Judith Hartford

Judy D. Hartford passed away on July 24, 2022, at the Immanuel Lutheran Home in Kalispell after a long illness.

She was born in Pocatello, Idaho, to Helen and Hank Harshner. She grew up and graduated high school in Lima, Montana, and obtained an Associate in English degree at Flathead Valley Community College.

She met her husband Russ while attending University of Montana in Missoula in 1956, and they celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary this June. Judy was a lifetime member of Ada Chapter 17, Order of the Eastern Star where she spent many years as the pianist.

Judy was a woman of many talents: she was the organist for both the Calvary Lutheran and Bethlehem Lutheran Churches for over 40 years. She worked as the librarian at Evergreen Junior High for approximately 25 years. Her favorite memories revolved around helping generations of children develop a love of reading. After retiring from the job at Evergreen, she started J’s Photos and took group and individual photographs of local sports teams, senior portraits, family portraits and weddings. She was also an accomplished seamstress, sewing for her family, local school programs, also Cub to Eagle Scouts and Brownie to Girl Scouts. She spent thousands of hours crocheting and knitting blankets for the Linus Project, which provides blankets to local foster children from the NICU to high school aged children.

Judy was proud of the many family members who served in the military. This included her husband Russ, daughter Diane, son Bill, grandchildren Joliene and Rick Lindholm, nephews Alan and Kurt Kieckbusch and Bryce Hartford.

Judy was preceded in death by her parents, Helen and Hank Harshner.

She is survived by her husband Russ of Kalispell, sisters Claudia (Corkey) Boake of Pearland, Texas, and Margie (Doc-deceased) Kieckbusch of League City, Texas, daughters Lori Hartford of Billings, and Diane (Brandy Dowling-deceased) of Portland, and son Bill (Teresa) Hartford of Kalispell. Judy spent many hours doting and bragging about her grand and great-grandchildren! Grandchildren include Joliene Lindholm of Fitchburg, Wisconsin, Rick (Stephanie) Lindholm of Kernersville, North Carolina, Logan Phillipi of Portland, Sean Hartford of Bozeman and Nate Hartford of Boise, Idaho. Great-grandchildren are Meika, RayLynn and Opal Lindholm of Kernersville, North Carolina. Judy is also survived by many nieces and nephews.

A celebration of Judy’s life for family and friends will be held on Sept. 24 from 2 to 5 p.m. at the Moose Lodge on LaSalle Road in Evergreen, Montana.

In lieu of flowers, the family would ask that you make a donation in Judy’s name to the Evergreen Junior High Library.