Odelia Mitschke

Odelia Emelia (Mosbrucker) Mitschke passed away peacefully, surrounded by her family on Feb. 14, 2014, in Helena, after a short illness. She was 82.

Dilly was born May 17, 1931, in Senate, Saskatchewan, to Florian and Monica (Matz) Mosbrucker. She and her sisters and brother were raised on the family farm in Havre, Mont.

She achieved her A.S. degree in social work from Northern Montana College. After a grand adventure of working for the FBI in Washington, D.C., she returned to Montana and worked as a social worker on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation in Browning. She loved her work there and was even adopted into the tribe as an honorary Blackfoot.

It was in Browning that she met Thomas (Tommy) Mitschke in 1954, and entered into a romance that would last 52 years until his death in 2006. Tommy and Dilly raised their five children, Gregory, Eric, Karl, Gretchen and Aaron in Bozeman and Missoula, Mont., and Lynwood and Bremerton Wash.

Mom was a wonderful wife and mother and the smartest, funniest and most fun person to be around. Her wonderful laugh would fill up a room. We were so blessed to be her children.

Dilly was preceded

in death by her parents; and sisters; Jenny Hanson and Mary Armstrong; her brother, Frank; husband, Tommy; son, Gregory; and son-in-law, Greg Mayes. Preceding her as well were brothers-in-law, Walt Hanson, Lee Garding, Mac McNair, Herb Armstrong and John, Irvin, Walter, Bill, Alvin, and Milton Mitchke; and sisters-in-laws, Peggy Jordan and Vivian Hull.

Survivors include sisters, Pat Garding and Margaret McNair of Billings; sister, Anna (Russell) Rismon; sister-in-law, Bonnie Mosbrucker of Havre; her children, Eric Mitschke; and his girlfriend Angela Jones of South Jordan, Utah; Karl (Sherry) Mitschke, Gretchen Mayes (Maurice Smith) of East Helena; and Aaron Mitschke of Helena. She is also survived by numerous nieces, nephews, and in-laws.

In accordance with her wishes, she was cremated and will be interred with her husband at Fort Harrison Veterans' Cemetery. Services will be held at a later date.

Memorials are preferred to St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital.