Marie Trible Morris, 93, a long time Great Falls resident, died of natural causes Friday, April 1, at Aurora Medical Center in Kenosha, Wisconsin. According to her wishes, a memorial service will be held this summer.
Born January 8, 1918, to Sylvia and Elbirt Trible on the family homestead east of Shelby, Montana, Marie was the youngest of four sisters. When Marie was 4 years old she lost her father. Sylvia persevered to raise her four daughters alone on the bleak, dry, eastern Montana homestead. Duringthe Great Depression all four daughters graduated from ShelbyHigh School.
Starting at the age of 16, after completing Kinman Business School in Spokane, WA, Marie was employed at Teton County, Bozeman, and Denver Extension Services. She married William A. (Bill) Morris in 1941. Thereafter, she was business manager for thefamily business, Morris Sporting Goods.
Pamela was born June 2, 1942, and Diana on October 27, 1946. Having had a childhood full of trials, Marie saw to it that her daughters had more opportunities than she, including musical training and a college education.
Marie and Bill made a most handsome couple, enjoying an active social life. A stylish, attractive woman, Marie enjoyed dancing, several bridge clubs, and traveling. Flying with sister Treva and her husband in their Cessna airplane, the two couples visited several states, including Alaska, plus Mexico, Canada, Cuba, and Jamaica. Both adventurers, Marie and Bill hunted jaguars in Central America, met Australian aborigines, and explored New Zealand. In 1967-68 Marietraveled alone around the world, visiting more than 30 countries.
Marie and Bill remained friends after their divorce in 1970; Marie never remarried. She became an even more avid reader and spiritual seeker with an unquenchable thirst for knowledge. She joined the local theosophical society, led a yoga exercise group, and gracefully, quietly, lived as a feminist even before the feminist movement.
With the death of her sisters in the 1980’s, Marie became the family matriarch who imparted wisdom greatly respected by her extended family. She expressed the belief, “In this life there are no accidents.” Her declining years tested that philosophy, as she endured and overcame a heart attack, COPD, breast cancer, melanoma, and multiple strokes. Exhibiting an exemplary strength of will and independence, she remained living alone in her own home to the age of 90.
Last year, Marie wisely agreed to move to Northern Illinois to accept granddaughter Wendy’s offer of loving home care. Marie transitioned on April 1, the birthday of sisterTreva.
Marie is survived by her daughters Pamela Morris (husband Jim Fichtner, Conrad) and Diana Morris Mann (partner Kate Gaspar,Helena); four grandchildren and three great-grand children: Eric Larson (wife Ting Ting Cheng and daughter Anna, St. Paul); David Larson (daughter Terra Hope Filmer-Larson and partner Kristen Thacker, Seattle); Wendy Mann (partner Sandy McGee, Northern Illinois); Rachel Mann (daughter Sylvie Crowell, Cleveland); by her sisters’ four children, all Torgersons: Dee (Ronnie Watson), Duane (Connie) ), Larry (Theda), and Kenneth (Mari), and their families; and treasured friend, Verla Coffer.
Marie was preceded in death by her parents, Elbirt Trible and Sylvia Wilson Trible Edmonds; Bill Morris; and three sisters, Dorothy Gregg, Treva Torgerson, and Grace Torgerson.
Memorial donations are suggested to the Great Falls Senior Citizens’ Center, or Susan G. Komen For the Cure (for breast cancer): 1-
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