Corrine Elizabeth Graham

Corrine Elizabeth Graham died Wednesday evening at St. Patrick’s Hospital in Missoula. Corrine was born in Butte on June 18, 1933 to John and Cora (Lanyon) Bennetts. She attended Whittier and Butte High schools before marrying Hugh “Skip” Graham on December 5, 1949. Together, they raised two daughters, Corrine and Brenda, who were both at her side when she passed away. As a lifelong resident, Corrine loved Butte and had an encyclopedic knowledge of its streets, landmarks, and history. Corrine went to work for Don’s Office Machine after Skip retired. When her husband/driver passed away, she got her first driver’s license at age 62. She relished taking rides and visiting places that filled her razor-sharp mind and framed the stories she told so well. Her mom, Cora, was her best friend and favorite passenger. Corrine loved spending summers with her Grampa Pa at a cherry orchard on Flathead Lake and happily continued to share that tradition with her family. Corrine loved her family more than anything and showed support at every opportunity. She faithfully attended weddings, graduations, plays, concerts, sporting events, and more—and was heartbroken on the rare occasions she was unable to. She loved holidays and family gatherings, especially those celebrated in her snug home. She cooked enough food to feed an army and showered her loved ones with presents, praise and her famous pasties. She delighted in shopping. Santa and the Easter Bunny never missed Gramma Skip’s house. The Halloween costumes she made for her grandchildren are legendary. She made note of every accomplishment. Birthdays were celebrated and served as her Keno numbers on her visits to the Oasis. Corrine is survived by her loving daughters, Corrine (Jack) Kambich of Divide, Brenda (Fred) Chouinard of Dillon; grandchildren, Jenny Noonan, Dan Kambich, Dustin (Kristen) Chouinard, and Nicki Hegg; great-grandchildren, Hope and Haley Noonan; Karissa (Eli), Tyler, and Ava Chouinard, and Bailey Hegg; her sister, Karen (Rich) McLaughlin; sister-in-law, Corrine Graham; in-laws and special friends, Rod and Joyce Chouinard; and many cherished nieces, nephews, and friends. Not to be forgotten, Corrine also leaves behind her constant companion, her little dog Trixie. A private family celebration of life will be held on Friday, June 7th at Mountain View Cemetery. Memorials in memory of Corrine may be made to the Butte Food Bank. With a slick of red lipstick, Corrine taught us about what really mattered in life: hard work, perseverance, humility, integrity, laughter, and most significantly, the importance of family. We will miss our shopping buddy, our Keno partner, our co-pilot, our confidant, our Butte historian, our friend, our sister, our grandma, our mom.

Tributes

Corrine Elizabeth Graham

June 18, 1933 - May 29, 2019