Mollie Sue Calkins

Whoohoo?! Whoohoo?! Sound familiar? It definitely does if you spent any time around our mom these last few years. She said it cheerfully, quietly, slightly questioning but undeniably constant; just one of the many quirks that came with her dementia. Our mom, an only child born Mollie Sue George (Sue, Suzie) to James and Ruby George on Sunday, July 20th, 1941 in Fort Knox, Kentucky where her dad was stationed. As expected with a true Army brat, Sue moved around a bit but her most memorable place that she and her mother lived was in Germany during the occupation while her dad continued to serve post WWII. Most of her young life was lived in Albuquerque, New Mexico where she lived with her family, graduated high school and met the love of her life, Fritz Calkins. Their story begins like a movie scene; at a Bob’s Drive-in and mini golf. Picture their short courtship driving around Albuquerque with Suzie driving a small sports car and now a different Army man in her life as passenger, where Fritz was serving at the time. They were married April 7, 1962 and packed their belongings into a tiny UHAUL and a station wagon (darn sports car was sold already!) and drove to Butte, Montana where they spent the next 63 years of their lives together. They had a full life together raising children; Lorine Kay (deceased at birth), Chris (Gladys), Mike (Linda), Kim (Mark) Dennehy and grandchildren; Trace (Halle) Calkins, Kade (Payton) Calkins, Zach Dennehy, McKayle (Daniel) Simmons, Mollie Calkins and great-granddaughter, Maisey Calkins. They loved and embraced new family into their lives when Chris married Gladys and they gained stepchildren; Jason Kennedy, Sarah Kennedy Yarrow (Cory) and grandchildren; Joseph and Charliegh Yarrow. They loved the Montana life together but especially enjoyed rafting, and fishing the rivers. The two of them loved and planned many family vacations and later trips themselves. They were true servant hearted friends to their church, family and friends. You cannot describe Sue without using words like kind, compassionate, thoughtful and faithful. No one can understand the depth of a hug until you were held by Suzie. She held you so soft and loving but strong and enveloping. She listened like a counselor, laughed easily and uninhibited and her generosity had no bounds. All this being said, you would think she was some small, meek, quiet, little thing but quite the opposite. She was tall and loved being tall. Sue was extremely resilient, strong, gritty and tenacious. Examples of that resilience; she lost her mom at 18, dealt with a brokenhearted dad, moved to Montana alone, lost her first baby, went through breast cancer, lost her son Mike, and remained grateful, faithful and through it all, happy. Although most of her life she never worked outside the home, Suzie was a hardworking woman! There was no job or task she would not take on and physically would conquer. Secretly, she was known as a dog whisper and groomed dogs for years. She taught swimming to many, especially the developmentally disabled, with her partner in crime, Judy Fisher. She was the best swim team mom on the deck. She was a mom of moms and a gramma of all grammas; cooking, cleaning, carpooling, listening, loving, caring, laughing, swinging from swings, jumping on trampolines, and loving us all to the depths of our souls. She would never miss a birthday or opportunity to celebrate her family and make someone know they were special. Suzie’s faith deserves a paragraph of its own. She served her church home of Christ Church Anglican with dedication and love. Sue was a prayer warrior and friends with so many godly, loving people. Suzie attended a Cursillo and she was never the same. The fire that was lit in her heart burned a deep flame that flowed out of her and into all she knew and met. She was the best example of a woman of faith. She truly knew her savior, and lived her life like the Proverbs 31 woman. We owe so much to her for her unending selflessness, her example of faith, and her constant serving. Please come and celebrate this precious woman with us, Friday, March 14th at 10 am in Wayrynen-Richards Funeral Home. Memorials in memory of Sue may be made to Christ Church Anglican, Bee Hive Homes or the Alzheimer's Association.

Tributes

Mollie Sue Calkins

July 20, 1941 - March 8, 2025