Marilou Lawellin, 82, who worked at Mountain Bell for 26 years, died at Billings Clinic on Aug. 22, 2009.
She was born the daughter of Charles and Eva (Moore) Rigler on Aug. 23, 1926. She grew up on the family ranch at Slip n’ Slide Creek north of Gardiner and attended grade school at Cedar Creek. She graduated from Park County High School in 1944 and taught school at the Big Creek School and also in Gardiner.
On May 10, 1945, she married Bob Lawellin in Tyler, Texas, where he was serving in the Army. When he was sent to occupy Germany after World War II, she returned to the family ranch. When he returned home they settled in Livingston.
Mr. Lawellin worked for Montana Power Co. and during his career they also lived in Yellowstone National Park, Manhattan, Missoula, Great Falls and Belgrade. They returned to Livingston in 1996 and moved to Billings in 2006. She retired from Mountain Bell in 1981.
Survivors include her husband; a son, Curt Lawellin of Manhattan; a daughter, Linda Fellows of Red Lodge; a sister, Betty Loughridge of Bend, Ore.; a brother, Bill Rigler of Ruidoso, N.M.; a sister, Bobbi Swan of Kalispell; nine grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren.
Services will be at 11 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 27, at Franzen-Davis Funeral Home in Livingston. Franzen-Davis Funeral Home and Michelotti-Sawyers Mortuary have charge of arrangements.
Memorials may be made to the Boys and Girls Club of Yellowstone County, 505 Orchard Lane, Billings, MT 59101.