Ita Coons

Funeral Services for Ita Mae Coons, 78, of Ekalaka, MT will at 10:00 a. m. on Saturday, March 13, 2010 in the Chapel of Stevenson Funeral Home in Ekalaka with Tom Johnson officiating. Interment will follow in the Coons family lot in the Beaver Lodge Cemetery at Ekalaka. The family will greet friends on Friday, March 12th, from 4:00 p. m. to 6:00 p. m. at the Chapel. Ita Mae Coons passed away on Tuesday, March 9, 2010, at Dahl Memorial Nursing Home after complications from a fall. Ita was 78 years old. March 31, 1933, Ita Mae Peabody was born to Walter and Mary Peabody at Ekalaka, MT. She joined four siblings on the ranch southeast of Ekalaka in the Chalk Buttes area. She grew up riding and racing her horse to the Pershing School for eight years, where she graduated with honors. On September 17, 1947, Ita married Harvey A. Coons in Baker, MT and made their home on the family ranch in the Belltower community. Harvey and Ita stared their marriage by running the Belltower Post Office and Store. Four children where born to this union, Lennet, Chester, David and Marvel. The family moved down past the Tie Creek turnoff in the spring of 1958. The Belltower Store was moved and remodeled to serve as the ranch home at the new location. Ita was very active in community card parties, dances and fundraisers for the new Belltower Hall. The Coons family left the ranch due to school obligations and moved to town in August of 1962, where Ita worked in the New Life and the Old Stand Cafes while Harvey worked for the REA. They were back and forth to the ranch until they moved home in the spring of 1967. They raised sheep and cattle until they sold the ranch and moved back to town. Ita stayed busy working at the Dahl Memorial Nursing Home kitchen, and even passed her dietary certificate. Throughout the years, Harvey and Ita were active in the American Legion. Ita served as president in Carter County as well as in her District. The American Legion Youth Rodeo became their passion and they were largely responsible for its growth. They also followed Pat Byrne?s rodeo stock to various rodeos where Harvey unsaddled and Ita socialized with the Byrne?s wives. Ita is survived by three of her children, Lennet (Larry) Cantwell of Kamiah, ID, David (Barb) Coons, of Billings, MT and Marvel Murphy of Ekalaka, MT; a daughter-in-law, Carol Coons of Redman, OR; eight grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren, and her brother, Elvin ?Tuffy? Peabody of Ekalaka, MT. She was preceded in death by her parents, Walter and Mary Peabody, her siblings, Gordon, Freeman and Earl Peabody and Helen Tennant, her husband, Harvey Coons, a son, Chester Coons and a grandson, Michael Murphy.


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Burial Date: March 13, 2010
Funeral Home Ekalaka, MT

Funeral: Saturday, Stevenson Funeral Home, Ekalaka, MT