Lillian Florence (Luoma) Von Stein

Lillian Florence (Luoma) Von Stein, 97, passed away on Wednesday, July 23, 2014 of natural causes at Country Home in Malta, Mt. A memorial service will be held in Cascade, Montana at the United Methodist Church on Friday, August 8. The time is yet to be determined.

Lillian was born on June 2, 1917 in Geyser, Montana to Thomas and Sanna Marie (Hongisto) Luoma. She was the tenth of fourteen children which included four sets of twins. She had many fun stories of growing up in a large, loving family on the farm, milking cows, herding turkeys and walking to the country school. She graduated from Geyser High School; then worked for neighbors and at a dairy near Helena. She attended Great Falls Business College but unable to find work because of the depression, she went to work at the boarding house at Rainbow Dam. It was there she met her life partner, Floyd Von Stein. They were married in 1941 in Helena and were happily married for almost 47 years. Floyd worked for the Montana Power Company and through the years they lived in Great Falls, Ryan Dam, Harlem, Cascade and Chester. At each place they called home, they made wonderful life-long friends. While Floyd was in the Army during WWII, Lillian moved back to Geyser with their children. After retirement they made their home in Cascade. In 2007, she moved to Malta and lived at the Country Home.

In Harlem, Lillian worked at various businesses when needed and was known as the "galloping clerk". For several years she worked at the State Liquor Store in Cascade and as a fill-in clerk in Chester. Lillian was a member of the American Legion Auxiliary and volunteered at the Cascade Museum. She was a school election judge and a "reading grandmother" at the Cascade School. She always had a large garden and enjoyed working outdoors. She was an excellent seamstress and loved to camp and fish. She loved music and they enjoyed dancing and taught square dancing in Harlem and Great Falls.

Lillian is survived by her son, Joe Von Stein of Cascade and daughter Carol and Dean Kienenberger of Dodson. She is also survived by her much loved grandchildren and great grandchildren: Joe and Shelley Von Stein, Reed and Rhett of Big Sandy; Jill and Trent Howard, Cutter and Holden of Mandan, N. D.; Steve Von Stein and Angie Davis of Cascade; Kari Kienenberger of Dodson; Darcy and Rodney Hibbs, and Kendall of Cut Bank; and grandson Ronald Draper of Salt Lake City, Utah. She is also survived by sisters Elsie Backa of Geyser, Vaitlean "Shonnie" Rautio of Seattle, WA and sister-in-law Jean Bridges of Great Falls; also numerous nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Floyd in 1988; daughter Barbara Draper in 2012; her daughter-in-law Pat Von Stein in 2014; an infant brother and brothers and sisters-in-law: Waino Luoma; Arthur and Olive Luoma, John and Theresa Luoma, Dave and Dorla Luoma and brothers-in-law Henry Rautio and Dale Backa. She was also preceded in death by sisters and brothers-in-law: Gladys and Bill Croff, Sally and August "Gus" Pistoria, Alvina and Paul Faber, Anne and Don Huston, Betty and Joe Kinsella, and Kay and Walt Backa.

The family wishes to thank the staff at Country Home for all the love and wonderful care they gave Lillian while she made her home there.

Memorials in Lillian's name may be made to the charity of one's choice.