Laura Mae “Laurie” Bellows, 83, of Bozeman passed away peacefully on Wednesday, October 20, 2022.
Laurie was born on April 17, 1939, in Bozeman, MT to Bill and Byrdeen (Reese) Pasha. While growing up on her parent’s farm on Cottonwood Creek, she’d help out with barley harvest, dairy cattle, and putting up alfalfa hay.
In high school, she took pack trips into the Spanish Peaks and Yellowstone Park. She also broke steers and would ride them to the Anderson School or in the Bozeman parades. She graduated from Bozeman High School in 1956.
On December 27, 1957, Laura married the love of her life Robert Bellows in Helena, MT. Together, they would be blessed with 64 years of marriage and 4 children: Donna, Bill, Norm, and David.
While Bob was getting his doctorate at the University of Wisconsin, she worked for the genetics department there. She also was a secretary in the department of zoology at Montana State University. While Bob was working late on his academic projects after spending all day working cattle or sheep, she would sit below the desk and rub his feet. But of all the jobs she had, her primary and favorite job was being a mother and grandmother.
After Laurie’s mom passed away, Laurie took over the Miles City chapter of the American Cancer Society and was often the sole volunteer for many years. She also volunteered as a teacher’s aide in the grade schools in Miles City, volunteering in her children’s classrooms. She often stayed up and had fresh cinnamon rolls ready when her kids or travelers were arriving at the house late at night.
Other things Laurie was involved in included the Custer County Home Demonstration Club, Babysitting Coop, and neighborhood Bible study. She was known for having the best chocolate chip cookies, hot fudge sundae cake, and for her famous sweet bean casserole.
Bob and Laurie lived in Miles City for 38 years before returning to Bozeman in 2000. When asked, she would tell anyone she, “never lived a day in Miles City that she regretted”,
The most important thing to Laurie was her faith, and she lived that every day by always putting others first. She made her choice to serve God at White Creek Convention in 1960 and was baptized in Bozeman in 1963.
Laurie was preceded in death by her parents and brother, Don.
She is survived by her husband of 64 years, Robert; children, Donna (Mark) Bradley of Miles City, Bill (Christine) of Billings, Norm (Sue) of Miles City, and David (Katie) of Dalhart, TX; and grandchildren, Noah, Charleigh, Brendan, Ashlyn, Austin, Jared, Jess, Caleb, and Gracie. Laurie will also be missed by many other family and friends.
In lieu of flowers, memorials are appreciated to Spring Creek Inn Memory Care Community of Bozeman or the Bozeman or Miles City chapters of American Cancer Society.
A special “thank you” to all of Laurie’s friends over the years.
A Visitation will be held on Monday, October 24 from 5 to 7 P.M. at Dokken-Nelson Funeral Service. Additional Visitation will take place at Dokken-Nelson Funeral Service on Tuesday, October 25 from 12 P.M. until the time of the Service at 1 P.M. Interment will follow at Sunset Hills Cemetery.
All are welcome to a luncheon at the Bozeman United Methodist Church next to Dokken-Nelson following the interment.
