Hilda M. Gummer, a longtime Chester resident, age 89, passed away on Tuesday, December 4, 2007 after a brief stay at Brendan House Nursing Home in Kalispell , Montana .  Memorial services will be at 11:00 AM, Tuesday, December 11, 2007 at the United Methodist Church in Chester with burial of ashes to follow in Chester Cemetery .  Whitted Funeral Chapel of Shelby is in charge of arrangements.  Condolences may be sent to the family at www.whittedfuneralchapel.com.

Hilda was born April 8, 1918 in Chester , MT , to parents Jane (Vielleux) and Charles Cramer. She attended elementary school in Lothair and graduated from Chester High School in 1936. She enjoyed several trips with her mother and stepfather, Pete Smith, until 1939, at which time she attended Northern Montana College . Hilda met her husband, Donovan from Gildford and they married July 19, 1941. Donovan worked on the Great Northern Railroad for 6 years. In 1948 they moved to Chester where Hilda lived until the summer of 2000 when she moved to the Flathead Valley . 

She and Don were very active in their children’s lives attending all activities they participated in. She was also involved in the PTA while the children were in school.

She and Don enjoyed bowling and golfing together for many years. Hilda loved to garden and she took great pride in her flowers.  At the age of 89 she still had flowers in her front yard.

Hilda was active in the Methodist Church in Chester singing in the choir with Sharon and Michelle for many years and working with the Methodist Women’s Group.

In her later years she enjoyed boat trips on Flathead Lake with daughter Jackie and son-in-law Randy. She loved to watch the Seattle Mariners baseball games and was always so excited to look at the Christmas lights this time of year.

Survivors include daughters, Sharon Shepard (Dennis) of Phoenix , AZ ; daughter, Michelle (B.J.) Oswood of Great Falls, MT; son, Tom (Ilene) Gummer of Billings, MT; daughter, Donise (Jim ) Haddock of Dayton, MT; and daughter, Jackie ( Randy ) Norbenberg of Somers.  Also surviving are grandchildren, Jeff and Ricky Shepard, Brett and Brian Oswood, Brock Gummer, Kristie Nelson, Darin Haddock and Angeleka Stovall-Findlay, and Chantell and Clint Norenberg as well as 11 great grandchildren.

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