Almadean Miner

Almadean "Dean" (Harwood) Miner, 84, of Great Falls, a longtime Kevin resident, died Tuesday at Peace Hospice, of complications from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and diabetes.
Her funeral is 1 p.m. Monday at Whitted Funeral Chapel in Shelby, followed by a lunch in the fellowship hall of Community United Methodist Church. Burial will take place at Crown Hill Cemetery in Cut Bank.
Survivors include her daughter, Karyl (Allen) Smith of Tucson, Ariz.; sons Douglas (Donna) Miner of Spokane, Wash., and Larry (Karen) Miner of Centralia, Wash., a sister, Ruth Glover of Casper, Wyo..; grandchildren Tracy Russell, Lance Smith, Staci Miner, Corey Miner and Michelle Miner; and several great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Dwight Miner; son Mike Miner; sisters June Autry, Lola Butts and Muriel Franzel; and brothers Vernon and Floyd Harwood.
Dean was born March 18, 1925, to Guy and Josie (Shortly) Harwood, in Eureka, where she was raised and educated.
She married Dwight R. Miner in Stanford, Mont. They lived on a ranch for several years before moving to Kevin in the 1950s. She ran the school lunch program there for many years.
Dean helped build and run the Kevin Senior Center, where she always had fresh-baked rolls and coffee ready for anyone who stopped.
In 1984, she and Dwight moved to Tucson, Ariz., and she worked for the Sears call center there. In 1996, she decided she missed Montana and moved back to her beloved Big Sky Country.
She was a board member of the former Kevin Methodist Church and an active member of the Royal Neighbors. In retirement, Dean enjoyed being with her friends, playing cards, working jigsaw puzzles, ceramics, watching sports on TV - especially college basketball - and attending church.
The family suggests memorials to the Gift of Life Family Housing C/O Benefis Health Care Foundation, P.O. Box 7008, Great Falls, MT 59406.
Condolences may be posted online at www.whittedfuneralchapel.com and/or www.gftribune.com/obituaries.