Margaret Marie 'Sis' Truax, 76

Margaret Marie “Sis” Truax passed away on Feb. 7, 2017.

She was born July 25, 1940, to Roy and Pearl Bust in John Day, Oregon. She was raised and attended school in Whitefish.

The summer of her 19th year she moved to Powers, Oregon, where she met the love of her life, Charles Layton Truax. They were married on Dec. 26, 1959, and stayed together until Layton’s passing in 2002.

Their first daughter, Vera, was born and buried in Powers. After Layton was drafted in 1961, Margaret joined him in Germany, where despite the challenging language barrier she enjoyed experiencing that part of the world. Their second daughter, Terrie was born in Stuttgart. After returning to Powers, they relocated to Seattle where their third daughter Becky was born. In 1974, the family returned to her hometown of Whitefish.

Apart from a few adventures in the working world, Margaret was a beautiful example of a traditional homemaker. Her gardens flourished and her house was a warm place where guests were always welcome and coffee was always ready. For a number of years she enjoyed hosting home Bible studies for her friends.

Her creative talents were many, and she was generous with her gifts. The good things that came from her oven, her garden, her sewing machine, her craft table and her artist’s paintbrush were freely passed on to friends and family.

And she was a very compassionate person. For some years she was a volunteer hairdresser at the Colonial Manor retirement home. She had an especially tender heart for animals of every kind. Every stray found a home with her, and even spiders trapped in the bathtub were patiently relocated outdoors.

She is welcomed by those who have preceded her in death: her parents Roy Bust and Pearl Montgomery, her beloved husband Layton, daughter Vera, grandson Myles Connelley and sister Kathy Peterman.

She is survived by those who have yet to join her: daughter Terrie Truax, daughter Becky and son-in-law Jens Carp, granddaughter Haylie and her husband Stuart Koslowsky, great-grandchildren Charlie and Lucy Koslowsky, and numerous nieces, nephews and cherished friends.

We are grateful for her life. She was a gift to all who knew and loved her and is greatly missed.