Viola Marie Sabol

Viola Marie “Markie” Sabol, 96 

Viola Marie “Markie” Sabol passed away Aug. 1 at Logan Health Center in Kalispell 

She was born on October 3, 1926, in Butte, the eldest of Daniel and Myrtle “Irene” Reynolds’ seven children. 

She grew up and attended schools in the Butte and Anaconda area. Her lifelong love of horses was borne of the happy times she spent on her uncles’ ranch near Butte. She loved to tell stories of her uncles Jack and Jessie and her Aunt Pearl who indulged her need to be on horseback whenever she could. She was adored by her Uncle Jack, who spoiled her and gave her the nickname “Wow.” For the rest of her life, she recalled the adventures she had at the ranch, and even remembered the names of her favorite horses, Diana and Chub, right up until her death. She was proud to have ridden her horses in Butte’s Fourth of July parade on many occasions. 

She moved to San Francisco on her own and worked for Dun and Bradstreet before returning to her beloved hometown of Butte.

She met the love of her life, Stephen Sabol, in Butte, when he worked on the biplanes at the Columbia Gardens. Their first date was at the Brown Derby at Georgetown Lake. They married in Butte on St. Patrick’s Day in 1947 after Stephen returned from service in World War II on a submarine in the Philippines. They moved to Bozeman, where Stephen attended and graduated from Montana State University. His profession as a teacher took them to Pollack, S.D. and then back to Montana, where he taught in Fairfield, Whitehall, and Wolf Point. Along the way, they had four children before landing in 1963 in Kalispell, where they would spend the rest of their lives. 

Too social to be content at home, Markie ventured out into workforce in Kalispell. She worked at several jobs, including Gambles, the Gene Halvorson insurance agency, the Montana Department of Vocational Rehabilitation, the old hospital on Kalispell’s east side, and Flathead Valley Community College. She found her calling at City Hall in Kalispell, where she was the friendly face visitors saw upon entering. She was proud to also work as secretary to multiple mayors, including Norma Happ, LeRoy McDowell, Ed Kennedy, and finally, her son-in-law at the time, Roger Hopkins, before retiring in 1993 after 13 years. 

Markie was tireless, volunteering her time at Kalispell Regional Hospital, attending St. Matthews Parish, and working to ensure holidays and birthdays in her family were celebrated with fanfare and tradition. She was a fashion plate, kept a spotless house, was proud of her Butte and Irish heritage, loved to cook and travel and entertain, and enjoyed meeting people wherever she went. 

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Stephen Sabol; sons Stephen and Donald Sabol; brothers Clarence “Dee” Reynolds, Robert Reynolds, and Daniel Reynolds; and her sister, Helen Reynolds. She is survived by daughters Kathryn Sabol of Billings and Chery Sabol of Missoula with her partner, Paul; grandchildren Treyson Hopkins of Columbia Falls and his partner, Ashlie, Liz Records and her husband, Jerry, of Whitefish; Daniel Woodward and his partner, Jessica, of Denver, Lisa Woodward of Great Falls, and Angie Woodward of Billings. She is also survived by great-grandsons Taylor Woodward, Ric Morrow and Griffin Morrow of Great Falls, Eddie Foos of Bozeman, and Campbell Records of Whitefish; and great-great-grandson Bryson Woodward of Great Falls. She is also survived by her sisters, Carol Caldwell of Billings and Phyllis Reynolds of Helena; and many beloved nieces and nephews. 

At her request, no services are planned. Memorial donations may be made to Samaritan House or the Humane Society of Northwest Montana.