Magdalene Winslow

Magdalene Winslow, 97, lived a long and full life and died on Ash Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2012, in Billings. Magdalene was born May 5, 1914, on a small farm east of Joliet to Meta (Albers) and Joseph B. Buller. Of the seven siblings, she was the only one not born in Billings. Magdalene attended Fratt Catholic School and graduated from Billings High School in 1932. She attended A.W. Johnson School of Business in Billings and worked for Dr. R.J. Hanley in the Hart-Albin Building, Nielsen Freight Lines, and Carpenter Paper Company. On April 27, 1940, she and Frank Chancelor Winslow were married at St. Patrick's Church in Billings. Father Bernard Topel, a great-uncle and later bishop of the Diocese of Spokane, officiated. Their first year, Magdalene and Frank moved 11 times in eastern Montana while he worked for the Montana Highway Department, living in a small travel trailer. On March 24, 1941, Wendelin “Wendy” was born in Forsyth. A job offer with Phillips Petroleum took the family to Woods Cross, Utah, where Sally Ann was born in Salt Lake City on Feb. 25, 1945. Phillips also took the Winslows to Pocatello, Idaho, Great Falls, and to Spokane, where the family resided for 38 years. Larry “Skip” was born in Spokane on Dec. 14, 1953. Magdalene worked for Spokane County for 18 years, eight years as the Marriage License Clerk. She retired in 1982. Frank passed away on Feb. 24, 1973. Magdalene moved back to Billings in 1987 to help care for her mother, Meta, who lived to be 103, and her older sister, Dorothy. Magdalene made friends easily, which was especially true in 2004 when she moved to Westpark Village retirement home. Magdalene had a keen memory, good health, and lots of friends whom she kept in touch with faithfully. She is survived by children, Col. Wendelin (Jeanie) Winston Winslow, USA retired, of Fairfax, Va.; Brig. Gen. Sally Ann Eaves, USAFR retired, of Arvada, Colo.; and Lawrence Francis “Skip” Winslow of Billings; brother Russell Jerome Buller of Marshall, Mich.; sister-in-law Kerstin Buller of Spokane; grandchildren, Trevor Eaves of Melbourne, Fla., Lindsay (Jessica) Eaves of Lakewood, Colo., and Christian Eaves of Arvada; great-granddaughter, Clara Rose Eaves, and special friend and former daughter-in-law Maria Winslow of Great Falls. Besides her parents and husband, she was preceded in death by her sister, Dorothy, and brothers John, Joe, Henry, and Jerry. Service: Services will be Tuesday morning at St. Thomas the Apostle Church, with Rosary at 9:15, Funeral Mass at 10, and reception at Westpark Village at 11:30. Burial will be 11 a.m. Wednesday at Sunset Hills Cemetery in Bozeman.