Adeline Yates of Miles City, Montana died on July 5, 2022. In her final days, Adeline said, “When someone dies, they always write the person died peacefully, surrounded by family and that’s what I want to do.” Anyone who knew Adeline also knew she accomplished whatever she set out to do, so she did, indeed, die peacefully, surrounded by family.
Adeline was born to Emilie and Albert Wiederrich on November 17, 1937, in Fort Peck, Montana. She was the tenth of twelve children. After several moves, the family eventually settled in Havre, Montana, where Adeline graduated from high school and later met and married the love of her life, Byron Yates. Byron and Adeline moved to Malta, Montana, where they raised their three daughters. Adeline kept her life in Malta very busy as a wife, mother, and entrepreneur, running her own women’s clothing store, Adeline’s World, for several years. After a brief stint in Chinook, Montana, where Adeline began her new career in banking, she and Byron moved to Great Falls, Montana, where Byron passed away in 2011. Adeline later moved to Miles City to be near family.
Adeline had a fierce and quick wit, was an avid reader, and kept her mind sharp with daily crosswording. She also raised any craft she engaged in to the level of art. She was a lifelong, highly skilled knitter and took up beading in her retirement, creating fun, whimsical, intricate, and beautiful pieces using multiple techniques. She was also a wonderful cook and delighted in sharing her special tips and tricks up until the very end, including explaining, while resting in her hospital bed, how to make her tasty knoephla noodles. Adeline also had a special love for all things ladybug, which led to a home filled with many decorative ladybug items, as well as her family nickname, Grandma Ladybug.
Adeline is preceded in death by her husband, parents, and eight siblings. She is survived by her daughters, Martina Hould (Byron), Kimberley Putzke (Robert), Shawnmarie Stanton (Roy); and her grandchildren and great grandchildren, Sam Hould (Keely; children Emma, Haley, Wren, and Lachlan); Jamie Hould (Erin; children Austin, Tristan, and Trafton); Danielle Venn (Jason; children Mija, Morgan, Rigby, and Brekken); Nicholle Ryan and Christopher Ryan Parker (Haley).
The family will hold a private celebration of life at a later date.
Service Schedule
Services are pending at this time or no services will be held. If available, please see obituary for more information.
Service Schedule
Services are pending at this time or no services will be held. If available, please see obituary for more information.
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Rozan Wiederrich Kerr says
To my cousins my heart breaks for you 💔 the loss of your mom goes deep. I remember all the great times with your family and Zotman mineing. Your mom will be missed. Terry and I send you all much love and hugs!
Sandy McFarland-Hays says
Martina and family, I am so sorry to read about your mother’s passing. Mother’s are so very special. I am sending many prayers and my condolences to you during this hard time.
Kimber says
Prayers and hugs to the family. I am so sorry for your loss.
Darcel Hunter says
My heart breaks for your loss. Aunt Addy was a peach. Growing up with you all was so much fun. Glad Mom got to talk to her before she passed on. She’s with her beloved husband and is at peace! We love you all so much
Shirley Rolf says
Sorry for your loss of your mom and grandma. Remember all the good times.
Pam Barnes says
Martina, I’m so sorry for your loss. It’s never easy losing a loved one. I loved aunt Addie
so much she was a wonderful person I remember all the fun times we had together we always laughed so much she was so funny And full of life she is going to be missed forever. God bless you all and keep you safe.
Sharon Jensen Semeniuk says
My American Mom was such a wonderful woman, a great friend and always cheerful. I am so blessed to have known her and experienced her love. My thoughts and prayers are with you all.
Marcy Parks says
Martina, I am so sorry! I know how close you and your mom were. Treasure the memories until you get to hug her again! You are all in my thoughts and prayers!
Dennis Broadbrooks says
Sorry for your loss of Adeline. We remember your mom as a very loving lady. We miss the whole Yates family here in Malta. My parents have also passed and services for my mother Harriet will be in three weeks. I’m sure Adeline and Harriet are visiting and laughing in heaven! I never saw your mom or dad mad at anything, they were always happy and they had a loving family. Our prayers are with the Yates family!
Pat Yates says
Until her recent passing, Adeline was the last of my aunts and the last one I knew on the Yates side of my family.
(Contrary to my aunts. Ann Yates Renaker and Martha Yates Ohland, Adeline was my aunt via marriage to my
dad’s youngest brother, Byron (“Buddy”) Yates.
Ann, Martha, and Adeline each were strong, warm women. Each, in their unique ways, deeply enriched
my life in ways that have always made it better. Each will be with me until my own life comes to an end.
As true of Ann and Martha, Adeline had a quick and keen mind, a playful spirit, and a delightful sense of
humor. (Even with my eyes open, I can hear their individual laughs–and each have long been a source
of cheer to me.
Neither Ann, Martha, or Adeline were women who “took to fools lightly,” as the expression goes. Each were
women of strong character, who had clear expectations of themselves and others. However, they were
each encouraging and supportive people, IF what others were doing seemed sensible, reasonable, and worthy
of respect. None were condoning of actions which were insensitive and reflective of disregard for others.
(Ann more than once told me when I was growing up, “If you don’t have something good to say about someone,
but silent.”)
My first memory of Adeline is when her to be husband, Buddy brought her to the farm to meet my maternal
grandmother and Buddy’s mother, Martina Olsen Yates Gjerde and her second husband, Lars Gjerde. (Both were
Norwegian.) I will ever remember how proud Buddy was to introduce Adeline and how instantly I also
liked her.
In 1955, I attended their wedding at the Methodist Church in Havre, a church which later experienced a major
fire, severely gutting the church’s interior. One time, after the birth of Martina, their first of three daughters,
I was left for a few hours, as a young teenager, to take care of Martina on the farm. I remember Buddy and
Adeline giving me 3 quarters, when they returned home; an amount which, at the time, was a welcomed sum.
After I left Havre in 1962. I generally only saw Adeline and Buddy when I was home for holidays, if/when they were also in Havre. In my adult years, a majority of the time I spent with Adeline and Buddy occurred when they were living in Great Falls, where my parents had moved in 1973, one year before my mother died at age 55 of pancreatic cancer.
After my mother’s death, Adeline and Buddy were especially attentive to my dad and I have many memories
of their kindness to him–e.g. once Adeline wall papered a room for him in his house in Great Falls and
Buddy and Adeline often entertained my dad (and his subsequent significant life friend, Mary)–e.g. treating
them to in-door and patio suppers at their home on the northside of Great Falls.
In random order, I remember:
–Adeline introducing me to her own mother and getting to enjoy cinnamon rolls they had made.
–Adline and Buddy taking Linda and me to an event at the Fairgrounds in Gt. Falls one summer and
another time, taking us on a drive around Great Falls to see some of its beautiful old homes.
–Buddy and Adeline helping me with aspects of arranging for my dad’s funeral.
–Conversations with Adeline on the phone after Buddy died.
–And now, recently, learning of Adeline’s own passing.
Life is such a wonderful, even magical affair. It is also filled with unsought challenges. And the flight
of time is horrifically fast.
It seems incomprehensible that Adeline’s earthly life has ended. Zoom–she was a young woman
and then became, in age, an order woman. However, I am glad to understand that she was alert
to the end and still functioning with her wits about her and with her strong common sense and sense of wisdom.
Like all of us, Adeline was not perfect/ not totally unflawed, but she was a rare, precious, and one-of-a kind irreplaceable gem, who I had the very good fortune to be able to call my aunt. I truly loved her and I always will.
Love,
Pat Yates
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