During the past four decades, the teams of Mission High School have had an extra-special kind of love and support on their side — the kind only a grandma can bring.

Lois Dumont’s career of caring began as it does for most mothers. Her own children went through MHS, she followed each of their interests, going to games and matches. Growing up as an only child, once she had a family they were her life. Soon, their friends became like children as well. It only seemed natural to include everyone in that family, she said.

Today, Dumont is “everyone’s grandma,” a role that developed after more than 45 years of being a Bulldog booster.

Now 82, Grandma Dumont makes sure everyone eats, she makes sure they drink their water and she fixes pillows and blankets if need be.

During wrestling season, she also keeps records of every match she possibly can, so the boys can come to her to check on progress and standings. Chief among her many duties is being in charge of hugs. At last weekend’s state wrestling championships, she set up a kind of toll booth: Boys don’t pass without a hug from grandma. 

 One of her sons, Doran, was a state champion wrestler in 1986. Doran drove the bus to Billings last weekend, and her grandson, Travis, was one wrestler who made state. This connection has brought grapplers close to her heart.

But it really doesn’t make a difference what sport it is, Grandma Dumont supports anyone and everything.  

Her main goal is to give consistent encouragement and love, she said.

It was Grandma Dumont’s turn to get a little love this past Thursday when she was honored during a pep assembly for everything she does.

Dumont watched from the front row of the bleachers as each of the state wrestling contenders was introduced. The Charlo/Mission team was ready to board the bus for the trek to Billings. She was going along on the 10-hour ride as a chaperone.

“I’m used to those bus trips,” she said. “I’ve been making those for a long time. I enjoy being on the bus with the kids and talking to them.”

When Grandma Dumont’s name was called, she rose to accept several bouquets of roses in total surprise. As she stood under the arm of grandson Travis in the center of the gym, the honor brought tears to her eyes. The faces of the boys stretching from her sides were all smiles.

When it was her turn to speak, Grandma Dumont told the team to never forget their pride and fight to the end.

“And, I love you all,” she said.

The trip to Billings yielded a few tough defeats, but a lot of good wrestling.

“It was an awesome tournament, they kept it going. They have it very well organized over there. In fact, it was going so fast if you turned your head, maybe that match was over,” have to ask how the match turned out,” Grandma Dumont said.

 In 1958, she married to Mickey Dumont. It was the second marriage for both of them and between them they have nine kids. This has expanded to 27 grandkids and 44 great-grandchildren, even several great-great-grandchildren. Grandma Dumont went to business school and has worked in many businesses — “anything that came along that I could do,” she said.

With Mickey she lived in Oregon for awhile, then moved back to Mission to manage the Buffalo Cafe, then Pete’s Bar in Mission and then the Silver Dollar Bar. Grandma Dumont also worked at the Folkshop and Jore Corporation. Mickey passed away in 1999.

Now, she is a full-time grandma, who every gravitates toward.

“I love being with the kids and enjoy watching them grow. I try to encourage them to succeed in anything they want to do,”  she said.