. She was a wonderful cook and no one left her kitchen hungry.
Florence is survived by her husband, Chuck of Musselshell; daughter Alice (Morlee) Vander Voort of Ryegate; son Edward "Bud" Smeding of Glendive; grandchildren Mark Vander Voort of Billings, Peggy (Robert) Everts of Ronan, Mandy (Keith) Allan of East Helena, Angie Mullikin of Basin; sister Shirley Thomas of Worden; brothers Willard (Joyce) Rieman of Ballantine, Roy (Dorothy) Rieman of San Antonio, Texas; six great-grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Sam; and grandson Wayde Vander Voort.
The daughter of August and Wilhelmina Volz Rieman, Florence was born on Oct. 30, 1917, in a tent near Shepherd.
Florence married Sam Smeding on Aug. 17, 1938. They ranched south of Musselshell for many years, and later owned and operated Lone Mountain Dude Ranch, which later became Big Sky Resort. From there, they moved over the mountain and built a dude ranch on Indian Creek near Cameron. They retired to a ranchette at Gallatin Gateway for a few years, but the altitude was still too high for Florence's failing heart, so they bought a place on Bridger Creek.
Although Florence loved ranch life, she also had a passion for teaching. After earning a teaching degree from Normal School (MSUB) in 1940, she received one of the last Lifetime Certificates issued. She taught rural schools in Tyler and Staley on Flat Willow Creek north of Roundup, Cold Spring School in Yellowstone County and Goulding Creek School west of Roundup and Ophir School near Big Sky. During World War II, she taught in the Huntley Project Schools and later the Ryegate School.
After the death of Sam in 2002, Florence moved to Big Timber. On Oct. 17, 2003, she married Chuck Meredith and again became a ranch wife when they moved to his ranch south of Musselshell.
During her busy life, she was past matron of Eastern Star and had an active part in Montana CowBelles and the Bridger Creek Women's Club.
Florence loved gardening, whether it was her vegetable garden, flowers or berries, and loved sharing all she grew with neighbors and friends. During the winter, she was busy doing handwork: knitting, crocheting, needlepoint or sewing on the machine, which she also shared with many. She was a wonderful cook and no one left her kitchen hungry.
Florence is survived by her husband, Chuck of Musselshell; daughter Alice (Morlee) Vander Voort of Ryegate; son Edward "Bud" Smeding of Glendive; grandchildren Mark Vander Voort of Billings, Peggy (Robert) Everts of Ronan, Mandy (Keith) Allan of East Helena, Angie Mullikin of Basin; sister Shirley Thomas of Worden; brothers Willard (Joyce) Rieman of Ballantine, Roy (Dorothy) Rieman of San Antonio, Texas; six great-grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Sam; and grandson Wayde Vander Voort.
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