Helen Marie Barringer

We announce the passing of our beloved Mother, Helen Marie Barringer, who passed away peacefully on Monday, March 24, 2025,in Lewiston, with family by her side. Her 101 years leaves behind a legacy of love, strength and kindness.

Helen Marie Schonenberger was born Nov. 16, 1923,to Marguerite Louise and Alfred Joseph Schonenberger, both from Switzerland. Raised on a dairy ranch in Wisdom, Mont., with 12 siblings, Momma milked cows, hayed, cooked and helped care for the family.

In June 1942, she married Kenneth J. Thomas. Just five months later, Ken, as well as her three brothers, were drafted into World War II. She then moved into Butte, Mont., with her parents where Kenna Marie was born. Fortunately, in 1945 when the war ended all four men returned home. Their family became five with the arrival of Diana Lee and Douglas J. In1958, Kenneth suffered a fatal accident working at the Maiden Rock Phosphate Mine in Melrose, Mont.

Eventually Momma moved to a home on her brother’s ranch in the Bitterroot Valley, south of Darby, Mont.

In January 1961, she married Lyle D. Barringer and added three stepchildren, Bill, Karen and Sheri, to her family. Later on, they had me, Lisa. Just north of Darby they owned and operated Barringer Excavating for 14 years. Eventually they moved to Hamilton, Mont., where Lyle passed away in 2004.

Momma cherished time with family, especially her grandchildren. She enjoyed her bowling team, senior meals and loved playing BINGO with her friend, Pat Byrne.

Momma had a special talent for Water Dowsing. She could find the best place on your land to drill your new well. In July 2018, Momma moved into her new studio apartment attached to my house in Lewiston, Idaho.

Thanks to her friend and driver, Mary Lou Gregory, Momma attended senior meals in the valley and gained new friends. She was a member of St. Francis Catholic Church in Hamilton, and All Saints Catholic Church in Lewiston.

Momma is survived by three younger sisters: Shirley Marvin, Daisy Tuss and Paula Olson; four children: Kenna (Bill, deceased) Hugulet, Diana (David, deceased) Waldo, Doug (LaDonna) Thomas, and Lisa (Daniel) Nelson; 11 grandchildren; 19 greatgrandchildren; nine great-great-grandchildren; and three stepchildren: Bill (Pat) Barringer, Karen (Bill) Mitchell and Sheri Hazlewood (deceased).

Please join us for a celebration of Momma’s life at 11 a.m. MDT Saturday, July 26, at the Bitterroot River Inn (Tammany conference room), 139 Bitterroot Plaza Drive, in Hamilton, Mont.