Josy Grace McLean, 1/4/26
Josy Grace McLean, aged 60, of Great Falls, Montana, passed away on January 4, 2026.
Josy was born on January 8, 1965, in Sidney, Montana to Jean- Pierre and Marie-Louise Bidegaray. She grew up on the family farm along the Missouri River near Brockton, Montana where she learned the value of a hard day’s work and a love of nature. She graduated from Culbertson High School in 1983 before receiving her Bachelor of Arts in Education from the University of Montana in 1988. She would later go on to receive her Master of Arts in Education from Montana State University. Following her formal education, Josy built a career as a teacher, working at Blue Sky High School in Rudyard, Montana, for 5 years before moving to Great Falls, Montana where she was a science teacher at CMR High School for 28 years. During her time at CMR she earned every teacher accolade there was including the Dufresne, the Doctor of Service, and several Teacher of the Year awards. She helped coach championship Science Bowl teams and spent several summers working at the McLaughlin Research Institute. To her students, Josy was more than a teacher. She was a mentor and an inspiration. Many students were recipients of a note or a letter or a book at a time when they needed it most. On October 19, 1991, Josy married Michael Ray McLean, and together they shared 34 years of marriage. Family was central to her life, and she especially cherished time with her son, Jayse and her two grandchildren, Graham and Ella. Josy was deeply loved by her family and friends, and she loved them just as deeply in return. She had an amazing capacity for friendship and loved sharing outdoor adventures with the Hiking Group girls and her Wolfpack. Josy will be remembered by friends and family for her strength, strength that allowed her to carry the heaviest pack on backpacking trips or hold the raft in the river’s current so her friends could scramble out. Even stronger was her faith and her strength of spirit, which was always generous, encouraging and unfailingly kind. Josy was curious and interested in everything as a scientist would be but had an eye for the beauty in the world like an artist. Josy was the perfect dog mom, making sure that her golden retrievers Kona, Jacoby, and Fynn had interesting adventures every single day. And she adopted her friend’s dogs when hers were not around. She was an amazing gardener, and family and friends were often supplied with hot pepper jelly and spicy pickles. Josy loved the arts and went to plays and concerts whenever she had the chance and made sure Jayse went when he was young so that he would be “well-rounded.” She was so excited to finally become an “Amatxi” (Basque for Grandma) and was looking forward to watching Graham and Ella grow. Some of Josy’s happiest and most exciting times were watching Mike and Jayse-her boys-coach and play. Always humbly proud of their many accomplishments, she could often be seen in the bleachers supporting her students and her extended families’ kids as well. Family meant everything to Josy. And by the way, she was beautiful. Josy is survived by her husband, Mike; son and daughter-in-law, Jayse and Mickenze McLean; two grandchildren, Graham and Ella; siblings, Jeanine Bidegaray, Patrick (Lanette) Bidegaray, Gabriele (Geremy) Powell, Claude (Tammi) Bidegaray, and Remi Bidegaray. She was preceded in death by her father, Jean-Pierre Bidegaray, and her mother, Marie-Louise Bidegarary. Though we grieve deeply, we will honor her by remembering the way she lived, loving fiercely, giving freely, demonstrating a tremendous work ethic, embracing life with courage and grace. Her spirit will live forever in our memories, our stories, and the love she planted in each of us. The family invites all those who knew and loved Josy to join us as we celebrate her life: Vigil: Friday, January 16, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. at Holy Spirit Catholic Church Funeral Service: Saturday, January 17, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. Holy Spirit Catholic Church. Memorials are suggested to the Great Falls Public Schools Foundation 1100 4th Street South, Great Falls, Montana 59405 or to a charity of the donor’s choosing. Phyllis Ann Philipps, 8/5/20
Phyllis Ann Philipps, after a long battle with breast cancer has gone to be with God. Phyllis passed peacefully in her home in Conrad surrounded by family on Wednesday the 5th of August 2020.
