Mildred Wetherelt

Visitation: will be held on Wednesday, September 1, 2004 from 1:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. in the chapel of Stevenson & Sons Funeral Home in Broadus

Funeral Services: will be held on Thursday, September 2, 2004 at 2:00 p.m. at the Powder River Congregational Church in Broadus.

Interment: will follow in the family lot in the Valley View Cemetery in Broadus

Mildred Wakefield Wetherelt, age 92, of Broadus passed away on Sunday, August 29, 2004 at the Powder River Manor in Broadus.

Mildred Wakefield Wetherelt was born to Glen & Ollie Belle Irish Wakefield on October 23, 1911 at Valentine, Nebraska. Mildred was the third born daughter of seven girls. The family moved from Nebraska to settle in the Ridge/Ranch Creek area of southeastern Montana by covered wagon when Mildred was 2 years old. Her family came to the area because Uncle Thomas & Aunt Lena Irish Drane, Uncle Earl & Aunt Emma Irish Malley, and Uncle James & Aunt Edith Wharton Irish were in the area. She attended school through the 8th grade in the Ranch Creek area. After completing the 8th grade her family moved approximately 4 miles west of Broadus. She went to work at the Bakery here in Broadus and worked there until marrying Norman Wetherelt on February 1, 1933. In 1934, their first child Wayne was born and she began her full time duties as mother and caretaker of the family home. They continued living in the Broadus area until 1938 when forced by the economy and the depression their family and the Thomas & Helene Wakefield Wetherelt family, Alvin Wetherelt, Fred Wetherelt, Glenn Wetherelt, and Brunson & Georgie Wetherelt Moulton family moved to Idaho to make a living by the logging industry. They lived there for one year and returned to Broadus in 1939 and moved into a part of the Crane home. A daughter, Patsy was born in 1939 and made their family complete. In 1941, Norm built their home in Crane Acres, just west of Broadus where she lived most of her life. In 1948, they went into a partnership with Norms brother, Howard and purchased a ranch west of Biddle, Montana where they spent summers at the country home and the school year in Broadus. This partnership lasted a few years and then it was fulltime in Broadus where Mildred devoted her time to her family. In 1958, she worked at the Cool Retreat Drive-In for Niece Mary Irion Hodges and during the 1960s and 1970s she filled in at the motel for son, Wayne and family.

Mildred enjoyed playing cards, fishing, working crossword puzzles, playing horseshoes, playing pool, dancing and being with family and friends. She was especially proud of her two children and her grandchildren. From 1961-1981 she enjoyed spending part of the winters in Washington and Oregon visiting with her daughter Patsy & Cliff Bircher, and grandchildren Troy, Kelly and Tracey. Family was important and she visited her sisters, Mary, Oma & Genevieve and their families as well as Norms brother & his wife, Fred and Ruth Wetherelt and spent time with Niece Gladys & Barney Considine while on these winter excursions. In the 1980s she also traveled to Arizona to visit with sister Alvena & Claude Bray. In 1994, Norm and Mildred were honored to serve as Co Grand Marshals for the 4th of July parade for living 75 years in Powder River County.
In 1996, due to declining health Mildred and Norm left their family home and moved into the Powder River Manor and shared a room and a new home. Norm passed away in February 1997 after sharing 64 years of marriage with Mildred. She continued living at the manor until departing from this world on August 29, 2004.

Mildred is survived by one son, Wayne and his wife Anita of Broadus and one daughter, Patsy and her husband Ken Stephens of Seven Mile, Ohio and her very special seven grandchildren: Brenda Wetherelt & Ken Ketterling, Wayne Wetherelt Jr., Sheri (Don) McDowell, Melody (Colin) Hanzlik, Troy Bircher, Kelly Bircher, and Tracey (Tim) Rumph. She is also survived by twelve great grandchildren: Courtney Wetherelt, Carrie Wetherelt Cox, Shannon Wetherelt, Derek McDowell, Tyson McDowell, Jason Ketterling, Morgan Hanzlik, Hailey Hanzlik, Caleb Bircher, Angela Bircher, Lindsay Rumph and Kiela Rumph; two step grandchildren, Trent McDowell and Dan McDowell. A great great grandson, and a step great great granddaughter, Maci McDowell. Numerous nephews and nieces, cousins, sister in laws and brother in laws survive her.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Norm, her parents and her six sisters; Viola Phillippi, Helene Wetherelt, Mary Davenport, Alvena Bray, Oma Trachsel and Genevieve Franklin.

Visitation will be held on Wednesday, September 1, 2004 from 1:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. in the chapel of Stevenson & Sons Funeral Home in Broadus. Funeral services will be held on Thursday, September 2, 2004 at 2:00 p.m. at the Powder River Congregational Church in Broadus. Interment will follow in the family lot in the Valley View Cemetery in Broadus. Condolences may be sent to the family by visiting www.stevensonandsons.com. Should friends desire memorials may be made to the Valley View Cemetery Association, C/O Anita Wetherelt or to the Powder River Memorial Committee, C/O Gladys Linville.