Ann Halubka

Ann Elizabeth Fraser Halubka passed away peacefully with friends and family present. Born, March 4, 1943, Ann grew up in Billings, MT. She graduated from Billings Senior High School in 1962. Ann was afflicted with cerebral palsy at birth and had to struggle with that affliction all her life. Ann is the embodiment of the history of the Montana Center on Disabilities and a testament to its success. Ann was one of the first children who attended the Cerebral Palsy Center in the basement of McMullen Hall. She later earned a B.S. in English in 1968 from then Eastern Montana College. She was in the first class of students in 1970 to earn an M.S Degree in Rehabilitative Services. While attending college, in 1964, Ann met the love of her life, Mark Sasich. They were married on April 15, 1965. On October 22, 1965, their son, Mark James Sasich was born. Tragically in July 1966 her husband, Mark was killed in a car accident in Cooke City. In January 1971, Ann moved to Kalispell to teach at the Flathead Valley Community College. While there she met Ray S. Halubka and married in 1973. In 1976 Ann, Ray, and her son Mark, moved to Denmark, South Carolina, to teach Independent Living Skills for three months. In 1976, they returned to Billings, where Ann opened her own counseling practice and taught various courses in rehabilitation for the College of Allied Health and Human Services at Montana State University-Billings. She enjoyed professional success as a Licensed Professional Counselor and a Certified Chemical Dependency Counselor. In addition, she worked as a drug and alcohol counselor at Rimrock Foundation and at Alternative's Inc., the local pre-release center. In 2007, Ann received the prestigious award from the Montana Hall of Fame for Leaders with Disabilities. Ann was always involved in community service. For approximately 12 years Ann served on the board of Directors of the Yellowstone AIDS Project. She provided group and individual therapy for such clients on a volunteer basis. Ann is preceded in death by her father James G Fraser; mother Marion Kimball Fraser; maternal grandparents Ina V. and John B. Kimball; sister Jean Leslie Fraser Bush; Ben Bush; husbands Mark L. Sasich and Ray S. Halubka; sister-in-law Joanne Fraser and her daughter, Allison. Ann is survived by her brother, James Fraser; son, Mark James Sasich (Oleena) ; adopted daughter, Lisa Pank (Don); nieces Rebecca Bush Mann (Charles); and nephews Jamie Fraser (Allison); John Fraser. Ann had been “knocked down” by her circumstances more than once. She experienced a cranial aneurysm, three automobile accidents, was dropped from a gurney at a hospital in Salt Lake City and has undergone numerous surgeries and hospitalizations. During that time, she experienced the death of both of her husbands and was faced with the necessity to live on her own without a partner to share in the daily duties. Ann believed in Angels because as many of her friends and family will admit she was one. She will be missed greatly. The memorial service will 2:00 PM, Monday, April 25, 2022, at Unity Church of Christianity, located at 9 14th St. W., Billings, MT. Burial of the urn to follow at Mountview Cemetery, 1721 Central Avenue. The family has asked that memorial donations be made to AIDSpirit USA, PO Box 30734, Billings, MT 59107, aidspiritusa@gmail.com.