Agnes "Dolly" Treece Obituary (1936

Dolly Treece, 86, Eureka, MT, passed away peacefully on Friday, March 17, 2023, at Buffalo Hills Retreat in Kalispell, MT. Dolly was born December 31, 1936, in Eureka, MT, to Elmer and Ovella (Cook) Roberts. She was born at home and was named Agnes Marie, after the midwife who delivered her. As a baby, she was given the nickname Dolly, as her dad said she looked like a little dolly. She attended Pinkham School and Lincoln County High School, graduating with the class of 1955. She was working as a waitress when she met Billy Ray Treece. He would frequent the restaurant and always had a handful of children with him. She didn't have much interest in him because of all the children, until she learned they were the Burgess kids, just friends of his. Billy Ray and Dolly married in Sandpoint, Idaho on April 7, 1956, and were married 59 years before Bill's passing on April 13, 2015. They were blessed with 7 children, including 2 sets of twins. Dolly loved gardening and raising flowers. She had a greenhouse for many years and would winter many friends' plants year after year. Her yard was always a beautiful display of the flowers that her green thumb yielded. Dolly could never pass by a garage sale without stopping. As she got older, garage sales were the social highlight of her day and she always managed to bring back a treasure that someone "needed". She loved reading romance novels, knitting, and collecting recipe books. When the children were younger, the family spent many weekends camping, fishing and boating around the area with family and friends. Dolly and Bill enjoyed bowling in a league with friends Norma and Bill McKinney. She worked diligently on her family genealogy and was fortunate to meet a lot of distant relatives from all over the world, but especially from the West Virginia area. She enjoyed listening to bluegrass and old country music. Dolly also enjoyed attending family and class reunions, and was still very close with her school classmate and friend of 71 years, Audrey Howe. After her children went off to school, she went to work outside the home. From tying Christmas trees, to cleaning hotel rooms, to cooking at the Mountain View Manor; she was not afraid of hard work. She was preceded in death by her parents, Elmer and Ovella Roberts; husband Billy Ray; daughter Toni; son Doug; brother Roy Roberts; sister Rita Faye Miller; and brother-in-law George Miller. Dolly is survived by her children, Karen (Dave) Helmrick, their children Sara(Brendan), Jeremy(Natalie) and Craig, Troy, MT; twin sons Kevin (Jaci) Treece, their children Jordan(Stacy), Jaden(Taylor), and Taylor; Keith (Diane) Treece, their children Cole, Samantha, Melanie(Bryce) and Clay; and twin daughters Loralee(Jo) Treece, their children Cebren(Amber) and Trent, all of Kalispell, MT; Luann Treece and Madison, Santee, CA; along with Toni's children Charity(Todd) Townsend, Justin(Ana) Walker, Kyle Walker, Xyane (Stephanie) Vredenberg; and Doug's children, Brittiney Cosgrave, Kayla Treece and Dani Treece. She is also survived by 17 great grandchildren; Lucas, Alaina and Jared Townsend, Aiden, Liam and Elise Walker, Olin Walker, Max Vredenberg, Trinidy Nelson, Torianna Cosgrave, Piper Treece, Cheyenne Wakefield, Cierra Hawk, Emma Flannigan, Blaine Nixdorf, Annabelle and Jeremiah Treece and Treece twins; and a great grandson and granddaughter due in August. She is also survived by her sister-in-law, Shirley Roberts Butts; special neighbor Joyce Hudson, Shelly Treece and many adored nieces and nephews. A graveside service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, April 8, 2023, at the Tobacco Valley Cemetery in Eureka, MT, with a gathering to follow immediately after the service at the Riverstone Family Lodge, north Eureka. Arrangements are under the care of the Schnackenberg Funeral Home of Eureka. Online condolences and memories may be shared by visiting www.schnackenbergfh.com.