Pamela Jones-Hahn
July 14, 1949 - December 12, 2023
Obituary
Pam's life ended far too soon, at age 74 on Tuesday, 12 December 2023 after a short illness.
Pam was born on 14 July 1949 at St. Vincent Hospital in Billings, MT to Warren (Buck) Baxter Jones and Mary (Scotty) Crawford Parsons. Pam came full circle, passing in the same facility in which she was born.
Pam was followed by brothers Bill and Bob and grew up as the fourth generation roaming the creek bottoms and hills of the family ranch, Twodot Land & Livestock Co. at Harlowton MT.
Pam began her education in the one-room Langston School located on the American Fork south of Harlowton. Attending elementary and starting high school in Harlowton, Pam eventually went East and graduated from Abbot Academy in Andover, MA in 1967. Pam attended UC Berkley in the turbulent late '60s and worked as a reporter for the Berkley Barb, an underground newspaper, being tear-gassed on occasion. Pam transferred to and went on to graduate from the University of Montana in 1973 with a BA in English and Education and then earned an MBA from UCLA in 1982.
Pam married Ed Hahn on 28 July 1979 at the family home on the ranch at Harlowton.
Pam built an admirable career first at the Montana Department of Education, followed by the Montana Crime Commission as author of the Community Crime Prevention Report. She then moved to Northern, California where she was a successful National Account manager for the San Francisco Newspaper Agency, publisher of the Chronicle and Examiner. Moving to Redondo Beach CA, Pam worked in high-tech sales for the next 24 years mostly with Digital Equipment Co. where she became a Director after transferring to Hong Kong where she and Ed lived happily for over 20 years. She finished her Hong Kong residency as an Account Manager for PDI, an Executive Development firm. In 2013 she and Ed moved back to the US and Billings MT where they both enjoyed an active retirement.
In addition to keeping her Program Management Certificate active by attending meetings and conferences, she was very active with the American Association of University Women creating and managing the Bites and Beverages semi-annual social and educational event. Her dedication to walking and hiking was limitless. She power walked for at least two hours every morning for 40+ years. Brother Bill said his phone would ring at 5 AM and he knew Pam was on a walk and texting about one thing or the other. In Hong Kong, Pam hiked the many wilderness and mountainous trails with the American Woman's Association and after moving to Montana she hiked the Pryors and Big Horn Mountain trails as well as doing weekend hikes in places like Yellowstone National Park, the Terry Badlands and Makoshika State Park. Pam was an active member of the Northern Plains Resource Council and the Wilderness Society. Her passion for the arts manifested itself in both personal and financial support for the Billings Symphony and the Yellowstone Art Museum as well as the NOVA Center for the Performing Arts in its many forms from Dramatic Theatre to Opera, etc. More recently she became an active bird watcher as a member of the Audubon Society.
Pam's enduring passion, though, was for travel, much like her mother. Over the years Pam managed to visit every continent except Antarctica on business, with husband Ed, or on solo adventures. It is hard to name her favorite places, but she was most taken by China, India, Taiwan, Peru, Italy, Portugal, Spain, Israel, Egypt, Montana, New York State and City, and California. At the time of her passing, she and Ed had plans to be in South America during December, cruise the St. Lawrence Seaway in the spring, and visit Southern Italy and Sicily next summer.
Preceded in death by her parents Mary (Scotty) and Warren (Buck) Jones and her youngest brother Bob on 11 December 2022, she is survived by her loving husband of 44 years, Ed; brother Bill, and his wife Debbie and Sister-in-law Diane Jones, all of Harlowton. Stepson Michael Hahn of Cortez, CO. Nieces Nicole (Chris) Pinkerton, Brady and Isaac, Louisville, KY; Erin (Eugen) Graf, Geno and Razel, Bozeman, MT; Ashley (Josh) Henigman, Henry and Natalie, Bozeman, MT; Amy (Jeff) Moore, Ava, Lila, Grace, Big Timber, MT; Alli Jones (Harrison White) Gib and Tucker, Two Dot, MT; Nephews Zachary Jones (Shannon), Scotland and River, Bozeman, MT; Adam Jones (Christy), Kimber, Harlowton, MT, Jenn Perkins, Jocelyn and James, Denver, CO Chris (Stephanie)Hess, Larkin and Lennon, Forsyth, MT and grandaughter Kimberly, Baguio, The Philippines.
A Memorial Celebration of her life is planned for April 6, 2024, and will be held at the Billings Depot and zoomed around the world in order to be available to her many friends and co-workers. If desired, friends and relatives can make memorial contributions to The Billings Symphony, 2820 2nd Ave. N, Billings, MT 59101, https://billingssymphony.org/support/ or the Yellowstone Art Museum 401 North 27th Street, Billings, MT 59101 https://www.artmuseum.org/engage/join-give/. The family would like to express appreciation to the staff at St. Vincent's Hospital in Billings for the unstinting care and concern they delivered on Pam's last journey. The family is being assisted by Dahl Funeral Home.