Pearl Huso, who died Sunday, Feb. 16, 2014, wrote her own obituary in 2011.
She wrote, "Just before Thanksgiving, after reading Bent Petersen's book, I decided I should put down some memories of my life - half autobiography and half obituary.
To Walter and Clara Stearns I was born March 14,1921, at Creston, Mont., so anxious to get here I didn't even make it to the hospital. My dad and neighbor brought me into this world.
My dad said, "That's my little Pearl" and he always called me that. They had Irene picked out for a name, so they named me Pearl Irene Stearns. They looked at the initials P.I.S. and changed the name to Caroline (P.C.S.).
I went to first and second grades at Creston and the rest of the school years in Kalispell, graduating from Flathead County High in 1939.
When I was a freshman, I would meet my friend Pat on a corner and we went skating every night. They had just opened the ice rink at Woodland Park. Only couples went at night. They played good music and I loved the sparkling lights in the trees.
Pat said, "See if Fitzy wants to go tonight, as I just met a guy new in town and he wants to go." So we met on this street and it was Kenny. We fell in love on that street corner and went steady all through high school. Then I found out he was a beautiful dancer! I loved to dance, so we danced our way through high school and then the rest of our lives together.
We got married Dec. 7, 1940, one year before Pearl Harbor and moved to California.
We returned to Kalispell and the Flathead after the war. I worked for First National Bank for many years and Kenny joined the Montana National Guard.
We were active in the Buffalo Hill Golf Club. Kenny was president for several terms and I was secretary/treasurer for several terms. We were also on the entertainment committee for Elks Rest and then the new club in Kalispell.
We moved to Helena five years before retiring and then to Bigfork. We spent summers in Bigfork and winters in Palm Desert, Calif.
We had 12 good years of retirement before Kenny got sick with Alzheimer's. He spent five years in the Lake View Care Center and died in 1995. I still spent summers in Bigfork and winters in Palm Desert.
Our daughter, Susan Newgard, and Ron Newgard moved in with me. Susan got sick and died in 2008, then Ron in 2010. My grandson, Brad Newgard, came home to help me take care of them when they were sick, and then stayed on to help me and our three dogs, so we could stay here at our family home on the beautiful Flathead River.
I would love to spend the rest of my life right here.
I would like graveside rites at Glacier Memorial, where I would be laid to rest next to my beloved husband, and then a memorial at Vista Linda."
Pearl's grandson Bradley died in April 2013.
Pearl is survived by her brother, George Stearns.
Her wishes were granted. She remained in her home on the Flathead River, and there will be a reception for Pearl at 4 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 21, at the Vista Linda in Somers. Please join us to celebrate her wonderful life.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Pearl Huso, please visit our flower store.
She wrote, "Just before Thanksgiving, after reading Bent Petersen's book, I decided I should put down some memories of my life - half autobiography and half obituary.
To Walter and Clara Stearns I was born March 14,1921, at Creston, Mont., so anxious to get here I didn't even make it to the hospital. My dad and neighbor brought me into this world.
My dad said, "That's my little Pearl" and he always called me that. They had Irene picked out for a name, so they named me Pearl Irene Stearns. They looked at the initials P.I.S. and changed the name to Caroline (P.C.S.).
I went to first and second grades at Creston and the rest of the school years in Kalispell, graduating from Flathead County High in 1939.
When I was a freshman, I would meet my friend Pat on a corner and we went skating every night. They had just opened the ice rink at Woodland Park. Only couples went at night. They played good music and I loved the sparkling lights in the trees.
Pat said, "See if Fitzy wants to go tonight, as I just met a guy new in town and he wants to go." So we met on this street and it was Kenny. We fell in love on that street corner and went steady all through high school. Then I found out he was a beautiful dancer! I loved to dance, so we danced our way through high school and then the rest of our lives together.
We got married Dec. 7, 1940, one year before Pearl Harbor and moved to California.
We returned to Kalispell and the Flathead after the war. I worked for First National Bank for many years and Kenny joined the Montana National Guard.
We were active in the Buffalo Hill Golf Club. Kenny was president for several terms and I was secretary/treasurer for several terms. We were also on the entertainment committee for Elks Rest and then the new club in Kalispell.
We moved to Helena five years before retiring and then to Bigfork. We spent summers in Bigfork and winters in Palm Desert, Calif.
We had 12 good years of retirement before Kenny got sick with Alzheimer's. He spent five years in the Lake View Care Center and died in 1995. I still spent summers in Bigfork and winters in Palm Desert.
Our daughter, Susan Newgard, and Ron Newgard moved in with me. Susan got sick and died in 2008, then Ron in 2010. My grandson, Brad Newgard, came home to help me take care of them when they were sick, and then stayed on to help me and our three dogs, so we could stay here at our family home on the beautiful Flathead River.
I would love to spend the rest of my life right here.
I would like graveside rites at Glacier Memorial, where I would be laid to rest next to my beloved husband, and then a memorial at Vista Linda."
Pearl's grandson Bradley died in April 2013.
Pearl is survived by her brother, George Stearns.
Her wishes were granted. She remained in her home on the Flathead River, and there will be a reception for Pearl at 4 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 21, at the Vista Linda in Somers. Please join us to celebrate her wonderful life.