Obituary: Falkner, Louise A.
(Age 97) Louise Alexina Falkner passed away peacefully on July 27th after spending the day surrounded by her loving family.
Louise was born on May 29, 1917 to Louis (Pepere) and Elise (Memere) Bisson in Frenchtown, Montana, outside of Missoula.
She was the 3rd youngest of 8 children in a French speaking family, living in a two story wooden house on a working farm.
When the weather was good she walked to O’Keefe Grade School with her siblings and when the flowers were asleep and the winter got tough, Pepere would gather up the school kids, pile then into the sleigh or wagon, tuck hot bricks under the blankets, and take them to school.
After high school, Louise worked for the Missoula telephone company before she enlisted in the Army as one of only approximately 150,000 WAC’s.
She served her World War II tour as a Corporal, which included time stationed overseas in New Guinea.
After her stint in the military she returned home, moved to Spokane and attended Kinman Business University where she met a teacher, Robert (Bob) Falkner.
Louise ultimately married Bob, her husband of 57 years, on July 16, 1949.
She graduated from Kinman Business University, which later became Trend Business College, and had a brief stint with a local advertising agency before retiring to raise her family, which grew to three children; Diane, Denise and Don.
She had a strong faith in God and since 1950, she and Bob were active lifetime members of St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in North Spokane.
Over the years Louise was always a presence at church functions, including countless garage and bake sales, while serving in various capacities in the Women’s Club and St. Cecelia’s Guild.
If there was work to be done on or around the church, Louise was there.
She was preceded in death by her parents Louis and Elise, her husband Robert, her brothers and sisters Annie, Lynn, Jean, Roy, Bert, Edgar, and Petsie, her daughter Diane, son-in-law Bill, and all her numerous brothers and sisters-in-law.
Louise is survived by her daughter Denise Shellenberger, son Don (Linda) Falkner, grand- children Krista (Jeremy) Smith, Aaron Shellenberger, Tyler Shellenberger, Matthew (Nikki) and Tiffany Falkner, and great-grand- children Jordyn, Blake and Madison Falkner, and Isaiah and Michael Smith.
A Vigil/Rosary will be held at 7:00pm, Sunday, August 24th, at Hennessey Funeral Home, 2203 N. Division.
A Memorial Mass will be held at 10:00 am, Monday August 25th, at St. Francis of Assisi Church followed by burial at Holy Cross Cemetery.
In lieu of Flowers the family suggests donations in her memory to St. Francis of Assisi Church.
Many thanks to the loving and caring team at Royal Park Care Center where Mom spent her last couple of years.
To view Louise’s online memorial please visit www.Hennesseyfuneralhomes.com.