Mabel C. Young, 92

Mabel C. Young, 92, peacefully passed away Monday, May 22, 2006 at Heritage Place in Kalispell.

She was born June 5, 1913, in Dunkirk, to Oscar and Mary (Halen) Ekholt from Norway and Sweden. Mabel grew up on the family farm, the eldest of five sisters and one brother. Her parents did not speak English, and as she attended school and learned English, she would come home and teach her parents and siblings. She attended school in Galada and Shelby and graduated from Havre High School in 1932.

Mabel married Merlin Young in 1937. They made their home in Lakeside, Butte, Seattle and Polson before retiring to Kalispell in 1950.

Mabel enjoyed sewing and knitting, crafts and gardening. She taught Sunday school and was a Girl Scout leader as well as working at JC Penney for a number of years. She was an active member of Bethlehem Lutheran Church. Mabel was an avid reader, enjoyed cards and crossword puzzles. Mabel became legally blind with macular degeneration but enjoyed many years of "talking books" from the Library of Congress for the Blind.

Mabel will be dearly missed, "but now is in a place of peace, reunited with her husband and daughter and her eyes can see and her ears can hear again."

Mabel was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Merlin; one daughter, Beverly; and one sister, Gladys Clark.

She is survived by two daughters, Marilyn McDannald of Atlanta, and Barbara Schlabs and husband, Gordon, of Lakeside; three sisters, Martha Bantin of Seattle, and Nell Pritchett and Lil Rosenberger, both of Butte; one brother, Clarence Ekholt, of Kalispell; and numerous nieces and nephews. Mabel has eight grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren, all of whom she loved and enjoyed, always remembering to keep in touch and send birthday cards.

Visitation will be from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. today, May 24, in the Johnson Mortuary Chapel. Burial will be at 1 p.m. Thursday, May 25, at Glacier Memorial Gardens. Memorial services will be at 11 a.m. the next day, Friday, May 26, in the Johnson Mortuary Chapel, with Pastor Lindean Barnett of the Bethlehem Lutheran Church officiating.

The family suggests memorial gifts be given to Bethlehem Lutheran Church, or to the Montana Talking Book Library, 1515 East Sixth Ave., or P.O. Box 201800, Helena, MT 59620-1800.

Johnson Mortuary and Crematory is caring for Mabel's family.