Aspen Francine McCourt, 36

Aspen Francine McCourt passed away Saturday, Feb, 16, 2019, ending her 15-year struggle with mental illness.

Aspen was born at St. Peter’s Hospital in Helena in 1983. She was the second of four daughters given to James and Cheri. She grew up on the eastern plains of Colorado and graduated high school in Brush, Colorado. Her junior high coach affectionately referred to her as “Oak” because of her physical strength and beauty. Wherever Aspen went, she could convince you to follow her. Where others were thinkers, she was the doer. She loved to read and do puzzles. At the age of 20, she moved back to Montana to be with her late grandmother, Frances Wicen.

Aspen worked for a while at the Daily Inter Lake and had many jobs around the Flathead Valley. Despite her disability, she attended Crevier’s School of Cosmetology Arts, riding the bus each day from Whitefish. She very much loved her stint at Heritage Care Center styling the residents’ hair. She would say, “You can make someone’s day, by just fixing their hair.” Aspen was currently volunteering at the Flathead Food Bank packing weekend lunches for children around the valley. Many knew her as good-hearted and sweet.

Aspen longed for a normal life and enjoyed simple things — rides, walks, and spending time with friends and family. For a time, she was able to enjoy volunteering and travel with the Moose Lodge of Whitefish, Women’s Bowling league in Columbia Falls, and many activities and friendships through Whitefish group AA.

She is survived by her mother, Cheri Wicen, of Columbia Falls; her father, James McCourt, of Fort Morgan, Colorado; grandmother and grandfather, Donald and Purnee McCourt, of Denver; her sister Fawn McCourt of Seattle, nephews Trevor and Ayden; sister Shauna and brother-in-law Jason Commander of San Antonio, Texas, nephews James and Joseph; and sister Sadie McCourt of Kalispell; her great-aunt, Margaret Cargill; and many other loving, patient cousins, in-laws, friends and other family who accepted her just the way she was.

Thank you to Western Montana Mental Health Center who always provided Aspen with a place to go and folks to help.

Suggested donations are to the Flathead Food Bank.

Visitation will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 21, at Buffalo Hill Funeral Home. A traditional service will be held at 1 p.m. Friday, Feb. 22, at Buffalo Hill Funeral Home, with a reception following at the funeral home.

To send a note of condolence to the family, please visit www.buffalohillfh.com