Alma Lorraine Rathbun

Alma Lorraine Rathbun, 76, joined her beloved husband of 51 years on March 27th 2010 in Polson, MT. Alma was born to Annie Franks DuPuis and Everett Franks Nov. 1, 1933 being the first baby born in the new hospital in Polson, Mt. Grandma (Alma) married her soul mate and best friend Delbert Rathbun on June 1, 1951 in Polson, Mt where they started a great journey together. From that reunion they had five children. They spent most of their lives in Polson: aside from the short time they lived in Seeley Lake, Great Falls and Bull Head City, AZ. Grandma was a stay at home mom until the children were older. Alma started work as a waitress at the Pirate and Hut cafes in the 1960's and met so many wonderful people who told so many stories of the old days of Polson. She later went back to high school when she was 33, with two of her daughters, who were freshman and sophomores. She did two years of high school in one year, with five kids at home. It was her proudest moment when she got to walk up to the podium to accept her high school diploma in 1967. Soon after, she attended college classes in Polson at the community college, which later formed into the SKC that we know today. She then became the bookkeeper for Cal-Gas, working there for several years, also worked at Security State and 1st Citizens Banks. She met so many wonderful friends along the way, whom she always kept in touch with. Her life long friends, Irene Olson, Phyllis Sanford and Ruth Larson were there from day one and they became known as the gang of 4, they were the world to her. In retirement Alma and Delbert managed numerous motels. Grandma had a passion for traveling and loved the Greyhound Bus. In 2004 grandma took the trip of a lifetime, taking a cruise from Vancouver, BC to Anchorage, AK with her best friends Alice and Duane Johnson and Irene Olson. Grandma was a HUGE Mariners fan and got to attend a Mariners game in 2007 in Detroit, Michigan with her Granddaughter, Melissa. She loved having family get-togethers, bowling and playing cribbage any chance she could get.Grandma had a unique power of remembering numbers. She never forgot a birthday or a phone number, even after getting Alzheimer\'s. Alma was Mom and Grandma to so many people who came thru the front door, inviting them to a game of pinochle, cribbage, and whatever games they wanted to play. The girl\'s Suitors would come to the house to see and visit with 'Mom', before anything else, because she always had something good cooking on the stove. Alma is preceded in death by her parents Annie Franks DuPuis, Everett Franks and Augusta DuPuis: husband Delbert L. Rathbun, Sister Donna Smith, step sisters Dorothy Getz and Enid DuPuis, four half brothers, one half sister, grandson Jeffry L. Walters, and sister-in-law Bonnie Franks Alma is survived by Daughters Arleen (Lloyd) Austin: Debbie (Cliff) Pittsley: Lila Davis (Guy Clatterbuck): Sons Paul (Beth) Rathbun: and Wade (Freda) Rathbun, sister Vera Utzke, brother Allen Franks, sister-in-law Betty Christenson, 31 grand kids, 65 great grand kids and 18 great-great grand kids, and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.A memorial service will be held on Thursday, April 8, 2010 at 2:00 PM at Grogan Funeral Home, 101 Sixth Ave. E., Polson, MT. A reception will follow the services at the Tribal Senior Citizen's Center in Polson. Messages of condolence may be sent to the family online at www.groganfuneralhome.com. The staff of Grogan Funeral Home and Crematory, Polson, considers it a privilege to care for Mrs. Rathbun's family.
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