Gail Jean Burgess, 62

Gail Jean Burgess was born Oct. 31, 1955, in Eureka to Gale and Lela Holder.

She passed away surrounded by family on Oct. 17, 2018, at her home in Fortine.

Gail graduated from Lincoln County High School in 1974. She went on to attend cosmetology school in Kalispell, completing her license in 1975. Even though she passed with flying colors she never trusted her skills on others. She prided herself on her long, beautiful hair and seldom was seen without it perfectly fixed. She briefly lived in Kalispell, Great Falls and Texas, but she felt home was where her heart was and that was in the beautiful Tobacco Valley close to her family and dear friends.

Gail met and married Dawain in 1984. Together they raised three children. Those three children were her absolute pride and joy. Wherever they were she wanted to be. Whether it was 4-H, school field trips, traveling to attend her son’s sports activities or drag racing, she was there. She dedicated her life to them, making sure they were loved and cared for. She always put their needs before her own.

Gail was always a hard worker, working at Plum Creek, Fortine Mercantile and finally finding her place at Holder’s Insurance. She was blessed to work alongside her best friend, her father, until his unexpected death in 1993. She and her brother Rock ran the business until 2006 when she purchased the business and worked until her death. To her it was a dream job. She was able to interact with the community, meet new friends, catch up with old ones and most importantly it gave her the freedom to become a full-time grandmother to her first grandson Kovi Joe. She loved having him by her side and just couldn’t imagine him going anywhere else, just as she had done raising her children. Two more grandsons followed, Paysen in 2014 and Layton in 2015. With the birth of each one her heart grew. From then on her nights and weekends were filled with sleepovers with Paysen every chance she got. She didn’t get much sleep but she never turned down the opportunity to have him with her. Layton became her assistant doctor over the last year. He was always checking on his grandma. Their favorite thing to do was lie in bed with heads together and visit. No matter how sick she was, how horrible she felt, she wanted her boys close. They were the reason she fought so hard. She had an amazing way of making everyone feel equally special and loved just the same. Gail loved people, always helping those in need whether it was at a benefit, someone who had lost a loved one, paying someone’s insurance that had fallen on hard times. Her word meant something. If she said she would be there you could count on her to show up 10 minutes early with supplies. The only pain she ever caused was the day she left us.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her siblings Michael J. Holder, Rock Holder and Lynn Ann Holder; father-in-law Keith Burgess, and granddaughters Pyper and Payslee Bernethy.

She is survived by her loving husband Dawain of 34 years, her children, Joe Burgess (Tami), Ashley Hahn (Alan), and Kellie Bernethy; grandchildren, Tavien and Tayne Stoken, Kovi Joe Burgess, Logan Holder-Hahn, Layton Hahn, and Paysen Bernethy; special sons Levi Braach and Zack Bernethy and bonus daughter Anna Shay.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 27, at the First Baptist Church, with graveside services at Tobacco Valley Cemetery and followed by a reception at the church.