Jean Diane (Olsen) Gifford, 76, died Wednesday April 22, 2009, at her home north of Havre, Mont, after a nine-year battle with ovarian cancer.
Cremation has taken place, and her memorial service will be 11 a.m. Monday April 27, 2009, at the First Presbyterian Church with Pastor John Chapman officiating. A fellowship luncheon will be held immediately after the service at the church reception hall. Memorials in Jean’s honor may be made to the First Baptist Church, Havre, youth hockey or the Boys and Girls Club of the Hi-Line. Arrangements have been entrusted to Holland & Bonine Funeral Home. Jean was born Aug. 31,1932 in Duluth, Minn. To Thorwald and Borghild (Holton) Olsen. She was raised and educated in Minnesota. Jean worked as a nurses assistant at the Shriners Hospital in Minneapolis. In 1952 she moved to Montana, she met John McIntosh and the couple married in 1953. They raised four children on the family farm north of Havre. The couple later divorced. Jean worked at the Sacred Heart Hospital in Havre and had a Norwegian shop in her home. She also worked for St. Jude Thaddeus parish, cleaning the rectory and doing the cooking, cleaning and baking for father. Jean was an excellent baker and cook, two things she enjoyed. She also liked to bowl, watch bull riding on television and ice skating. She volunteered at the Northern Montana Hospital for years and was a member of the hospital auxiliary. She was a classy lady who was always dressed to go anywhere. She married Glen G. Gifford in 2000. She was preceded in death by her parents, her two husbands, John McIntosh in 2008 and Glen G. Gifford in 2007; two sons, Roger and Mike McIntosh; two brothers, Tom and Harry Olsen. Jean is survived by her two children, daughter, Gayle (Dennis) Keller of North Havre, Mont. And son, Chuck (Jaime) McIntosh of Havre, Mont.;. daughter in-law, Tina McIntosh of Las Vegas, Nev.; stepson, Thadd (Darr) Gifford of Great Falls, Mont.; brothers, Dick (Gladys) Olsen of Minnesota; Bill (Darlene) Olsen of Havre, Mont.; and sister, Betty (Don) Jones of Reno, Nev.; step-brother Larry (Deb) Knutson of Wisconsin; grandchildren, AJ (Lorrie) Keller and their children Nickolas and Jakob; Rusty (Leslie) Keller and their children, Tim and Selena of Great Falls, Mont., Crystal (Brian) and Sommer (Jaime), their son Wyatt McIntosh all of Las Vegas, Nevada; Brandelle McIntosh of Seattle, Washington; Ashley Tilleman of Missoula, Mont.; stepgrandsons: Austin (Tanya) Gifford and their children Nick and Alex of Great Falls, Mont.; and Rod (Alley) Carrol and their children Cole and Brooklyn of Bozeman, Mont;. Several nieces and nephews.
