Betty L. Marshall

Betty (Wood) Marshall 89 of Chester passed away peacefully on January 28, 2022, in the Liberty County Nursing Home of natural causes. Betty was born in Havre, Montana September 28, 1932, to John and Clara Wood of Glidford. She was greeted by her beloved brother Henry (Hank) who became her protector and friend. She was named for a little girl that had been taken care of by her parents after the girl’s mother had died.



Betty grew up on her parent’s homestead east of Gildford until they moved into a little house purchased in town. She graduated from Gildford High School in 1952, determined to become a nurse, but was persuaded to go to Beauty School in Great Falls with her classmate and friend. This began her journey as a beautician for 47 years, from Havre to Chester and places between.



In 1954 she met a young man, Bruce Noller, and they married in June of that year. They had two children, Tony and Lynn. In 1960 Betty and Bruce divorced. She became reacquainted with a man she used to flirt with at high school basketball games between Chester and Gildford, James (Jim) Marshall, and they married in 1961. They had one child, Scot. A few years later the children doubled when Jim’s children from his first marriage, Butch, Kenny and Jodine, came to join them. So began their “Yours, Mine and Ours” journey.

Betty became interested in genealogy when a distant relative created a book and family tree for her father’s family. She jumped in feet first, digging for information on her mother’s family and dragging her cousins, willingly, in with her. She belonged to the Broken Mountain Genealogical Society and travelled extensively making many friends around the state; with her dear friend Pat Ludwig, whom she loved like a sister. Betty became involved with the Silver Haired Legislature, making trips to Washington DC to discuss senior citizens issues with our congressmen and senators.



Betty had many irons in the fire and liked to keep occupied. She loved helping any way she could, and being involved with the Methodist Church, the Senior Center, and the Liberty County Museum were important to her.



She is survived by her children Tony (Shona) Marshall in Pilot Rock, OR, Butch (Cindy) Marshall of Liberty Lake, WA, Lynn (William) Lonbeck of Inverness, MT, Kenny (Nancy) Marshall of Havre, MT, Jodine (Dick) Brown of Lewistown, MT, Scot (Jeannean) Marshall of Chester, MT, 12 grandchildren, 17 great grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.



In addition to her husband Jim, she was preceded in death by her brother Hank and her parents.



Graveside service for Betty L. Marshall will be Friday, February 4th, 2022, at 11:30 a.m. in the Chester Cemetery, with a luncheon to follow at the United Methodist Church in Chester, cremation has taken place. The Services will be livestreamed/recorded on Facebook for those not able to attend. The Cloyd Funeral Home of Lewistown is assisting the family.

Friends are asked to make memorials in lieu of flowers to Liberty County Museum of Chester or the charity of their choice and they may be left with the Cloyd Funeral Home. Condolences for the family may be posted online at www.cloydfuneralhome.com.