Dawn Marie (Espelin) Schandelson

Dawn M. Schandelson, 70, of Great Falls, passed away on Monday, September 3, 2018 of natural causes.  A Graveside Service will take place this Friday, September 7th at 1:00 PM at Mount Olivet Cemetery.

Born on July 11, 1948 in Great Falls to Henry and Beverly Espelin, Dawn grew up in Columbia Falls and Great Falls.  She received a Bachelor of Arts in Education with an emphasis on Special Education from the University of MT.  She met and fell in love with Arnold Schandelson, an Airman whom she met at the Cart Wheel Bar and they were married in 1971. 

Through the years Dawn enjoyed volunteering for the PTA in New York and Great Falls, Toys for Tots, the Aitz Chaim Hebrew Association in Great Falls, and was a Den Mother for the Boy Scouts (Cub) in Lake Grove, NY.  She and Arny worked together, although she was really the “Boss”.  They did medical billing for over two decades in north central Montana.  When she wasn’t going to rummage sales, she loved crocheting, knitting, calligraphy, and reading a good book and she was also an avid collector. She was very proud that she had beaten the game of Tetris on Game Boy and Nintendo.

Survivors include her loving husband of 47 years, Arnold Kenneth Schandelson; sons, Scott Harris (Shannon) and Brett David (Jessie); brother, Theodore “Ted” (Roberta “Bobbie”) Espelin; sister, Nancy Espelin; four grandchildren, Alex, Aidan, Molly and Micah, with one on the way.

Dawn was preceded in death by her parents; sister, Heidi Espelin; and her beloved grand-dog, Marx.

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