Regina Mary White

Regina Mary (Greany) White

BILLINGS - As per God's "revised" plan (Mom's words), Regina was called home to join husband Myles and daughter Cindy on Nov. 3, 2022, after living to be a grand 101 years old. She was born on May 22, 1921, the eldest of six children to William and Gertrude (Cavanaugh) Greany in Hudson, Iowa. In 1938, Regina was 16 when her father lost his leased farm in Iowa during the Depression and the family of eight relocated to the Deer Lodge Valley.

She graduated from Elliston High School in 1939 and then went on to attend St. John's Hospital Nursing School in Helena. After she graduated in 1943, she enlisted in the Army Nurse Corps during World War II. She served two years at Fort Ord, California, where she received a medical discharge in 1946 due to a "heart murmur." She had requested to go to Europe and support our troops in the war effort.

Regina had met Myles in Helena while she was attending St. John's and he was a student at Carroll College. They were married on June 22, 1947, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Deer Lodge. They then set up their household in Chicago for three years while Myles finished dental school at Loyola University in 1950.

Returning to Montana, they lived in Warm Springs, Butte and Miles City, where Myles practiced dentistry and, together, they raised a growing family of six children. After the children were on their own, Regina worked as a public health nurse for the Custer County Health Dept.

In 1998, Myles and Regina moved to Billings to be closer to family and medical services. They thrived in Billings. Regina was a dedicated volunteer at St. Vincent De Paul, the V.A. Clinic in Billings and both she and Myles volunteered at the Moss Mansion. She was also a member of St. Elizabeth's Circle at St. Thomas.

Our sadness over our loss is tempered when we think about how she worked so hard to live life with her hearing deficiencies and macular degeneration. The revised plan was certainly timely.

Regina is survived by her five children, Mary Karen (Denny) Marek, Billings, Joyce Tierney, Edmonds, Washington, Charlie (Cindy Lund), Great Falls, Jim White, Blackfoot, Idaho, Mark (Gail Brown), Helena; son-in-law; Chuck Cameron, Whitefish; eight grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren. Husband J. Myles preceded her in death, as did daughter Cindy Cameron; son-in-law Daniel Tierney; brothers Byron, Paul and Dan Greany; and sister Helen Gill. Surviving sibling and the youngest of the family is Dick (Regina) Greany, Newell, South Dakota.

Special thanks to all the folks at Westpark Village who enriched Regina's life, residents and employees alike. This last year, Regina lived on the Memory Care Wing (Pearls) and was the recipient of an amazing compassionate staff's care. The V.A. was her primary caregiver and provided her with stellar care for many years. Barb, caregiver from Synergy for three years, Thank YOU! She looked forward to your coming every day!

Regina's funeral will be at 10 a.m. Friday, Nov. 11, at St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church, 2055 Woody Drive. Luncheon will follow in the Community Center. Burial will take place in spring 2023 in the Hillcrest Cemetery in Deer Lodge.

Donations in Regina's name may be made to a charity of your choice or NAMI Billings.