Montana senator’s mother dies at home in Hayden

Montana Sen. Jon Tester’s mother, Helen Tester, died Saturday of natural causes. She was 89.

The family says she died at her home in Hayden. Services were planned today.

Helen Marie Pearson was born in Amenia, N.D. She graduated from Big Sandy High School and the University of Montana. She taught school in Denton, Mont., before marrying David O. Tester in 1943. They moved to her parents’ farm near Big Sandy and operated a butcher shop. The couple retired in 1978 and moved to North Idaho.

“Helen Tester was a special woman who raised a family on the Montana values of hard work and integrity. She will be dearly missed,” said Patrick Devlin, communications director for Sen. Tester, D-Mont.

Helen Tester is survived by her three sons, David, Robert and Jon, along with five grandchildren, six great-grandchildren and her sister. She was preceded in death by her husband, parents, brother and a sister.