Reva Fruit

Graveside services: Saturday, June 26, 2010 at 10:30 a.m. at the Valley View Cemetery in Broadus.

Reva Fruit, age 93, passed away on Sunday, December 27, 2009 at the Powder River Manor in Broadus, MT, where she has been a resident since 2003.

Reva was born September 12, 1916 in Belle Fourche, S.D., to William & Annie (Hoffman) Johnston of Ridgeway, MT. She was raised and attended school in that area and graduated from high school in Belle Fourche, SD. She met and married Clare Fruit of Alzada, MT on June 25, 1935 in Miles City, MT. They had one son, Vernon. Much of Reva's early years of marriage were spent making a home in a sheep wagon as Clare worked at various ranches, had a shearing crew, did dirt work and skidded logs in the Alladin, WY area. Reva made the best of all situations she taught herself to crochet to fill the lone'some days. In 1963 they purchased Clare's fathers' ranch on Cottonwood Creek and raised sheep. Reva always had a spotless house (in spite of the lack of indoor plumbing); good food and busy hands. She was active in the Alzada Homemakers Club and member of the Wool Growers Assn.. After they sold their sheep in 1985, Reva started taking bus trips around the USA with her sister, Jo Burch; sister-in-law, Donnabelle Preston, and various Aunts which she enjoyed so much. They lived on the ranch until August of 1999 when illness took over and both Clare & Reva moved into the Kiewell Guardian Angel Home in Belle Fourche, SD. In 2003 Reva had to be moved to a full-care facility so has been at Powder River Manor.

Reva is survived by her son, Vern & wife, Flo, of Yuma, AZ & Alzada, MT; two grandsons; Brian of Missoula, MT and Chad of Phoenix, AZ; a granddaughter, LaRae Jenkins of Spokane, WA; five great-grandchildren; Whitney Hovland & Steven Jenkins of Spokane, WA, Kirsten & Tanner Fruit of Missoula, MT and Michael Fruit of Phoenix, AZ; two great-great-grandchildren; Aeyla Evans and Kylie Jenkins and numerous nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Clare; her parents; three brothers, Clarence, Warren & Walter Johnston; two sisters: Margaret Blackford and Josephine Burch and one grandson, Kerry Fruit.

Graveside services will be held on Saturday, June 26, 2010 at 10:30 a.m. at the Valley View Cemetery in Broadus. A luncheon will follow at the city park in Broadus. Everyone is invited. Stevenson & Sons Funeral Home of Broadus is in charge of the arrangements.

Should friends desire, memorials may be made to the Alzada Fire Control or to the charity of their choice.