Mary Ann Moen

Long time Valley County resident Mary Ann (Clowes) Moen, 93, passed away on Friday, Feb. 3, 2017, from natural causes in Fargo, N.D., with her daughter, Ruth, by her side.

A Celebration of Life will be held at First Lutheran Church in Glasgow on Wednesday, March 8, at 11 a.m.

She was born on Feb. 18, 1923, in Polson, Mont., to Homer and Ruth (Biddle) Clowes. The family returned to Glasgow when she was a toddler and there she remained except for the last year of her life.

She lived through remarkable times, the depression years, WWII and beyond. Living on the farm during these lean years, the family had a plentiful garden, chickens and cows, horses to ride, Cherry Creek to swim in, the outdoors to explore and wonderful neighbors and friends. She was baptized into the Christian faith at First Baptist Church in Glasgow.

After graduating from Glasgow High School in 1941, she worked at the ASCS office in the courthouse, soon meeting her future husband, (Oliver) Leonard Moen. They were married in Seattle before Leonard enlisted in the army and was sent to the Pacific. She returned to Glasgow, raising their daughter, Gwen, alone until Leonard returned from the war in 1945.

She and Leonard worked hard together, raised four children, did some square dancing and enjoyed playing bridge. She was a homemaker extraordinaire, and family came first. She always had a beautiful garden and was a talented seamstress. They built one home and remodeled another; she planned and decorated while Leonard did the carpentry work to carry out her projects. In their retirement years, they enjoyed golf and cross country skiing and she made beautiful quilts. She was also an advocate for people with intellectual disabilities and active in the First Lutheran Church.

Preceding her in death were her husband of 67 years, Leonard; her parents, Homer and Ruth (Biddle) Clowes; and four brothers, Arthur, Henry, Donald and David Clowes.

Survivors include two sisters, Beulah Baldwin and her husband, Dick, and Helen Dekker and her husband, John; a sister-in-law, Berta Clowes; and so honored to have had Mary Ann and Leonard for so long are her children, Gwen Truex and her husband, Gary, of San Rafael, Calif., Norma Nakamine and her husband, Jim, of Novato, Calif., Ruth Carnal and her husband, Steve, of Fargo, N.D., and Dean Moen of Novato, Calif .; seven grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren; numerous beloved nieces, nephews, friends, and her bridge partners.

We have wonderful memories and quilts, and we remember Grandma ML with love. She was a spirited woman and died wearing her pearl earrings. She will be ready for a good game of bridge and a visit when you see her in heaven!

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to the First Lutheran Church or the Milk River Activity Center, or to the charity of your choice.