Yvonne Rehard

Yvonne Rehard, 92

Polson- Yvonne Rehard passed away at Providence St. Joseph Medical Center, Polson, on August 21, 2025, surrounded by her daughters and other family. She was born to James Lewis Flake and Ollie Coble Flake in the family farmhouse in Papalote, Texas on October 5, 1932. She joined big brother James and sisters Kathleen and Ollie Mae. During her childhood, the family lived in Poteet and San Antonio. While visiting San Antonio in April 2024, Yvonne recalled that when she eight years old, she would take sack lunches to her brother James at his work on the San Antonio River Walk. To get to his work, she would ride the city bus alone from her home to the river walk. Her father died when she was eleven. As a widowed single mother, her mother worked hard to support and educate Yvonne and her sister Ollie Mae. Both were able to attend Baylor University.

After enrolling in Baylor, she met and later married Horace Martin. Martin and Yvonne lived in Waco, Texas and operated a pet shop. They also started the Waco Zoo in the early 1950s. She was known to attend functions draped in a boa constrictor to publicize the zoo. She was once called upon to capture some rattlesnakes located in an inconvenient spot. She and Martin had three daughters, Karen, Connie and Cheryl. Yvonne and Martin divorced after several years. She met army corporal Duane Rehard of Billings, who was serving at Fort Hood. Duane was absolutely smitten and he and Yvonne married on September 13, 1961, in Waco. Duane, Yvonne and her three little girls relocated to Bozeman, Montana, where Duane returned to college.

Duane and Yvonne had three more daughters in the first few years of their marriage, Lisa, Terri and Melinda. Duane, a mechanical engineer, worked in mining and the family lived in various mining and oil communities throughout the west, primarily Butte, Montana, and Gillette, Wyoming. During the years the family lived in Butte, Yvonne was a very busy mom, serving as president of the PTA, chauffeuring kids to drill team, gymnastics and other activities. She often had a dozen people at her table for dinner, her own family of eight plus several friends and the boyfriends of her daughters who practically lived in her home. While in Butte, she worked various part time jobs to provide money for their girls' college funds.

Yvonne and Duane lived in Gillette, Wyoming in the late 1970s and most of the 1980s. During those years, Yvonne was licensed as a real estate broker and sold real estate. Once the youngest girl joined the army, Yvonne and Duane left Gillette. They were in southern Colorado for a short time, but eventually relocated to Rawlins, Wyoming for the last few years of Duane's working years. During these years, they often traveled to her beloved Texas to visit her sisters and the families of her sisters and brother. Upon his retirement in 2001, Duane and Yvonne moved to the Yellow Bay area of Flathead Lake. She loved the Yellow Bay community and made many dear friends. She and Duane were active members of the Yellow Bay Community Club for many years.

Yvonne was preceded in death by her husband, Duane, who died August 23, 2022, just 3 weeks short of their 61st wedding anniversary. She was also preceded in death by her parents, all her siblings, and four brothers-in-law. She is survived by her brother's wife, Salina Flake Miller of Texas. She is also survived by all 6 daughters, Karen Gonzales of Polson, Connie Jonas (Ed) of Walhalla, ND, Cheryl Agan (Don) of Kalispell, Lisa Rehard (Mark Hubbard) of Polson, Terri Matson (Nathan) of Bellingham, WA and Melinda Hartman (Wayne) of Lakeside, 12 grandchildren, 19 great grandchildren and one great-great grandson. She is also survived by many nieces and nephews.

Yvonne loved her family and was very proud of the legacy she created. When taken to the emergency room for the final time, she announced she'd had a wonderful life and she was ready to move on.

The family would like to thank the caregivers and other staff of the Providence St. Joseph Assisted Living Facility for their kind care of Yvonne during the past few years of her life, and to thank the medical staff of the Providence St. Joseph Medical Center emergency room and hospital for their compassionate care of Yvonne and her family during the last day of her life.

A graveside service will be held Monday, August 25, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. at Bigfork Community Cemetery, Swan River Road, Bigfork, Montana. Messages of condolences may be shared with the family online at www.lakefuneralhomeandcremation.com.

Arrangements are under the care of The Lake Funeral Home and Crematory.