Phyllis was born December 28, 1958 in Alhambra, California to Anthony and Josephine Caputo. She was the youngest of six children and was loved by her siblings, Ralph, Tony, Richard, Theresa, and Michael. She attended high school in Alhambra and later attended Humboldt State University where she followed her passion for performing arts, nature, and John Denver. Phyllis was active in the Sierra Club and US Youth Conservation Corps where she explored the mountains and maintained trails. She wrote songs about her work in the hills including one about losing her pulaski while crossing a river. She married her first husband, Andy Faulkner, in California in 1980 and gave birth to her daughter, Lauren, in April of 1981. In 1982 she received a Bachelor Degree in Art. She found her calling in the Natural Resources Conservation Service and excelled at her job. She began her work in Washington DC and in 1984 she and Lauren moved to Conrad where she became a soil conservationist. She moved to Townsend, MT in 1987 to continue her work as a soil conservationist until she moved back to Conrad as a District Conservationist. In 1988 she married her second husband, Jerry Philipps, a local producer in the Conrad area. In 1991 she gave birth to their son, Brandon. Phyllis was an active member in her community. She taught dance to youth and put on many recitals. She was active in Pondera Arts Council and performed in multiple plays put on by members of the community. She later began directing and writing her own musicals including Hot Flash and Desperate Farmwives. She played her guitar and sang at the Catholic Church. Her love for music and dancing was infectious to many people around her. In 2002 she was selected to be the Assistant State Conservationist for the NRCS and began working out of Great Falls. In 2007 she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Despite her diagnosis, Phyllis did not let anything slow her down. She did multiple stints in Washington DC working closely with top officials in the United States Department of Agriculture. She became a Regional Conservationist and she over saw multiple states in the American Northwest. During the latter part of her career she was the State Conservationist for the state of Colorado. After retiring from the NRCS in 2014 she returned home to the farm in Conrad. Phyllis loved to travel and see new and exciting places. Bike riding and drinking wine in the south of France. She traveled to Italy, Spain, Ireland, Costa Rica, Mexico, The Galapagos Islands, The Netherlands, The Cayman Islands, The Florida Keys and so much more. Her love for life was contagious to many around her and she was an inspiration to all. Her amazing work ethic and high energy, despite her illness, gave many people hope and kept her doctors baffled. Phyllis loved animals and always had quite the array of critters in her yard. Everything from dogs, cats, chickens, ducks, goats, llamas and even a wallaby. Phyllis was truly an extraordinary woman that has touched so many lives. She was a loving wife, an amazing mother, and the best grandmother to her four grandchildren. She was a living example of how a diagnosis of a terminal disease should only be fuel to live life to the fullest and enjoy every minute doing the things that you love. Phyllis is survived in death by her husband, Jerry Philipps of Conrad; children, Lauren (Gareth) Morrissey of Delaware and Brandon (Nicole) Philipps of Conrad; siblings, Ralph Caputo of Washington, Tony (Lynn) Caputo of North Carolina, Richard (Kim) Caputo of Florida, and Theresa Renn of California; and her four grandchildren, Nora and Saorise Morrissey and River and Poet Philipps. She is preceded in death by her mother, Josephine Caputo; her father Anthony Caputo; and her brother, Michael Caputo. A private funeral mass will be Wednesday, August 12, at 10:00 AM at St. Michael’s Catholic Church. A ZOOM meeting is available by calling Pondera Funeral Home for details. Following mass, a Celebration of Life will be held at The Legion Park in Conrad at 1pm for the public. In tribute to Phyllis, costumes or accessories are encouraged and can be provided. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in her name to the Pondera Healthcare Foundation, PO Box 802, Conrad, 59425. Chrissie Adele Jackson, 3/28/17
Born, March 29, 1957, Christine Adele Jackson was my mom. She was way more than just that, but at her core she was a mother, and a proud one. Her love for her family was true, strong, and deep. I felt her love, it was concrete, palpable. You could hear her love in her voice and feel it in her hard hugs. She held on to us with such strength. And now we have to let go of her a little bit, when we most want to hold on tight.
