Olive Heide

Olive Marie Heide, age 90, of Circle, Montana passed away Thursday night, October 24, 2013 at the McCone County Health Center in Circle. Visitation will be from 1:00 P.M. until 2:00 P.M. on Thursday, October 31, 2013 at the First Lutheran Church in Circle. Funeral Services will be held at 2:00 P.M. on Thursday, October 31, 2013 at the First Lutheran Church in Circle with Pastor Stanley Hoobing officiating. Interment will be in the Riverview Cemetery in Circle. Silvernale-Silha Funeral Home of Glendive has been entrusted with arrangements. Olive was born August 2, 1923 in Marengo, Illinois, the second child of Clark and Ellen (Miner) Flemming. She attended all eight grades at the nearby Olcott country school, walking the total distance of about three miles each day, except in the winter when her Pa took the children with the team of horses and bobsled. The children would be covered with a horse-hide blanket to keep warm. In the summers, the children would often go barefoot, and then get new shoes for school in the fall. Olive enjoyed her life on the farm, helping milk cows, shock corn, etc. She told of the threshing crew that came around each year, about the time of her birthday. The big steam engine’s whistle was used to call the neighbors to work, and her mom always made a big meal to feed the entire crew. There were large family gatherings on holidays too, and the weather could be unfavorable for travel at times. Olive attended high school at Marengo, graduating with the class of 1941. Following high school, she began her working career as a telephone switchboard operator. Later, she worked as the only secretary for several agents in an insurance office. On June 6, 1953 Olive married Edward R. Heide of Circle, Montana at the Trinity Lutheran Church chapel in Harvard, Illinois. After a honeymoon to eastern points of interest, the newlyweds headed west to visit relatives in Iowa and see Mount Rushmore, on their way to the Heide farm in Circle where they established their home. Two children were born to Olive and Edward, a daughter Teri Ann and a son James. Olive was a very good farm wife. Being handy with a hammer and tools, she helped finish the main floor of their house while living in the basement for several years. She did daily chores of milking cows and feeding animals, raising chickens for eggs and some for butchering. She separated cream and filled cans for shipment by railroad to the creamery. She helped manually stack hay bales high upon the truck, fixed many wire fences and shoveled a lot of coal into the furnace stoker. Olive was also a great homemaker. She made homemade bread for her family twice weekly for most of her life. She also made doughnuts, caramel rolls, cinnamon and raisin breads and numerous pies and cookies. She raised big gardens and canned some of the produce. Olive was a member of First Lutheran Church in Circle. She was active in the women’s group, serving as their secretary for many years. She regularly attended her circle’s Bible study and meetings. She enjoyed helping with quilting, cutting pieces, sewing tops and tying quilts. She also enjoyed singing in the church choir. Olive belonged to local homemaker’s clubs, enjoying meetings and functions and also served as the council’s secretary for several years. Olive had loved her busy country life and was rather bored when she and Edward moved into town in later years, although she still enjoyed sewing quilt tops for church. After losing her husband and suffering a light stroke herself, Olive moved into the nursing home in July of 2006, where she resided until her death. Olive was preceded in death by her husband, Edward R. Heide; parents, Clark and Ellen Flemming; brother, James Flemming and wife, Kathy; sister, IlaMae (Flemming) Heide; infant nephew, Shawn Heide and sister-in-law, Alice (Heide) Holben and husband, Marion. Olive is survived by her children, Teri Ann (Kim) Vejtasa and James (Anita) Heide all of Circle; granddaughter, Ann (Shayne) Wittkopp of Ellensburg, Washington; grandson, Jerrold (Erin) Heide of Osmond, Nebraska; grandson, Jeffrey Heide of Circle, grandson, Aron (Marista) Heide of Circle; two great-grandsons, Peyton and Ethan Wittkopp; brother-in-law, George Heide of Circle, nephews, Mark (Melody) Heide of Billings, Scott (Carrie) Heide of Circle, Gregg (Shonda) Heide of Circle, Gale (Mary) Heide of Belgrade, Montana and niece, Dawn (Jim) Harvey of Dillon, Montana. --May God richly bless you, Mom for the true blessing you’ve been to us.— Remebrances and condolences may be shared with the family at: www.silvernale-silhafuneralhome.com.

Olive Heide

August 2, 1923 - October 31, 2013

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Olive Heide

August 2, 1923 - October 31, 2013

What We Do

Flowers & Gifts

Plan Ahead

About Us

Resources

Obituaries

Grief & Healing

Contact Information

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