Jeanne Mae Arnott Engebretson

Jeanne Mae Arnott Engebretson, peacefully passed away December 9, 2019, in Malta, Mont., at the age of 67. Jeanne is survived by her husband, Erik Engebretson of 35 years and their three children, Kristen, Peter (Dennysa Samot and Alya), and Elizabeth Engebretson (Stephen Paxton). She has two sisters Peggy Bergsagel (Ernest) and Susan Snyder (R.T. and Watson) and her mother Billie Lou Arnott. She is preceded in death by her father Ed Arnott. She has numerous cousins and friends whose lives she touched!

Jeanne was born August 22, 1952, in Great Falls, Mont., to a proud Ed and Billie Lou as their first child! Jeanne grew up on a horse, cutting cattle and driving the herd up the Middle Fork of the Judith River. She also drove a swather as well as anyone in the Utica area. But, apart from the ranch, she was a bright light to her family, community, and to the world. Her love of nature, learning, teaching, and growing spread to all who had the pleasure of knowing her. She loved to garden, growing fruits, and vegetables for her little neighborhood, friends, and family beyond. She was Erik's best friend and an exceptional mother. She always said that her greatest joy in life was raising her children. She believed in empathy before it was something that was regularly discussed in medical journals, or psychology columns-always uttering a quick "Be nice!" to her children every day as they left for school - a mantra that we all could use a little more. She was a lifelong student as well as a lifelong teacher. Jeanne taught young minds in the communities of Stanford, Belt, Wolf Point, Malta, Zortman, the Loring Colony, and Malta Lutheran Church. She took the time to live life with curiosity and possessed the strength of mind to follow life's questions to find life's answers.

She was strong in her faith in the Risen Christ and made an effort to be a servant of Christ. Jeanne found companionship and a good source of laughter and happiness in quilting and the community there. She was a true visionary; able to see what could be improved and sought to create opportunities for change to help others. She worked to impact the world in small ways, to conserve nature and resources that she cherished, to educate the youth to see beyond their own circumstances, and to lead by example, choosing to meet everyone with love first. She took on the challenge of the impossible and met it each and every time with a fiery tenacity that would suggest that anything was indeed possible.

She sewed us all together in many ways, just as she has, once again, today. May today be a celebration of her life and take heart! Be encouraged that her light lives on in all of you. Because she lived, may we learn to be curious to see the world with bright and questioning eyes. Because she lived, may we all learn to lead by example, recognizing the humanity before us and choosing to act with love. Because she lived, may we choose to be the thread to bind us all together. For today is a celebration of God's glory and his joyous reunion with one of his humble servants.

A worship service to celebrate Jeanne's life and our lives in Christ took place at Malta Lutheran Church December 13. A luncheon will be served following the service to reminisce, grieve, laugh and share our lives with each other.

In lieu of flowers, Jeanne would request that your memorials be directed to the Mustang Foundation to help further educate our young people of Phillips County. They can be dedicated in memory of Jeanne Engebretson at the address below:

Mustang Foundation

Box 757

Malta, MT 59538