Lillie Rath

Visitation: Thursday, March 22, 2007 at Stevenson & Sons Funeral Home in Miles City.

Funeral Service: Friday, March 23, 2007 at 11:00 a.m. at Grace Bible Church in Miles City.

Interment: Custer County Cemetery.

We will greatly miss our beloved mother and grandmother, Lillie AnnaRath passed away at Holy Rosary Nursing Home on Sunday, March 18, 2007 at the age of 85.

Lillie was born on her family farm in Watkins, Montana on December 3, 1921, the daughter of Henry and Lydia Moos. She attended country schools at Watkins but had to stay home from high school to help her family while her mother was ill. Lillie worked for several area families, cooking for their family or crews of up to 40 men. She also cooked at the county farm in Miles City. On January 23, 1947, she married Lawrence C. Rath and they began their life together on a farm near Brockway, Montana. Lillie was a fantastic gardener and canned so much of the familys food. A typical year of canning was to put up 100 quarts of both pickles and tomatoes, along with other canned goods. Lillie loved her chickens; her laying hens would squat with their wings out as she walked by so she would stop to pet them. Each summer was filled with raising and butchering chickens and each fall with making our homemade sausage. Lillie was a wonderful cook and was well known for her GermanKuchen.

Lillie was active in 4-H as a local leader for 18 years, chaperoned 4-H Congress and attended the National 4-H Leaders Forum. Lillie was very active in our local church, serving on the church board, serving as Sunday School Superintendent, teaching Sunday school and playing piano for church service. Lillie loved to play the piano and would fill the home with music. Lillie was always busy in the winter time, not only filling the home with wonderful smells of fresh baked goodies, but she quilted beautifully, embroidered, crocheted, and loved to make potholders and dish clothes. He always made time for one or two games of solitaire while waiting for the family to get home for dinner. She actually wore the spots off of a few decks of cards. The love of her life was her husband, children and grandchildren.

Lillie is survived by her three children: Larry Rath and his wife Pat of Attleboro, MA; Lucetta Steele and her husband William of Circle, MT and Carol Beery of Colstrip, MT; Seven grandchildren: Wayne and Scott Snyder, Lana Steele Bentz, Joni Steele, Jason Beery , Justin Beery and Theresa Beery Bradford; four great grandchildren: Kaylee and BradenBentz, Beau Beery and Ryan Bradford; three brothers: Edwin Moos of Circle; Albert Moos of Terry; Herbert Moos of Miles City; two sisters: Ella Moos Fredrickson of Sheridan, WY and Edna Moos of Terry, MT.

Visitation will be held on Thursday, March 22, 2007 at Stevenson & Sons Funeral Home in Miles City. Funeral services will be held on Friday, March 23, 2007 at 11:00 a.m. at Grace Bible Church in Miles City. Interment will follow in the family lot of the Custer County Cemetery. Condolences may be made to the family by visitingwww.stevensonandsons.com.

Should friends desire, memorials may be made to the Montana 4-H foundation, 211 Taylor Hall, Bozeman, MT 59717-3586.