Barbara Jean Proud

Barbara Jean (Hutchison) Proud of Dayton, Montana, passed away peacefully in Missoula, Montana on January 12, 2025. Her son Brian and his wife Carla were by her side. Barb was born August 28, 1945, in Billings, Montana to Blaine Henry Hutchison and Esther Lorraine (Carlson) Hutchison. They lived in Harlowton, Montana until the fall of 1955 when they moved to Polson, MT. 

Barb graduated from Polson High School in 1963. Barb met lifelong friends shortly after moving to Polson. Some of them ended up becoming family. Soon after graduating, Barb had seen this cute guy driving a cool car across the Polson bridge and wanted to meet him. One night at the Drive-in, her friend Linda Thomas came up to Barb and asked if she would like to meet her cousin Billy. Stars in their eyes at first sight! They were married on December 28, 1963. Billy and Barb moved to Columbia Falls and began their 60 years of married life. Brenda Jean arrived in September of 1964, Brian Gene in February of 1966 and Bradley Gene arrived in January of 1971. 

Barb was a Domestic Engineer. She made more lifelong friends with other wives of men that Billy worked with. Barb played softball on a team that Billy coached. In the summer of 1974, the Proud family moved to Dayton. Barb tried her hand at selling Avon, she also did some substituting at the Dayton school and helped out at the Dayton store. She worked a few summers at Camp Tuffit. Once all the kids were going to school in Polson, Barb started working in Polson. She worked at Flathead Electric, Pioneer Chevrolet and finally at the Lake County Court House in the Motor Vehicle Department. She decided to take an early retirement soon after Billy retired in 1997 so that they could enjoy retired life together.

Barb loved her family and friends. Billy was her whole world, and she loved traveling around with him. She loved having flowers all over the place in the summer and she enjoyed riding around on the lawn mower. Barb had a very creative, artistic nature. She would write poems at Christmas time, and we would have to hunt for some of our special gifts. She could paint, decorate, and if you wanted a football or cat shaped cake for your birthday, she would figure out how to make it. Barb was a social butterfly. She liked to visit with people, even ones she did not know. She also loved shopping for purses as much as Billy did fishing gear! She would tell people she could out fish anyone and she usually could, unless her daughter-in-law Misty was in the boat. 

Barb was preceded in death by the love of her life Billy, her parents Blaine and Esther, and sisters Helen Utsond and Lorraine Boyer. Barb is survived by daughter Brenda Jean Korzun (Dave), sons Brian Gene (Carla), and Bradley Gene (Misty), 3 grandkids, Mariah Proud, PJ and Tony Korzun, and 1 great-grandson, Lennon Proud. 

The family will respect Barb’s wishes of not having a service. They are planning on having a gathering of family and friends this summer. In lieu of flowers please donate to a charity of your choice, plant some flowers this spring, or the next time you go fishing, think of Barb and Billy.