Mae Elizabeth Crone

Visitation: Thursday, March 13, from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at Stevenson & Sons Funeral Home in Miles City.

Funeral Service:Friday, March 14 at 11:00 a.m. at the First

Internment: Custer County Cemetery.

May Elizabeth "Betty" Crone, age 89, passed gently and peacefully from this life to the next on March 9, 2008, lovingly surrounded by her husband, daughter and son-in-law.

May Elizabeth Betty (Blum) Crone was born on August 4, 1918 at her Grandmother Maggies home, near Twelve-Mile Dam, south of Miles City to Alvin E. and Gertrude E. Blum. She grew up on a farm south of Miles City, and graduated from Custer County High School in 1936.

On June 27, 1936, Betty was united in marriage to Herbert D. Crone at the First Methodist Church in Billings. To this union, two children were born, Herbert G. (Jerry) and Vicki Lee.

In Miles City, Betty assisted her husband, Herb, in the grocery business and by 1959, they owned and operated their own store, HerbsSuperette, until retiring in 1978. Betty also worked part-time for many years as the bookkeeper for her brother-in-law, Glenn Crone, at his Glenns Standard Service Station in Miles City and was also as financial secretary for her beloved First United Methodist Church. In addition to this, she volunteered in many different capacities with the Red Cross (during Word War II), the Blood Mobile, RSVP, and delivered Meals-on -Wheels for many years. She was a member of Eastern Star, Chamber of Commerce Gems, Republican Women, Range Riders, Charter member of the Sage Riders, Miles City Club, Pythian Sisters, and life-long member of the First United Methodist Church in Miles City.

Not content with several part-time jobs and many volunteer positions, Betty found time not only to raise a family, but to help the elderly. She took loving care of her mother and aunt in their last years, as well as a neighbor lady by helping them in their day-to-day living. As their helper, she was truly a blessing to them, always putting their needs ahead of her own. Betty was a strong-minded, active woman who freely admitted she had difficulty sitting still, preferring to be busy with some task or activity. She was also a very bright woman, skilled in whatever task she undertook. Her daughter found her to be a good problem-solver, who could be consistently counted upon for ideas to navigate lifes never-ending challenges. In younger years, she enjoyed dancing the night away, and throughout her life, loved a good game of bridge, playing golf or bowling.

Betty and Herb lived in Miles City until moving to Billings in 2005 to be closer to their daughter, Vicki.

Betty is survived by her husband of over 71 years, Herb, son Jerry (Rita) of Sun City West, Arizona and daughter Vicki Tapia (Lionel) of Billings, four granddaughters: Debbie Schoonover (Mark), Cindy Crone, Megan Bodley Nyquist (Blake) and Jill Bodley, one grandson: Kyle Bodley, three great-grandchildren (Shawn, Brian and Shannon Schoonover) and numerous nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents and only brother, Boyd C. Blum.

The family wishes to thank the caregivers at Tender Nest for their compassionate and tender care as well as the kind and gentle people from Hospice who helped her along her final journey.