Elsie Mae Agee
Elsie Mae Agee, 95, formerly of Choteau, died May 10, 2021 in Fairfield. Elsie was born on February 12, 1926 in Kellogg, Idaho and moved to the homestead up the Belleview west of Choteau, Montana in 1927. She was the fifth child of twelve children of Guss and Effie McDonell. On September 12, 1951 Elsie married the love of her life, Harry Agee. They eloped to Havre, Montana and called a couple of folks from the street to be witnesses at the Justice of the Peace. They lived in a little house a block from her folks until 1953 and then moved to their new house in Agawam next to his folks on the farm. For 55 years Elsie and Harry lived on the farm and then moved to an apartment in Choteau. They moved to Front Range Assisted Living in November 2013. That was her home for seven years and she could not have had better and more loving care.
Elsie was a homemaker and farmwife. For many years she sold eggs in Choteau and used the extra money to buy things for the house such as a sewing machine, washer and dryer, refrigerator, freezer and many others. She grew beautiful flowers and planted a vegetable garden every year. In the late summer you would find her canning peaches, pears, cherries, plums, pickled beets, dill pickles and bread and butter pickles. She even made sauerkraut one year and sometimes she canned fish.
She learned to bowl when A & K Lanes was built in Choteau in 1958 with a couple of neighbors, Kay Zier and Helen Rice. Adding a few more members they bowled on a Monday afternoon team for the next 50 years. Her daughter Karen Hansen bowled and sponsored the team Mountain View Canvas for many of the last years. Elsie and Harry also bowled on the Friday Night Mixed league for many years and some of those years was joined by Karen and her husband Mark.
Elsie loved to fish in the Teton River, Dupuyer Creek, Nilon Reservoir and even ice fishing at Arod Lakes. Her and Dad went fishing in the Pacific Ocean and she caught the biggest fish! If anyone caught fish it would be Mom! Her and dad played cribbage and attended many pinochle card parties.
Elsie and Harry visited all 48 lower states and Alaska with her sister and brother-in-law, Wilma and Herman Zier. They thought about Hawaii but Wilma wouldn’t fly.
Elsie liked to sew, crochet and was a good cook. She also was quite handy with tools. When her son Rodger was 6 years old he wanted to take his pet cotton tail rabbit in the 4th of July Parade. She built a wooden cage and wagon for him to pull down Main Street. Now her daughter Karen owns the little green wagon and fills it with flowers in the summer and pine boughs at Christmas time.
Later in life Elsie spent her time reading, doing word puzzles and playing Scrabble and Yahtzee when her daughter Karen came to visit. She could play a mean game of Yahtzee! A few weeks before passing she had over 500 points including 4 yahtzees, bonus points and every line filled. Those of you familiar with the game would know that game was awesome.
Elsie is survived by her daughter Karen (Mark) Hansen of Fairfield, MT; granddaughters Rory Ann (Sonny) Fellers and René (Mitchell) Peters of Fairfield, MT; great grandsons Trysten Fellers, Remington Peters, Gunnar Peters and great granddaughter Oakley Peters of Fairfield, MT; sisters Helen Rencurel of Texas, Irene Torgerson of Columbia Falls, MT, Joann Gebhart and Doris Shumaker of Choteau, MT; and many nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her husband; son Rodger Agee; brothers Pat, Jerry, Gus (Jenkins) and Tommy; sisters Alice Petrie, Marguerite Johnson and Wilma Zier.
Elsie chose to be cremated and her ashes will be scattered with her husbands at the family farm. No services per her request. Memorials are suggested to the Fairfield Food Pantry. Condolences may be left online at www.croxfordfuneralhome.com or sent to Karen Hansen, 1098 Hwy 408, Fairfield, Mt 59436.
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