Margaret Raudsep Wetzsteon

Margaret Catherine Wetzsteon, 95 of Hamilton passed away on Easter Sunday, April 20, 2014 at Valley View Nursing Home. She was born November 12, 1918 in Gillette, Wyoming to Frances Jane (McMahon) and Arthur Dowd McIntyre.

Margie grew up in Gillette, where her father was the town blacksmith. She graduated from Campbell County High School, and after graduation received her Wyoming teaching certificate. She taught school at rural one room school in Rocky Point, Wyoming, for 5 years. In 1942 she married Arnold Raudsep and they moved to a ranch outside of Moorcroft Wyoming. Margie and Arnold had four children, three daughters France, Roberta, and Nancy and one son John. Roberta died 9 days after she was born in 1945. In 1950 the family moved to Sheridan, Wyoming, where she became a homemaker. In 1955 the family moved to a ranch outside of Intake, Montana, where they remained until moving to Billings, Montana in 1956. In 1957 they moved to a ranch near Victor, Montana, where they remained until their divorce in 1972. It was during this period that she met her good friends Ernest and Evelyn Golay. The Golay children, Peggy, Patsy, Margie, John, Joe, Dave, and Doug were like her adopted second children and became her surrogate family. At that time she moved to Hamilton and worked at the Valley View Nursing Home as a cook. In 1975 she moved closer to her oldest daughter in Pullman, Washington, and spent 5 years as the cook and house mother for the BETA THETA fraternity at Washington State University. She returned to Hamilton in 1984 and became the baker for the Coffee Cup Cafe. She remained there until her retirement in 1989. In 1995 she married Johnny Wetzsteon and remained married until his death in 1996.

She loved to read and play cards, especially pinochle. She was a member of the Rebecca's, VFW Women's Aux, Golden Age Club, Hamilton Senior Center, and was a 4H club leader for 15 years. But her biggest joy was spending time with her family and friends. She was a fun and silly grandma and spoiled the kids with kisses, love and gifts. She truly believed that family meant more than anything.

She was preceded in death by her daughter Roberta, her parents, her sister and brother-in-law Patricia and Noel Turnbaugh, her brother and sister-in-law Martin and Vivian McIntyre, her brother Robert McIntyre, and her husband Johnny Wetzsteon.

She is survived by her daughters Frances (Joe) Ayres of Chimacum, Washington and Nancy (Ron) Maday of Bettendorf, Iowa; her son John Raudsep of Helena, Montana; her grandchildren Debbie, Tracy, Miranda, Melissa, Jeremy and John; her great grand children Xannie , Tori, Zoe, Alexa, and Caleb; her surrogate children and their families, and numerous other relatives and friends. She will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved her.

In lieu of flowers the family asks that a donation be made to the Hamilton Senior Center in her name. She will be buried at the family plot in Gillette Wyoming, next to her daughter Roberta and her parents.