Betty Gatlin

Visitation: will be held on Tuesday, October 9, 2007 from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Stevenson & Sons Funeral Home in Broadus.

Funeral Service: will be held on Wednesday, October 10, 2007 at 10:00 a.m. at Stevenson & Sons Funeral Home in Broadus.

Private family interment: will be held in the Valley View Cemetery in Broadus.

Betty Gatlin, age 83, of Broadus passed away on Saturday, October 6, 2007 at her home. She was surrounded by her children and her grandchildren in her final moments here on earth.

Betty was born October 24, 1923 to Hans and Lizzie Peterson in the Abby Hospital in Miles City. She was educated in the Sonnette rural school and attended high school in Broadus. Grant Gatlin courted Betty through her high school years and they were married on November 1, 1941. They raised five children - Gary, Judy, Linda, Jeanne, and Ward. While Grant served in the Navy during WWII, Betty lived with her parents at Sonnette and helped on the ranch. After the war Grant and Betty spent a year in Valdez, Alaska where Grant worked on a fishing boat. Following their return from Alaska Grant worked on various ranches in southeastern Montana from Forsyth to Decker and Betty worked alongside him. Together they ran the Corral Bar in Birney, MT. In 1960, Grant took the job of Town Marshall in Broadus and was later elected Sheriff of Powder River County. During the first years of Grant's tenure as sheriff Betty worked, without pay, as the jail cook and later as dispatcher at the S.O. Eventually she was hired by the county to perform those duties. When Grant left his position as sheriff, Betty began work at the IGA Bakery where she became "Grandma Betty" to countless youth and community members. Betty's family and friends recall how proud Grant was of her strength and mental toughness. Following Grant's death in 1984, Betty shared her home in Broadus with her sister Helen.

Betty had a natural ability to meet and handle any situation with grace. She took pride in cooking on a wood and coal burning stove until 1997 when they got a new house. Betty was the center of her family, she lived and died setting an example for us, never complaining and always working to make things easier for those around her. Her grandchildren spent much time at her house and Grandma Betty always had ice cream or popsicles and cookies for them. Betty wouldn't spend on herself but would give her money without hesitation to support a good cause, especially at the request of any of her grandchildren.

Betty is survived by two sons, Gary (Kathi) Gatlin of Broadus, Ward (Ronda) Gatlin of Broadus, three daughters Judy Badgett of Billings, Linda Trimmer (Ed) of Sheridan, WY, Jeanne Sparks (Richard) of Broadus, a sister Helen (Aunt Hinky) Bickle of Broadus, thirteen grandchildren, and seven great grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents, one grandson, one son-in-law, and her husband Grant.

Visitation will be held on Tuesday, October 9, 2007 from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Stevenson & Sons Funeral Home in Broadus. Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, October 10, 2007 at 10:00 a.m. at Stevenson & Sons Funeral Home in Broadus. Private family interment will be held in the Valley View Cemetery in Broadus. Condolences may be sent to the family by visitingwww.stevensonandsons.com.

Should friends desire, memorials may be sent to Caring Hands in care of First Bank of Broadus, P.O. Box 347, Broadus, MT 59317 or Holy Rosary Hospice, 2600 Wilson, Miles City, MT 59301.