On Saturday, March 28, 2009, Marilyn Jean Blumfield "earned her wings and God took her home."

Born in Spokane, Wash., on Aug. 5, 1925, to Willard and Gertrude Talkington, she lived a good 83 years experiencing the joys and sorrows of life. Joy at the birth of her son Richard, her granddaughter Teri Kaye, her great grandson Christopher and the finding of her husband and lifelong love, Robert D. Blumfield. Sorrow at the passing of her husband, her parents, one of her brothers and so many of the friends that she had made over the course of her life.

She made the most of life on this Earth. Moving to Montana at an early age with her young son, she met and married Bob and remained in Montana, living in Shelby and after the death of her husband, moving to Whitefish. She had a zest for travel and visited four continents, from Kenya, Africa, to Singapore in Asia, as well as the whole of the United States, from Alaska to Mexico and Virginia to California.

She will be missed by all of her friends, family and those that she took in and considered as family; her son, Rich Walker and Boots Atkinson, who she considered as a daughter-in-law; her stepdaughter Janet Cooper-Whetherly and her husband Ian, who she took in and thought of as her own daughter and son-in-law; and Janet's two boys, Geoff and Greg, who were her grandsons; her granddaughter Teri Kaye Rupp and her husband Larry; her pride and joy, her great-grandson Christopher; her brother Bob Beyers and his wife, Wilma. These are but a few who stay behind and will miss her dearly.

Cremation will be handled by Buffalo Hill Funeral Home. Per her wishes, there will be no memorial services. She only asked that all who knew her remember her in their good memories and in their hearts. There will be a private graveside ceremony in Shelby at a later date, so that she can be buried beside her husband, Bob.

Buffalo Hill Funeral Home is caring for the family. To send condolences please visit www.buffalohillfh.com.