 Emily
Octavia (Higgins) Bilstad, age 100, a retired rancher from Cut
Bank, died Monday, April 18, 2005 at her home in Cut Bank due to
natural causes. Her memorial service will be 11 a.m., Saturday,
April 23, 2005 at the Whitted Funeral Chapel in Cut Bank with burial
of ashes to follow in Crown Hill Cemetery. Condolences can be sent
to the family at
www.whittedfuneralchapel.com.
She is survived by sisters, Agnes Shene and Ruth Plunete both of Canada, eight grandchildren, 15 great grandchildren and a number of great-great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, G. K. Bilstad, her children, William Richard DuBray and Margaret Emily DuBray as well as 10 brothers and sisters. Emily was born August 26, 1904 to William and Georgeanna (Hodgdon) Higgins in Milan, New Hampshire. When Emily was 12 years old, they moved to Alberta where she finished her education. She married Joe DuBray of Babb in 1925 and they had two children, William Richard and Margaret Emily. They later divorced. Emily and her children then moved to Cut Bank in 1932 where she worked as a cook at the hospital. She married G.K. Bilstad in 1948 and helped him farm and ranch north of Cut Bank until his death in 1969. She then retired to their home in Cut Bank. She was best known for her generosity and her business candor. |