Marjorie Elerding

Marjorie Beatty Elerding (Marge, Mom, Gramma Ding), 97, went to be with her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, Saturday morning, August 27, from the home of her son and daughter-in-law, Ken and Grace Young in Pocatello, ID. Cremation has taken place. Her memorial service will be held, Saturday, October 8, 11am, at the First Congregational United Church in Great Falls. Chapel of the Chimes Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements Marge was born Nov. 4, 1913 in Townsend, MT. and was raised on a ranch on Beaver Creek, located five miles from Winston, MT. Her parents were Wesley and Johanna Beatty. Her grandfather, George Beatty, was the first homesteader in Broadwater County. Marge went to a one-room school on Beaver Creek and graduated from Helena High School. She attended Montana State College in Bozeman and graduated with a degree in Home Economics in 1935. That fall she married Jim Young and they settled in Great Falls giving birth to two sons, Jim Jr. and Kenny. They were divorced during World War II. In 1953 she married Wayne Elerding in Great Falls. They enjoyed 30 years of marriage before Wayne passed away in 1983. Marge lived in Great Falls where she made her home until moving to Pocatello to live with family in July 2011. Besides being a committed family woman, Marge had a long and distinguished career in the travel business beginning with Western Airlines where she rose to District Sales Manager for central and western Montana being only one of two women in that position. In 1961 she was hired by Charlie Anderson to manage Anderson-Elerding Travel Agency which grew from a single employee office to several branch offices and dozens of employees. She retired from the agency in 1979 after traveling to nearly every continent. Marge came out of retirement in 1985 to lead group tours for A&E Travel with her niece, Norma Ashby, until 1996. In 1976 she was selected by the Great Falls Business and Professional Women's Club as its Woman of the Year. She was chosen for her business achievements and her community activities including the Great Falls Chamber of Commerce, the Advertising Club of Great Falls, P.E.O., and The First Congregational United Church of Christ where during nearly 60 years Marge was faithfully involved in her church in a number of ministries In the background of Marge's public life was her very special private life of family and friends. Her family was her pride and joy as she often commented, "I have the greatest family in the world". She was a loving and faithful and much loved mother, grandmother, and great grandmother She is survived by her two sons, Jim (Katie) Young, of Milwaukie, OR, and Ken (Grace) Young, of Pocatello, ID; 9 grandchildren (Kathy, Christine, Carrie, Mollie, Suzy, Kenny, Sara, Joe and Ben); 24 great grandchildren, her niece Norma Ashby of Great Falls; nephews Wesley Beatty of Clancy, MT, Joel Roth of Great Falls, and Rob Wood of Camarillo, CA, and her caregiver of many years, Char Dilly, of Great Falls. Marge was preceded in death by her husband Wayne, her parents, her brothers Milton and Ray Beatty and her sister Vicki Wood. She was a woman of deep faith, admired and loved by her family and her multitude of friends. Memorials may be made to First Congregational United Church of Christ, 2900 9 th Ave. S., Great Falls, MT 59405 or to the charity of the donor's choice.