June Arvilla (Porter) French, 87
June Arvilla (Porter) French, 87, passed away peacefully at home on April 17, 2017, near Bigfork.
She was born Feb. 11, 1930, in Nebish, Minnesota, to Ralph E. and E. Bessie (Madison) Porter.
In 1947 she married Richard L. French while he was in the Coast Guard serving as a radioman near Oakland, California. They later moved to Nebraska where they farmed outside Blair, Nebraska, until 1959. In 1959 they moved to the Wolf Creek Ranch up the Fisher River between Libby and Kalispell.
In 1971 they started building a registered Black Angus operation known as Clay Creek Angus. They ranched near Hot Springs, Irvine Flats, near Polson, and on the Tongue River near Miles City. After retiring from ranching they owned and operated a motel in Greybull, Wyoming. In 2001 they moved back to Montana where they resided on Flathead Lake near Dayton, until Richard’s death in 2013. Most recently she had been living with her daughter Jackie McCoy and her home caregivers, grandson Levi Harrod and his wife Holly (Davis) Harrod near Bigfork.
She was an active member of the Red Hat Society, Rollins Women’s Club, Yellow Bay Club and the Dayton Quilters group.
June is survived by her sister, Lillian (Porter) Waters, of Yukon, Oklahoma; her four children, daughter Billie (French) and husband Roger Murdoch of Dayton, son John French and wife Jan (Rue) of Otis, Oregon, daughter Jackie June (French) McCoy of Bigfork, son Jim French and wife Lori (Mathern) of Emblem, Wyoming, grandchildren, Nikki (Garrison) Reynolds, Justin French, Sally June (French) Taylor, Tyler French, Levi Harrod, Jesse Harrod, Carlissa and Charlie French; 11 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild.
June was preceded in death by her husband Richard L. French, her parents Ralph E. and E. Bessie Porter, sister Darlene (Porter) Shaffner, brother Ralph Porter and son-in-law Mike McCoy. June was preceded in death by her husband Richard L. French, her parents Ralph E. and E. Bessie Porter, sister Darlene (Porter) Shaffner, brother Ralph Porter and son-in-law Mike McCoy.
Messages of condolence may be shared with the family online at www.lakefuneralhomeandcremation.com.