Marilyn Kay (Noland) Strange

Stevensville - Marilyn Kay Strange, 86, of Stevensville passed from death into the presence of her Lord on Saturday, January 3, 3036 of natural causes.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Kenneth C. and Mary (Batt) Noland; husband of 55 years, Bill Strange; daughter, Susan Strange; sister, Barbara Foster; granddaughter, Kecia Jolley.

She is survived by daughters, Laurie (Ted) Jolley of Victor; Julie (Ken) VonEschen of Lake Mary Ronan; grandchildren, April (Phil) Novak, Ryan (Amanda) Jolley, Katie (Michael) Wemple, Christopher (Emily) Jolley, Danielle (Kyle) Smith; as well as exchange daughter, Linda (Bill) Hay of New Zealand; exchange granddaughter, Carolina (Ethan) Anglea; step-granddaughters, Lesley VonEschen (Jason) Campbell, Jill (Chris) Cochran; numerous great-grandchildren.

Marilyn was born October 5, 1939 in Missoula at St. Patrick Hospital to Kenneth C. and Mary (Batt) Noland. She moved with her parents around the Pacific Northwest and graduated from Hamilton High School in 1957. She worked at Nobel’s Clothing Store while in high school, then married on November 30, 1957 to Bill Benton Strange, the love of her life for 55 years.

After growing up as a city girl, she had a lot to learn to be a farm wife. There was a big garden, her in-laws living right next door and lots of cattle and horses. Then children started arriving: 3 girls, Laurie Julie and the last was Susan who was born with many special needs and disabilities. Mom was her only caregiver for 51 years until she needed more nursing care than mom’s frail body could handle. Mom was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis at the age of 16 but that never stopped her – she loved to garden, cook, can and sew. She made all our clothes growing up, even our prom dresses. She was “Mother of the Year” in 1970. But if mom was a good mother, she skyrocketed to a great grandmother. She sewed for the grandchildren, had tea parties and special hide-and-seek rows in the garden with treasure at the end of the trail complete with plastic animals. There were jungle sleepovers, monkey-bread and jumping in the leaves in the fall and even more when the great-grandchildren came along . She created “Cousins Camp” and held it for 4 days long, fun at the cabin every summer with no moms allowed. All this activity was fueled by the love for her Savior and her dedication to her church, Community Baptist Church and her life-long Pastor Earl Hargis and his wife Kay, then Pastor Buce Ekkelboom and his wife Carla. Mom played the organ at the church for decades. Mom and dad had lots of close friends including the infamous “Over the Hill Gang” whom they shared many great adventures.

The family would like to thank Partners in Home Care for their compassion and help these past few months. A Celebration of Life service will be held on Thursday, January 8, 2026 at 1:00 P.M. at the Community Baptist Church, 409 Buck Street in Stevensville. The family suggests that memorial donations may be mad in Marilyn’s name to either the Community Baptist Church of the Samaritans Purse.

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