Marcile Joyce (Odden) Trebesch

Marcile Joyce Trebesch of Dutton, Montana, on July 8, 2021 with much faith, went Home to Jesus, her Lord and Savior. She had a full life of 93 years. She was living at Teton Peaks Assisted Living in Choteau when she passed. Her name means “brave one”, which you’ll see fits her life. 

Marcie was born to Ben and Lillie Odden on April 27, 1928 in Great Falls and grew up in Dutton. She enjoyed helping her Daddy do the farming and shared the joy of fishing with him. This tomboy became a beautiful young girl with a cat named Tuffy, played the French horn, the trombone, and was a cheerleader. As a young teen she cleaned houses, then worked for her Aunt Jenny as a waitress in the cafe in Conrad. At age 17 she did the books for Cheethams hardware store in Dutton.  

One day “Buster” (Boyd) Trebesch took that pretty waitress out for a date on Molly Pitcher Day, as his father suggested, and more dates followed. Her best friend Phyllis Mehl often went on those dates with them.  Marcile graduated from Dutton High School in 1946 as valedictorian with a scholarship.  She attended U of M in Missoula, studied home economics and art, and Buster came to court her.  He was the love of her life, so she moved to Great Falls to be closer to him and worked at the Montana Bank.  Her roommate was Ida Seidler (later Bishop).   Marcie walked several blocks to work that cold winter in her skirt and high heels. 

She became Mrs. Boyd Trebesch on Sept. 7, 1947.  Very early in their marriage they took over the wheat farming on the Sollid land 18 miles east of Dutton near Timber Coulee, where rattlesnakes thrived. Her firstborn was a baby when Marcie managed to shoot and kill one on their doorstep by herself, and later found one in their root cellar that she allowed Buster to deal with. She worked hard, made butter out of fresh cow’s milk, baked fresh delicious bread every week, and made wonderful meals as well as pies, cakes, and cookies.  They raised farm animals and four children out there: Kay, Carl, Lynne and Loren.  She was grateful when the kids started helping with chores.  

She was a very ambitious person. Gardening and canning were standard procedures for her and she loved it. All her kids love to garden now, too.  She enjoyed doing handiwork - sewing, quilting, crocheting, needlepoint, and Hardanger embroidery.  She entertained friends and relatives with meals and card parties. She also learned how to ride horses and hunt with Buster. She loved to go to the mountains to camp, tour, hike, and fish, but she did not enjoy the canoeing on the lake.  She would admit to being a rock hound, which she passed along to some of her family, too. She tried to sell Avon door to door, but the vicious dogs caused her to quit. 

She was baptized and confirmed in her faith at Bethany Lutheran Church of Dutton. She was part of the Lutheran Ladies Aid and served in various ways. She felt the importance of attending church with her family on Sundays and she taught Sunday School.  She noticed a little five year old student with a beautiful voice, so she encouraged her to sing a solo for church.  That was Riscilla Bergen (Grimshaw), who is still performing today.  

Back on July 5th, 1968, life totally changed for her when she became a widow with 3 children at home.  She prayed for over a year for a man that could help her with the work and the family and God brought her a husband, Burton Midge, a genuine cowboy. They fell in love.  Life buzzed with rodeos, more guests around the table, stories, dances, camping, and riding horses.  A new chapter began with children marrying, grandchildren coming (even twins), and her parents going - joys and sorrows together. Burton’s sisters became her friends:  Doris Allen, Betty Raymer, Marian Aaberge, and Nellie Sherman. She enjoyed leading and hosting a small local women’s prayer group.  Life came to a halt once again, though, when Burton’s health declined and she was widowed March 22, 1985. 

Marcie enjoyed her grandchildren, but started working at the Choteau Hospital as a receptionist.  Again, she leaned on the Lord and prayed for a partner in life.  On March 29, 1986 she married her dancing partner and friend, “Shorty” Alvero Crawford of Manchester.  They were members of Good Sam Club, traveled with their RV, visited many people and places and helped run the family butcher shop.  They took an epic trip to Alaska where she proudly caught a huge halibut!  Sadly, she found herself widowed again on July 8, 1992.  This was another tough blow, but the Lord gave her the strength to go on with her life again.  She moved to Great Falls and worked at the Charlie Russell Museum as a clerk, and cherished her extended family and close friendships with Lydia Laubach, Wanda Hektner, Bunny Hancock, and others near and far who had been so loyal through the years.

In 1995 she moved back to Dutton to Sunshine Trail Lodge and enjoyed being closer to family and making new friends there.  She loved to visit and bring cookies to her neighbors.  She adopted a cat, Kinky, for companionship and after her sweet Kinky died, dear Tommy, a black Maine Coon cat, adopted her and would play fetch with her. He brought her much joy.  She took up a new hobby painting birds and mountain scenery. She served as the president of the Dutton Senior Center, the organizer of the combined fund drive, the writer for the Dutton Senior Center in the Choteau Acantha paper, an active member of the Town and Country Club, and a hospice volunteer in Teton County. She lived at the Lodge for 25 years and Kay was her helpful next-door daughter for three years. She was Grand Marshal for the Dutton Funday event a few years ago.  As her eyes and strength were fading, she happily lived with her children in Wyoming and Montana during 2020 and she found lodging at Teton Peak Assisted Living in Choteau last January – glad to be closer to home and Betty Lou.  She maintained her devotion to the Chicago Cubs baseball team and watched them play regularly.  She actually lived long enough to see the Cubs win the World Series!

Her Lord, her friends, her family, and the Bible sustained her through the dark times.  Her favorite Psalms were 23 and 103.  She memorized and loved many verses.  One of her favorites was 1Thessalonians 5:16-18, “Rejoice  always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” Her favorite radio program/podcast was “Walk with the King” by Dr Bob Cook. Singing in church was a particular joy for Marcile. She’s probably enjoying the grand music in Heaven now, with the angels and her loved ones there.  She always had the radio, stereo, TV, or Alexa going or was humming a tune. She had a beautiful voice.  She really enjoyed hearing her kids and grandkids play or sing music.  Lawrence Welk,  Molly B’s Polka Party, and the Gaither Gospel Music show were her favorite shows.

She is survived by her sister, Betty Lou (Lloyd) Burtness of Dutton; her four children, Kay Trebesch of Magrath, Alberta; Carl (Vicky) Trebesch of Sidney; Lynne (Mike) Baber of Chugwater, Wyoming; Loren (Diane) Trebesch of Alberton; and her step-son, Cliff (Marie) Crawford of Great Falls. She had eight grandchildren, nine great-grandchildren, and ten nieces and nephews.  By marriage she had an additional six grandchildren, four great-grandchildren, and multiple nieces and nephews.  She loved and prayed regularly for her family, her five godchildren, and for all her friends and acquaintances, which kept her mind sharp and her heart caring. Besides losing her beloved husbands: “Buster” Trebesch, Burton Midge, and “Shorty” Crawford, she was also preceded in death by her older brother Norman (“Sonny”) Odden, her parents Ben and Lillie Odden, her sister Doris (Reuben) Halverson of Chester, and her grandson Tyson Trebesch of Bozeman.  She also lost many dear friends, cousins, and extended family members in the past few years. 

The service for her will be held July 23 at 11am at Bethany Lutheran Church in Dutton with interment at the Dutton Cemetery.  A reception will follow at the church.  Memorial gifts are suggested for Bethany Lutheran Church or the Dutton Senior Center.  You may view more about Marcile at https://www.croxfordfuneralhome.com/obituary/Marcile-Trebesch.

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