Jean H. (Houstman) Ellison

STEVENSVILLE – Halfway through her 101st year Jean Ellison passed away Sunday evening, March 2, 2025 at her ranch near Stevensville. Jean Houstman was born Sept. 10, 1924 in Olin, Iowa. She moved to Mount Vernon, Iowa when she was 16, and later attended the University of Iowa until World War II interrupted her studies. She married Arlo Ellison in Lansing, Michigan on July 17, 1943. Jean followed Arlo to several USAAF duty stations, including Liberal, Kansas, and Monroe, Louisiana, where she taught herself to cook - a challenge because of food rationing. After the war they moved back to Mount Vernon where Arlo completed his college degree. In April 1949, they moved to Three Forks, Montana and later to Stevensville before moving to a large ranch in the Florence area.

After purchasing a ranch on the outskirts of Stevensville the family moved there in 1960. Jean supervised an extensive remodel of the existing ranch house and garden areas. She assisted her husband Arlo by keeping the ranch books, researching legal issues such as water rights, and helping out with ranch operations such as warming newborn calves and lambs, sometimes in the house. She was an accomplished cook, a popular hostess with business associates, and occasionally arranged large parties on the ranch. She also won Grand Champion at the Missoula County Fair for her delicious Burnt Sugar Cake. Jean was a skilled seamstress and accomplished crafter. She constructed doll houses of her own design detailed with electric lighting and wallpaper and loved assembling miniature furnishings.

In 1968, with three of her five children off to college, Jean returned to student status by entering the University of Montana and completing a BA in Economics in 1971, followed by a MA in Economics in 1973. She earned a Juris Doctor in Law from the University of Montana in 1976 and was admitted to the state bar that summer. After graduation she worked as Assistant County Attorney for Missoula County until 1980 and later in private practice in Missoula.

Jean is survived by sons Michael (Roslyn), Dan (Jane Fournier), and daughters Catherine Cormack (Robert), Sarah Ellison (Douglas Fischer), and Rebecca Brooks (Bob). Her grandchildren include Eric Ellison, Rachel Horman (Peter), Emily O'Connor (Nick), Marion Fischer (Emil Sanchez), Elizabeth O’Neill (Steven), Mark Fischer (Tess Brown), and Jesse Brooks. She has six great grandchildren.

A remembrance service for family members is being planned for later in the spring. The family requests memorials be sent in the name of Jean Ellison to: Intermountain Children’s Home 500 South Lamborn Helena, MT 59601 OR St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital 262 Danny Thomas Place Memphis, TN 38105

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