Sheila Bickle

Visitation: Thursday, April 30, 2009 at Stevenson & Sons Funeral Home in Miles City.

Funeral Mass: will be held on Friday, May 1, 2009 at 9:30 am at the Sacred Heart Church in Miles City.

Rite of Committal: will follow in the Custer County Cemetery in Miles City.

Sheila C. Bickle, age 71, of Ismay, Montana passed away suddenly from a stroke on April 27, 2009.

Born November 11, 1937 in Butte, Montana the daughter of Grace George (ORourke) and Bernard D. Connolly, the family relocated to California during World War II. Sheila was raised in the San Francisco Bay area, graduated from Ravalli County High School, worked for a year in San Francisco and then attended the University of Montana. She and A. William Bickle married on September13, 1958. Sheila worked in the MSU Agronomy department and after Bills graduation from Montana State University in 1959 they moved to the Bickle family ranch in Ismay, Montana where they have lived ever since.

Unfamiliar with ranch life in 1959, she met the challenge of managing a home and raising a family in a very different and more spartan lifestyle than her past experiences prepared her for. She was with her husband a full partner in building Bickle Cattle Company. It was a true partnership of complimentary skills; her contributions to her ranch, home and family will be greatly missed. Sheila devoted extensive time and effort as an advocate for the cattle industry. She was a past president of the Southeastern Cow belles and Montana Cattle Women. She was a loyal friend; she valued her friendships and she particularly enjoyed lunches in Miles City with friends.

A strong advocate of education and providing opportunities for young people, Sheila supported high school speech and drama programs and music programs. She supported performing arts through attending events at the Alberta Bair Theater.Sheila was preceded in death by her parents.

Sheila is survived by her husband of the family ranch, a sister Shirley Connolly of Menlo Park, California and her four children; A. William Bickle III of Miles City, Susan G. Archer of Loveland Colorado, Kathryn C. Andriolo of Billings, Montana and Elizabeth A. Bickle of Kansas City, Missouri. She is also survived by three grandchildren; Gregory William Andriolo, Billings, Montana, Lauren June Bickle, and A. William Bickle IV, Miles City, Montana.

Visitation will be held on Thursday, April 30, 2009 at Stevenson & Sons Funeral Home in Miles City. Funeral Mass will be held on Friday, May 1, 2009 at 9:30 am at the Sacred Heart Church in Miles City. Rite of Committal will follow in the Custer County Cemetery in Miles City. Condolences may be made to the family by visiting: www.stevensonandsons.com If desired, memorials may be made to the Alberta Bair Theater or to a charity of one's choice. Stevenson & Sons Funeral Home of Miles City has been entrusted with the arrangements.