Lois Ann Andrus

Lois Andrus passed away on August 2, 2011 at the Evergreen Laurel Health and Rehabilitation Center. Lois is survived by her two children, David Bryan Andrus of Jordan, Montana and Eileen Cheryl Schutte and spouse Gary Schutte of Deforest, Wisconsin, her granddaughter Emma Rose Andrus of Missoula, Montana and her younger brother, Harold Lloyd Michels and spouse Sue Michels of Wall, South Dakota. Mom was born on August 17, 1932 in Valley City, North Dakota, the daughter of Vernon and Hazel Michels of Medicine Lake. She was raised on the farm west of Reserve and graduated from Medicine Lake High School. She then went on to college at Northern Montana College in Havre getting an Associates Degree and her teaching certificate. She began her teaching career at age 19, teaching at various schools in Sheridan County in Northeast Montana. She later went on to complete her Bachelors Degree from the University of Montana, Missoula, where she met her husband, Michael Allen Andrus and married in 1955. Pursuing foreign teaching assignments, Lois and her family then lived in Tangiers, Morocco, London, and later Bluche, Switzerland. After returning to the United Statesw and settling in Missoula, Montana, Lois under took cooking as a career becoming an accomplished cook of differing types of cuisines. In 1975 she divorced Michael and later moved to Bozeman, Montana where her daughter daughter joined her while attending Montana State University. In 1993 her health began to fail and she returned to Missoula to live by her son's family enjoying being with her granddaughters, Hannah Lynn and Emma Rose. These were some of the happiest times of her life, being a grandmother looking after her granddaughters every day after school, with her dog Lady and several kitties by her side. During these times she was able to pursue one of her favorite hobbies, gardening and she always enjoyed sharing her harvest with her family. In 2005 she experienced a debilitating stroke and returned to her roots of Eastern Montana moving to Glasgow's Valley View Nursing Home to be by her son and granddaughter, Emma Rose. Due to further medical complications that necessitated her to be closer to more advanced medical institutions,she then moved to Evergreen Laurel Health and Rehabilitation Home where she spent the remaining part of her life. Mom was a kind soul, who we could always come to with our problems. She listened and made no judgments but had the faith we would make the right choices in our lives. She was a Leo and had the quiet inner strength of a lion which at times we came to rely on. It was her keen sense of humor that would sneak up on you and made even the worst of times seem the best. Over the last six years, she became a favorite with the staff at the nursing homes she resided at as she would light up the room with her smile whenever someone entered the room. Even though she could not speak and was wheelchair bound, you knew she understood every joke and all that was said by her smile and the light of her eyes. A Memorial Gather will be held 7pm Monday August 8, 2001 at the Remington Letcher Country Chapel in Laurel. Memoiral contributions may be made in Lois's name to the Humane Society of the US and the Yellowstone Boys and GIrls Ranch of Billings.

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