Lois Jean Thielen, 86
Lois Jean Thielen, 86, of Kalispell, died Monday, Oct. 14, 2019.
She was born in Denver on Jan. 29, 1933, the only child to live of George and Louise Lenz. She married in 1951, and again in 1967. Widowed, she moved to Kalispell in 1978 where she met and married William A. Thielen, who passed away in 2014.
She is survived by her two children from her first marriage, Christina Stabe of San Antonio, Texas, and Bart Prose and his wife Caroline of Sacramento, California; stepchildren, William E. Thielen of Seattle, Holly Hodgdon and her husband Tom of Reno, Nevada, Susan Thielen of Denver, Joseph Thielen of Boulder, Colorado, and John Thielen of Missoula; and grandchildren, John Stabe of Richmond, California, Elizabeth Hodgdon of Santa Cruz, California, and Lee Thielen of West Columbia, South Carolina.
Lois dearly loved her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, her wonderful family, and the family of God, and wishes them all the joy of Jesus.
Lois was a very brave and devoted woman. After raising her own children and sending them off to college, she chose to marry a man with five children ages 10 to 18 years, and raised them to become the wonderful people they are today. She loved William very much, and they had a happy and fulfilled life together. William was a quiet man, and Lois was the communicator of the family. She was able to get William to open up and share his love for his kids like never before. We never wondered if Lois loved us; you just knew she did by her actions and kind words. It wasn’t always easy, but her immense faith in God provided guidance and courage.
Lois was humble and grounded and always there to lend an ear and a hug when you were feeling down or discouraged. She was careful about giving advice and would only do so when you ask for it — most of the time. Upon arriving in Kalispell in 1978, Lois opened and operated the Diet Center, where she worked one-on-one with hundreds of clients to help them live a healthier life. Her pursuit of natural, holistic nutrition and remedies was central to her views on health and had a positive influence on her family and others. She was a worrywart extraordinaire, especially when it came to her kids. She was quick witted and loved clever banter, reading, working puzzles, and anything to keep her mind busy.
A memorial service will be held at noon on Saturday, Oct. 26, at the Johnson-Gloschat Funeral Home in Kalispell. The Rev. Robert Reasner will officiate.
If desired, in lieu of flowers, remembrances may be made to the Association of Free Lutheran Congregations Bible School for grants to children needing funds to attend from Kalispell, the Hope Pregnancy Center of Kalispell, or the Platelet Disorder Support Association.