Barbara Ophus

Barbara Magda Ophus died Dec. 2, 2025, due to traumatic injury from a fall. Barbara Betty Magda was born June 20, 1939, in Havre, Mont., to Frank and Agnes (Tordik) Magda. She attended country school at Lone Tree Bench in Blaine County and Chinook High School for two years and graduated from Great Falls Central High School. She earned a bachelor's degree in education from Northern Montana College (now MSU Northern). The day after graduating from college, she married Lyle Ophus on Aug. 20, 1960. She was open to life and brought 11 children into the world. She taught second grade in Great Falls before moving to Cow Island Trail in Blaine County. They ranched there for 17 years, and Barb taught country school at Cow Island Trail School. Five of the K-8 students were her own children - most of the student body. In 1978 Lyle and Barb purchased a small hay farm one mile north of Big Sandy where they resided the rest of their lives. When the youngest, Laceen, was in high school, Barb resumed teaching as a substitute at K-12 schools in Box Elder, Big Sandy, Havre and Rocky Boy. In 2002 she returned to Montana State University-Northern and renewed her standard teaching certification, and renewed it again in 2012 at Stone Child College. Barb loved her Catholic faith and lived it fully. She gave countless hours to St. Margaret Mary's Catholic Church since they moved to town. She served the parish as a lector, Parish Council of Catholic Women circle chair and president, eucharistic minister, and faith formation teacher. For many years she coordinated scheduling of lectors and eucharistic ministers. She especially cherished teaching preschool-age Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, a Montessori-style method of faith formation, and gave several of her grandchildren a solid foundation in their Catholic faith by teaching them in CGS. Attending Mass together with her children and grandchildren filling several pews was the highlight of family gatherings, bringing tears of joy to her eyes every time. She loved twostepping and jitterbugging and traveled to many country dances with the baby of the family, Laceen. Some of Barb's favorite pastimes were bargain hunting, collecting fashion accessories, grazing buffets, seeing everyone's photos and updates on Facebook, chatting with her kids and grandkids on the phone and when they visited the farm, walking daily and teaching. After Lyle passed away in 2022, her youngest son Clete lived in the farm home and cared for Mom in her golden years. In Clete's company she enjoyed playing cards and board games and binge-watching wholesome Netflix shows. Barb is survived by 10 children: Shane (Gwen) of Big Sandy, Clint (Jolene) of Havre, Lyla (Cody) Brazier of Pensacola, Fl., Reece of Big Sandy, Demra Brown of Big Sandy, Charna (Jordan) Seibert of Hampton, Va., Landa (Troy) Tartaglio of Peoria, AZ., Kami (Steve) Crass of Lolo, Rashae (John Paul Huffer) Johnson of Chugiak, Alaska, and Clete (Jenna Erhard) Ophus of Big Sandy; more than 30 grandchildren; and more than 30 great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her youngest child Laceen Ophus in 2003, her husband Lyle, and her granddaughter Laynee Ophus both in 2022.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial donations in Barbara's name be made to the Big Sandy Senior Center or St. Margaret Mary's Catholic Church in Big Sandy.