Delores Mae Murto

As Delores always said, “When my time comes, the Good Lord will take me home.” The Good Lord took Delores Home on the gorgeous fall morning of October 10. Fall was Delores’ favorite season. Delores was born in Dillon, Montana to Eva Ann (Magnuson) Moquist and Charles Raymond Moquist on May 24, 1937. When she was a sophomore in High School, her family moved to Butte where she attended Butte High School. After school and during the summers, she enjoyed working at the Tasty Food Shop on West Granite where she served pasties and other goodies to the customers at the lunch counter. Her profession and 33-year career began at Metals Bank on the corner of Park and Main Streets, when she was a senior in high school. She began as a bookkeeper, moved to the position of proof operator, then became a teller and retired as a teller supervisor. She loved working with her customers and co-workers. Her meticulous and exacting nature had her balancing to the penny for years on end. When she retired from First Metals Bank, she got a job offer to work at the Montana Tech business office, part-time, that she happily accepted. She loved to work and liked to be busy. Again, she so enjoyed getting to know the Tech students and working with her co-workers in the business office. Delores met her life time “honey” and partner, Tauno Ensio Murto (“Murt”) in uptown Butte while out with her girlfriend on a Friday night. Murt and his buddies were ‘cruising the drag’ when he spotted the love of his life. Murt and Delores were married on September 8, 1955, in the Covenant Church on Main Street. Their first home was an apartment in the Central House in uptown Butte, a boarding house in Finn Town owned and managed by Murt’s parents, Susanna and Emil, for Butte miners. Then, together they built their first and only home on the flats and raised 2 children, Susan Dee and David Don, in that home. Delores occupied their home for approximately 60 years until her flight with the angels. Delores and Murt’s 58-year union on earth lasted until her honey’s passing on April 3, 2013. For her he was never gone, just gone ahead. Delores attended church at Gloria Dei Lutheran church for 50 years or so. She found great friendship, fellowship, peace and worship there. After the passing of her “honey”, she spent many hours with her dear friends quilting on Wednesday afternoons at the church. She was also a member of the Nile Patrol and enjoyed luncheons with the Metals Bank retirees. Her remaining family include her son, David D. Murto, and daughter-in-law, Kathy; her daughter, Susan D. Murto, and her life partner, Andy Sorensen; her granddaughter, Katie (Murto) Aanestad and her husband Marshall; and her dear cousin, Loaine Johnson of Cambridge, Minnesota. Those gone ahead include her husband, her parents, her bother, Glen Moquist, and her beloved Uncle George. She was honored to be considered a second mom to Roberta Stauffer, Tabitha Layton, Marilyn May, JoAnne Yerkes, Renee Salvucci, Shelly Martin, Michelle Brown and to be “Grandma Delores” to Patrice Timmons. Delores especially appreciated the kind acts of care she received from the following friends: --Kathy, her daughter-in-law, who Delores referred to as her “angel”. Kathy helped care for Delores, Tauno and Delores’ brother Glen in their aging years. --Marg Leary, her life friend and confidant. --Paula and Ken Morgan, who were not only a part of her spiritual family but also delivered home cooked meals to Delores and attended to her home plumbing needs. --Sally and Dan Hollis, who “adopted” Delores as their own. --Pat and Mike Pratt, neighbors, who often shared and delivered home-made dinners, including fresh Alaskan salmon, one of her very favorites. --Rhonda Forward, Delores’ helpful friend that provided companionship along with grocery shopping and house cleaning. -- Mary and Dennis Bugni and family including Mike Jeffrey, neighbors, who looked after Delores, as well as keeping her lawn green and her sidewalks clean. --Pastor Sarah of the Gloria Dei Lutheran Church, who always attended to Delores’ spiritual needs, becoming a family friend, and recently officiating at the marriage of Delores’ granddaughter, Katie. Delores’ church service will be held at the Gloria Dei Lutheran Church on Saturday, November 27, at 10 am followed by burial at the Mountain View Cemetery. A luncheon will then be served at the church. Delores’ family looks forward to sharing time with you and sharing stories.

Tributes

Delores Mae Murto

May 24, 1937 - October 10, 2021