Funeral Service: Monday, December 7, 2009 at 10:30 a.m. at Stevenson & Sons Funeral Home in Broadus.
Graveside Service: Interment will follow at 2:30 p.m. in the Ranch Creek Cemetery at Biddle, MT.
Marie Morris, age 88 of Broadus, MT, passed away on Wednesday, November 25, 2009, at the Powder River Manor in Broadus, MT, surrounded by friends and family.
Marie was born on June 2, 1921, in Burnstad, ND, the daughter of William Russeff and Mary (Nedizen) Russeff. Marie attended school in Steele, ND until grade 7, when she had to leave to care for her ill mother. Mary (Marie), the youngest of six children, was put to work at a very young age. Her brother, Bill, recalls that she did everything that her Mother could not do as far as house work, plus, she and her siblings milked 20 cows twice a day. Her dad didn't believe in playingit was always work. In 1936, after her Mother died, she left home and hitchhiked to Billings, MT, where she worked in a restaurant. From there, she went to Mills, WY, where she also worked in a restaurant, washing dishes. While living there, she also helped ranchers put up hay. From Mills, she went to Gillette, WY, where she met Frances (Frankie) Jone's, at a show hall. They became friends, and Marie lived with Frankie for a time. It was during this time that Frankie, a friend of the Morris, introduced Marie to Vern Morris. Marie and Vern were married in 1937, in Belle Fourche, SD.
Vern and Marie made their home at the Morris Ranch at the head of Ranch Creek, east of Biddle, MT, where they raised horses and cattle. Marie enjoyed working alongside Vern, and spent many hours helping with the stock, riding horseback, and working the ranch just like a man. Every fall, she canned enough vegetables to last through the winter. Twice a year, in the fall and spring, she and Vern would go to town to buy enough groceries and dry goods to last for six months. In later years, when Johnnys family was growing, Marie was always the faithful Grandmother---entertaining and spending time with Twila, Laurie, and Cody. They dearly enjoyed baking cookies with her, or riding in the old Willys jeepshooting ducks as it backfired while whistling down the road with Marie at the wheel. She took great pride in keeping the water tanks full for the cows, and she was careful to err on the side of too much feed for the pets and livestock around the barn. She had many special memories of spending time in the hayfield with her daughter-in-law, Ella Mae. For many years, she milked cows and raised chickens, spending hours at a time getting her chicken coop comfortable for her babies. Marie loved canning, reading, needlework, sewing, gardening, and generally working outside. She took special pride in her yard full of lilacs, her rose garden, and her peonies.
Maries whole life was centered around the love she had for the ranch, her son, grandchildren, great grandchildren, and great-great grandchildren.
She is survived by her daughter-in-law, Ella Mae (Allen) Drane, of Broadus, MT; three grandchildren: Twila (Roy) Pilcher of Devils Tower, WY, Laurie (Steve) Gentry of Gillette, WY, and Cody Morris of Broadus, MT, special friend Stephanie Morris of Wibaux, MT; 10 great grandchildren: Nicole (Eric) Moe of Billings, MT, Dustin Pilcher of Billings, MT, Jerrod Pilcher of Gillette, WY, Kaitee Pilcher of Laramie, WY, Wacey Cathey of Bozeman, MT, Kalli Jo Cathey of Gillette, WY, Tyrel (Jillian) Gentry of Miles City, MT, Sierra Gentry of Gillette, WY, Cheyenne Gentry of Miles City, MT, and Josie and Coy Morris of Wibaux, MT; 2 great-great grandchildren: Emilyn Moe of Billings, MT, and Rylin Gentry of Miles City, MT. Two brothers: Bill (Jean) Russeff of CA, and John (Marcella) Russeff of MN. Marie was preceded in death by her husband Vern, her son Johnny, and 3 sisters: Anna Eliff, Dorothy Raschkow, and Dora Makedonsky.
If friends and relatives desire, memorials may be made to Powder River Manor.
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