Jane Erva Shope Hyatt, 71
Jane Erva Shope Hyatt, 71, died July 3, 2009, at her home on Flathead Lake. She was born June 29, 1938, in Helena to Erva Love Shope and Irvin "Shorty" Shope, a Montana artist.
Jane was raised in Helena where she often rode horseback with her siblings in the mountains outside of town. She graduated from Helena High School in 1956 and attended Montana State University, where she met Harry Hyatt of Havre. They were married in Helena on Sept. 13, 1958, and moved to Tucson, Ariz., in 1959. Jane received a B.S. degree from the University of Arizona in 1960.
They had two children, Karen and Christopher, who were both born in Orange, Texas.
Jane worked as a volunteer in hospitals and in schools. She served on the board of Family Service and sold real estate in Illinois. In 1980, Jane and Harry purchased property on Flathead Lake, where she became a cherry orchard farmer. In 1991, they moved to Johannesburg, South Africa, where they lived for eight years and traveled globally. After having been diagnosed with multiple myeloma in 2004, she and Harry built a lakefront home on their Flathead property. Jane enjoyed this project immesnely and had the wonderful opportunity to spend time viewing this pristine scenery, the birds and wildlife that surrounded it.
Jane and Harry also lived in the Chicago area (Morris and Kildeer), Omaha, Dallas, Houston and Germany.
Jane was preceded in death by her parents; her sister, Joyce Johnson; and a niece, Mary Alice Stevens.
She is survived by her patient, care-giving husband of 50 years, Harry Hyatt; her daughter, Karen Hyatt of Chicago, Ill.; her son and daughter-in-law, Chris and Jennifer Hyatt of Whitefish; three grandchildren, Audrey Rose, William and Charlie Hyatt; her sister and brother-in-law, Judith and Richard Stevens of Great Falls; her brother-in-law, Donald Johnson of Westford, Mass.; her brother, Richard Rhydes of Whidbey Island, Wash.; and many nieces, nephews, and cousins.
Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. on July 8, 2009, at the Community United Methodist Church in Bigfork. Interment at C.E. Conrad Memorial Cemetery in Kalispell will follow.
In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests you make donations to the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center/Dr. Michael Wang Research, 1515 Holcombe Blvd., Houston, TX 77030-4009 or Home Options Hospice, 711 Main St. SW, Ronan, MT 59864.
Johnson-Gloschat Funeral Home and Crematory is caring for Jane's family. You are invited to go to www.jgfuneralhome.com to offer condolences and sign Jane's guest book.