Francine Skillen

Born to Frank and Naomi Hegg Haugrud on April 21, 1938, Mom (Francine Mary Haugrud Skillen) ended her journey in the same place where she was born, St. Vincent's. She grew up on the family place at Molt with her siblings Roger, Jan, and Linda, and she was the first to admit she was not meant for life on a farm. She attended Two Pine School through eighth grade (and shared many memories of her time at the little school) then graduated from Billings Senior High School in 1956. She joked that she walked through the doors at Eastern before deciding higher education was not her calling. At a September 1957 wedding of a friend, she met Charlie Skillen, and the two were wed November 14 of that same year. They lived in Hardin, Helena, a short time in Chicago, and then Bozeman before settling in Billings. In 1967, they started their family with Tanna, then Glenda, then Shane. Mom worked in a lot of capacities (switchboard operator, bank teller, fabric store clerk, and seamstress), but her favorite role was being a mom and grandma. Mom adored her grandkids especially and loved hearing about their endeavors. She was an excellent cook (bread, soups, pies, cinnamon rolls - she could do it all!), and she was an exceptional seamstress. She loved crossword puzzles, had a keen mind for math, and was an avid reader. With the final move to Hysham in 1996, Grandma was daycare to the Robison granddaughters while she and Dad created Fort Orchard. She loved gardening and turned the yard into a haven for birds with her flowers and feeders. Mom was a champion of the underdog, and she loved unconditionally. She loved eating at Famous Dave's, taking road trips, riding the senior bus, and discovering the new sense of community she found after Dad passed away. Always a shy homebody type, she became courageous and found a new circle of friends as she trekked around Hysham to the bank, the post office, the Corner, and the Presbyterian Church. It is impossible for us to remember Mom without remembering Dad; he had great joy in bedeviling her although he tried not to take it too far because “You should never anger the cook.” When we lost Dad, we lost his steadfast way of knowing the right thing to do next, but Mom anchored us and helped us figure out how to move forward. Francine Mary Haugrud Skillen left us suddenly on July 21, and while we love her and miss her, we know there was a celebration when she was reunited with Dad, her parents, and good friends and relatives who preceded her. She is survived by her siblings Roger (Diana) Haugrud, Jan Bernhardt (Jack Kukowski), Linda (Don) Miller, along with sister-in-law Teddy (Jerry) Dietrich; and her children Shane Skillen (Lacy McConnell), Tanna (Matt) Harman, and Glenda (Wayne) Skillen-Robison, and grandkids Kayleigh, Kinsey, Shiloh, Piper, and Owen and great-grandson Matthew. Numerous nieces, nephews, friends, and cousins were dear to her as well, along with the Treasure County Senior Citizens and the congregation of the Presbyterian Church. Services will be held Monday, July 30, at the Community Presbyterian Church in Hysham at 10:00 a.m. The Skillen children cannot give enough thanks to all the folks who were so good to Mom.