June Ellen Lunde, 71, of Helena died Saturday, June 4, 2005.

She was born in Rolette, N.D. on June 20, 1933, to Margaret and Delbert Britsch. She spent her childhood in North Dakota and Washington and graduated from Irene S. Reed High School in Shelton, Wash., in 1952.

On July 10, 1954, she married her childhood sweetheart, Ted Lunde. She earned her diploma from Minot State Teachers College and began teaching near Fargo, N.D. During her early career, she taught in many small rural schoolhouses. In 1961, she received a teaching contract in Libby. In 1968, she moved to Kalispell where she spent the next 27 years. Most of her years in Kalispell were spent teaching at Trinity Lutheran School.

She loved to cook and entertain and spent several enjoyable years cooking at the St. Matthews parish. In 1995, she moved to Craig, where she finished her career teaching with a childhood friend in a small rural schoolhouse.

Her love for children and education was evident in the many lives she touched throughout her life. She is loved and missed by many.

Survivors include her husband, Ted, of Helena; daughter, Heather Monday of Helena; son, Ted Lunde of Kalispell; sister, Mildred Kirkeide of Rugby, N.D., sister, Fay Kirkeide of Leeds, N.D., brother, Glen Britsch of Sedro Wooley , Wash., sister, Vurl Landis of Alma, Wash., and six grandchildren.

Memorial service will be held noon Friday, June 17 at Trinity Lutheran Church. Luncheon to follow.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Hagler-Anderson Funeral Home in Helena.