Lola Sipes, 91, from Bridger, MT passed away at home on December 28, 2021 after a brief illness. She was born on January 21, 1930 in Arnold, Nebraska. Lola was raised in Plains, MT and married Dick Sipes from nearby Hot Springs, MT after a short courtship. They farmed on the Sipes family homestead for a short time until their house burnt down and his parents passed away. They migrated to Boulder, CO and purchased a family diner. After several successful years, they sold the diner and moved back to Montana and the Bitterroot Valley.
Lola was always a hard worker and performed a variety of jobs including cook, waitress, apple picker, mink farm fur processor, house cleaner, a homemaker, and many years as a nurse’s aide at Stevensville’s two different nursing homes. Large gardens, expansive flower beds, and raising animals helped occupy her home time. While these were important to her, her greatest accomplishment was raising her two maternal daughters and seven adopted children. Along with managing this large family, Lola and Dick took in and cared for 50+ foster children and hosted two Japanese foreign exchange students.
After all of the children had moved to other areas, Lola and Dick sold their large home near the Stevensville High School and purchased a house in Fromberg, MT. There they enjoyed visits from their children and grandchildren, gardening, taking elder hostel educational trips, and attending WW II 33d Division L Company reunions. After Dick’s passing in 1999, Lola sold the house and downsized by moving to Bridger, MT.
Lola was active in Senior Citizens at both Fromberg and Bridger. She enjoyed the afternoons of card playing and visiting with friends. She moved to Campbell Court and was very good friends with many of the residents, especially George Stevenson. They enjoyed gardening, watching old movies, football, and letting their dogs play together.
Lola is preceded in death by her husband Dick, and sons Richard and Roy. She is survived by daughters Donna (Ty) Byrne of Nampa, ID; Linda Blatter of Harve; Kathy (Rod) Kline of Shepherd; Elaine (Curtis) Parsons of Billings; and Lisa (Kevin) Springer of Kremlin. She is also survived by sons Allan (Linda) Sipes of Park City and Jeff (Kelly) Sipes of Bozeman. She leaves behind 23 grandchildren and many great and great, great grandchildren. A celebration of Lola’s life will occur later this spring at the gravesite in Plains, MT. Donations in her honor can be made to the charity of one’s choice.