Phyllis Mildred Morigeau Piper

Phyllis Morigeau Piper, age 95, passed away on Sunday, February 8, 2015 at Polson Health and Polson Health & Rehab. She was born on March 10, 1919 in Wolf Point, MT.
As an infant her parents and her maternal grandmother had her baptized in the Presbyterian Church. Six months later her paternal grandmother insisted she be baptized in the Methodist Church. When she was seven, her family moved to Glasgow.
The Baptist Church was the only option as they lived far across town from the other churches. When she was twelve she was sure that immersion was the only "true" baptism and thus became the most baptized one in history.
She completed her education graduating with the class of 1937. During high school she was a member of the "Scotties" marching band which won many state competitions and played for President Roosevelt's visit to check the progress of the Fort Peck Dam, then under construction.
She then went to Missoula and entered the College of Education at the U and was also admitted to the Marching Band without the usual audition because of the excellent record the Scotties had. Incidentally, Phyllis played the tuba.
In 1939 the U.S. Government sent a request to several universities to conduct tests for candidates for a secretarial pool to work in the still under construction U.S. Pentagon. High marks sent Phyllis off with a top secret clearance to D.C. The motivation was almost $2000 per year as opposed to a teaching salary of slightly over $900 per year. She knew at this point we would soon be involved in WWII. Of course she could not share this information.
Life in D.C. was too hectic for a girl from the Hi-Line. After two years she secured her release and returned to Missoula. On impulse she stopped at the federal building to see if there were jobs available so she could remain a federal employee. The interviewing man said, "be on the first train to Dixon and go to work for the BLM". She was not readily accepted, but her ability to clean up out of order records soon secured her acceptance.
Part of her job was reconciling the inventory of roads. This put her to working with John A. Morigeau. Soon a romance developed and she and Johnny were soon married. The superb job she was doing they offered her the superintendency of the entire N.W. and Alaska. Romance won out and she declined. The entire operation was soon closed down and the newlyweds moved to Arlee where they operated a service station and repair shop.
In 1946 manufacturing of automobiles resumed and they sold out and moved to Polson. Johnny went to work at Kerr Dam and Phyllis as secretary of the Linderman School. While at Arlee daughter Paulette was born. Along with a husband she had two step-daughters, Peggy and June and a step-son Benny.
From her secretarial job she became Deputy County Supt. of Schools for 13 years. After retirement, she became a widow. Never idle she became secretary of the Christian Church Disciples of Christ. She also taught Sunday school and sang in the Choir. During this time retired Methodist minister Hap Piper, also widowed started filling the pulpit for extended periods of time and once again a romance developed. Both being in their seventies they prayed for a couple of years. At the time of Phyllis' death they were 4 months short of 19 wonderful years of richly blessed years.
She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Johnny, daughter Paulette, youngest sister Maxine Brewer, step-son Benny Morigeau, and step- daughter Peggy Collicot.
She is survived by her husband Hap Piper, daughter Laura, CA, step-daughter June, her sister Nita Svingen and nieces Judy Cosgrove, Joyce Lewis and Janet Adair and two grandchildren, Brian O'Neill and Tammy Hayrynen.
Memorial services for Phyllis will be held on Tuesday, February 17, 2015 at 2:00 P.M. at the Polson Community Church.

Read Phyllis Morigeau Piper's Obituary and Guestbook on www.groganfuneralhome.com.