Ione Lois Fitzpatrick

Ione Lois Fitzpatrick passed away on September 20, 2023, in Polson, Montana. Ione was born on August 10, 1934, in Sidney, Montana to Louis E. and Mabel L. Pollard. She was the second of three children. She attended Newlor School, 5 miles from Sidney, Montana, through the 7^th grade. The family moved to Columbia Falls, Montana in 1947. Ione graduated from Hoads School of Beauty in 1952. She worked at Lavelles Beauty Shop for three years before moving to Ronan, Montana and opening her own beauty shop in 1956.

Ione met and married Thomas Gale Fitzpatrick of Hot Springs, Montana in 1959. To this union 4 sons were born, and later Mary Ann Matt came into their lives through foster care and raised by Tom and Ione as their daughter with the Fitzpatrick boys. Son Thomas Daniel (Arlene) Fitzpatrick of Curlew, Washington, grandsons, Bo Daniel (Ashley) and Jason; son Brett Joseph (Elisha) Fitzpatrick of  Polson, Montana, grandson, Payton (Katelynn), and great-grandsons, Nolan and Ryan, grandson, Grey (Shelbi) Fitzpatrick, great-grandson, Case;  son Jack Edward (Barbara) Fitzpatrick of Polson, Montana, grandson, Loren (Raychel) and great-grandchildren, Conan, Alethea, Samuel, and Elijah, granddaughters Dillon and Katie (Jake) Fitzpatrick; son Zane Gale (Sandi) Fitzpatrick of Polson, Montana, grandsons, Tim (Courtney), Bridger, and Caden; daughter Mary Ann Matt (family) of Ronan, Montana.

Ione always had a way to bring family together. With everyone’s busy lives, she made sure to bring everyone back together and to appreciate what’s most important…family.  She always made sure everyone was doing good and well taken care of.  Ione mastered the craft of homemade bread, cinnamon rolls, and dinner rolls. She baked amazing pies. She also loved to play cards, Yahtzee, and other games. She was hard to beat at any kind of card game. During calving and lambing season, she always kept a pot of coffee and a card game going for all the guys between shifts of checking stock. She also loved to fish and once caught a 25 lb. salmon in Washington with her son, Dan. She loved to see all the baby lambs, calves, and colts born every year and was always good for advice on gardening. She was a wonderful mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, aunt, and friend to many. She will be forever loved and missed.

She is preceded in death by her parents, husband Thomas Fitzpatrick, brother Mandel Pollard, and nephew Claude Smith.