We the children of Chrissie; Anthony, Teresa, Helen, Jeff and Phil, were privileged to grow up in her care and love. We were lucky to have her as our mother. She adored her granddaughter, Skylar and spent countless hours talking and playing with her, in person and via Skype. She wanted Skylar to know her not only as her grandma but as her best friend. Chrissie loved all children and not just her own. She especially loved babies and was compelled to hold each one she encountered. She had numerous adopted grand babies that she showered with affection. My mother also loved her massive extended family. She left behind her mother Frances, her siblings; Marty, Brian, Carla, Sheila, Larry, Joel, and Carrie, their spouses, and their combined 21 children. Also, her seven aunts and five uncles, and their children, numbering well over one hundred people in the extended family. Only a handful could name them all and she was one of them. Faith, her faith, was ultimately important. She believed deeply in God's goodness and in Jesus' love for us and shared her faith with anyone who would let her. She went to Mass every day. She was devoted to several Catholic organizations including Cursillo, Cum Cristo and Poor Clare's. Her community of faith was very important to her. Mom was an active outdoor woman. She loved to hike with her girlfriends, especially in Glacier Park. She challenged herself to kayak, hike, ride and explore all over Montana. When mom slowed down for a second she quilted and had several quilts going all the time. Her themes were always about family. The quilts connected her to her Grandma Clark; just as her rugged, can-do, outdoor woman ways, channeled her Grandma J. For many years Miss Jackson was a dedicated special education teacher at Whittier Elementary School. She tried her best to reach every student that came to her for help. She believed in the value of education as a means of empowerment. Our mother, sister, daughter, aunt, niece, grandma, and friend, Chrissie, is gone from this world. She will be missed. We will always have her with us in our hearts, our minds and our fond memories. Please join us in remembering Chrissie at her vigil service at Holy Spirit Catholic Church Sunday, April 2, 2017 at 5:00 p.m. and funeral liturgy also at Holy Spirit Catholic Church Monday, April 3, 2017 at 11:00 a.m. A mass dedicated in her honor will be held at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Ennis, MT Wednesday, April 5, 2017 at 9:00 a.m. and graveside service at the Madison Valley Cemetery to follow. Any donations in Chrissie's name may be donated to the Poor Clares at 3020 18th Ave S, Great Falls MT 59405. - See more at: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/greatfallstribune/obituary.aspx?pid=184767914#sthash.NemygFZk.dpuf Colette "Coco" Engel, 12/3/16
Colette "Coco" Leah Engel (Larson) passed away on December 3rd, 2016, in Seattle, WA, after a long battle with cancer. Coco was born on July 31, 1944, in Bremerton, WA, to parents Paul and Arlene (Lillehaug) Engel, the second of three children. She graduated from High School in Tacoma, WA and graduated from Pacific Lutheran University (PLU) in 1967 with a degree in Education. Coco married Alan W. Larson in 1971. This marriage later ended in divorce. From this marriage were born three sons, Alan Nathan "Nate", Ryan Paul & Todd Reynold.
In 1975, the Larson family moved to Big Sandy, MT, to help Alan's parents with their farm. She went back to school at the age of 60 and became an RN. She continued to work as a nurse until her illness made it impossible to work. Coco was preceded in death by her parents Paul & Arlene. She is survived by her three sons Alan "Nate" (Christie) Larson; Ryan (Julie) Larson and Todd Larson; grandchildren Damian & Danica Larson; sister Rosie Fabina Engel; brother Paul (Billie Sue) Engel. A celebration-of-life ceremony will be held in her honor on March 11, 2017 at 401 21st St. North, Black Eagle, MT, 59414, 2pm. All are welcome. Published in Great Falls Tribune on Feb. 19, 2017 |
We Climbed our Last MountainWhen you hike these trails, hike them in memory of each gal listed:
Firebrand Pass Colette Engel Flower: Lady slipper Alderson-Carthew Traverse Chrissie Jackson Flower: Huckleberry Lewis and Clark Pass Phyllis Philipps Flower: Fireweed Flesher Pass & Siyeh Bend to Sunrift Gorge Josy McLean Flower: Pink Heath |