Edith W. Yapuncich

Edith Wilda Yapuncich, 78, passed away Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2003, at St. John's Lutheran Home in Billings.

Edith is lovingly remembered by her large family and many friends for her intense love of life. She lived her life to the fullest. She raised nine children who blessed her with 22 grandchildren. She was a superb seamstress and excellent cook.

After raising her children, she obtained a bachelor of arts from Eastern Montana College in history and Spanish. Her love of adventure included driving to Alaska with her sister Irene and hiking, fishing and camping throughout Montana. Some of her favorite activities were bird watching, hiking and camping with the Wilderness Hiking Club and the Gem and Mineral Club. She loved music and was a volunteer at the Alberta Bair Theater. Her strong Christian beliefs led her to continue doing various volunteer works.

Above all, she had a passion for her garden, as anyone passing by her home in Billings would testify. She spent hours upon hours, planting and weeding native Montana plants in gardens surrounding her home.

Her love for the mountains, the animals, wild and tame, and all the birds in the world filled her life with exciting adventures of which one can only dream.

Edith was born in Walnut Creek, Calif., Aug. 17, 1925. On June 10, 1945, she married John Yapuncich. Edith and John moved first to Casper, Wyo., and then permanently settled in Billings in 1952.

She is survived by her four daughters, Marion of Chicago, Kathleen of Billings, Lorraine (Larry) Klompien of Manhattan and Rebecca of Houston; her five sons, John Stephen of Wyola, George (Sonia) of Houston, Fred (Pam Pruitt) of Tacoma, James (Carole) of Spokane, Wash., and Victor (Kate) of Sheridan; 22 grandchildren, and 10 great-grandchildren; her brothers, John (Mary) Crossley of Carson City, Nev., Douglas Musso of Bowman, Calif., and Rodger (Loie) Musso of Forest Hill, Calif.; her sisters, Irene Belles of Lady Lake, Fla., and Jean Ellen Allender of Auburn, Calif. She had special friends Margaret Webster and the entire staff of St. John's Lutheran Home. She was preceded in death by her husband, John, in 1988; her mother, Winona Musso; her father Ernest Crossley; her sisters, Marion and Susan, and her daughter-in-law, Theresa.

Burial will be 10 a.m. Saturday in Mountview Cemetery. A Memorial Service will be 11 a.m. Saturday at Dahl Funeral Chapel. There will be a luncheon following in the Dahl Hospitality Room.

Memorials may be made to Alzheimer's Research, #2 Poly Drive, Billings, MT 59102.