Ramona "Terry" Therease Arvish

Our beloved wife, mom, grandma, sister, aunt and friend, Terry Arvish, 67, of Anaconda, passed away peacefully surrounded by her family at Community Hospital of Anaconda on Friday, July 10th. Her loss leaves an unimaginable hole in our family.

Terry, was born December 18, 1958 in Great Falls to Fred and Darlene (Martz) Kreitlow. As a young child she and her brother Jay lived in Westminster, California where Fred owned a service station. Westminster was a stone’s throw from both the beaches of the Pacific Ocean and Disneyland. She spent a great amount of time at both and dreamed of returning to both as often as she could. Her family also lived in Las Vegas where she often bowled at what was at that time, the world’s largest bowling alley. When she was still in elementary school her family moved to Anaconda where she made friendships that lasted a lifetime. She enjoyed everything that Anaconda had to offer including cruising the drag, movies at the Washoe, sneaking into bars and spending time with her cousins. After graduating from Anaconda High she spent a brief time at Montana State before returning to Anaconda for the rest of her life.

In 1977 she met our dad, Mike Arvish. Mike is the son of Bernard and Mary Louise Arvish. Even though she didn’t particularly like him at first he won her over. Mike took her fishing, cross country skiing and hunting, which were all new experiences. On May 6, 1978 they were married in the now demolished St. Paul’s Catholic Church in Anaconda. This union brought Terry a second family. She always considered Mike’s larger family, her family and did anything she could for any of them. Being married so young and away from home was a big adjustment but she fell into a rhythm by learning to cook and keep an immaculate home. Mike and Terry shared 48 years together with a kind of love and devotion that you can’t often find.

Terry worked at the Marcus Daly Motel, Fairmont Hot Springs and Dee Motors but her favorite and most important job was being a mom. In 1979 her son Christopher Michael was born. Even though she really wanted a girl she was over the moon to be a mom. He never learned to crawl because Terry and her mom would never stop holding him. In 1982 her dream came true and a fiery red-headed daughter, Nicole Rachelle, was born. She was the best mom a kid could ever ask for, there every step of the way throughout our childhood. She NEVER missed a sporting event, school play, parent-teacher conference or important event. She was famous for throwing birthday and Halloween parties, inviting every child in our class. Summers were spent camping at Copper Creek, traveling the backroads of Montana so Mike could fish, filling up the kiddie pool in our backyard, staying up with the kids until 1am watching Nick at Nite or running through the sprinklers. Many of Christopher and Nicole’s friends considered Terry a second mom. She continued to be active in her children’s lives all the way through college. She volunteered for the all night graduation parties and visited often when they were in the dorms at the University of Montana. Their college friends became her friends and she supported them any way she could as well.

In 2006 her greatest wish came true when her grand-daughter Kai was born. Terry loved being a grandma and would spend every second she could with Kai, reading books, watching movies, making cookies, building gingerbread houses, listening to music or playing dress up. In 2012 her grandson Liam was born and Terry got to learn all about dinosaurs, Pokemon, trucks and Five Nights at Freddys. She again never missed any of their activities and would tell anyone who listened how proud she was of both of them. One of her great joys was sending them to a Taylor Swift concert in Seattle and hearing Liam say it was the best day of his life.

Terry was a very artistic person. She painted ceramics once a week when there was a studio on East 4th. She made Halloween costumes for Christopher and Nicole and later, her grandchildren. Scrapbooking became a hobby she loved later in life. She made scrapbooks for each child, grandchild and each of her brother and sister-in-laws when her mother-in-law passed away.

Swimming with her sister-in-law Nola brought Terry great joy. They spent hours in the pool telling stories, sharing secrets and becoming really great friends.

Terry loved to bake/cook and was amazing at it. She made 3D Care Bear, Barbie and Star Wars birthday cakes for her kid’s birthday parties. She spent all summer making cookies and preparing meals for Mike and his brothers to take hunting. At the holidays she would make candies, cookies, divinity, fudge, povitica and danishes which she loved to share with family, friends and neighbors. She curated a collection of hand-written recipes which her family will use to carry on the tradition.

Next to her family, Terry’s true joy was the holidays. She loved Christmas more than just about anyone. The outside of her house was always immaculately lit up, with Mike’s help. The plastic Santa on the roof brings joy to the entire family. Her Christmas tree is legendary. From picking out the perfect tree to meticulously placing the hundreds of ornaments, it was perfect each year. She loved to shop for and wrap gifts for her kids, grandkids, neighborhood kids, nieces and nephews and eventually their children. She loved to host gatherings in her home on Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter, sometimes squeezing up to 25 people in their cozy living room.

Later in Terry’s life she found the joys of Facebook. She loved to play Candy Crush, look at cat videos and share recipes. There wasn’t a lost pet or missing child that she didn’t repost. Most importantly Facebook gave her a way to reconnect with old friends. She was able to keep up with family and friends who lived far away. Recently she was part of a lunch bunch friends group who met once a month. Nonnie Willing, Linda Moodry, Connie Ryan, Sue Sullivan, Judy Blaz and Renee Siders called themselves “The High School Hotties” and brought great joy to Terry with reminiscing, laughing and sharing stories of their families.

Terry’s children will carry on all of the good she did to ensure her legacy lives on.

Terry was preceded in death by her parents, grandparents, mother and father in-law, brother-in-law Leo Arvish and her soul cat, Waylon.

Terry is survived and missed by her husband Mike; her son Christopher (Jennifer), daughter Nicole (Jason); granddaughter Kai, grandson Liam; brother Jay (Jackie); sisters-in-law Nola, Ellen, Rose and Ruth, brothers-in-law Rich and John (Troy), nieces Addie and Sam, nephews Jer and Keagan and their spouses and children; many cousins, including her special friend/cousin Dana Beardslee; her dear friends Nonnie Willing, Debbie and Ray Puccinelli, Anita and Kerry Orchin and Jodi and Dave McCarthy. She also leaves behind her fur babies Zeke and Whiskey.

Terry’s family would like to thank the amazing doctors, nurses, CNAs and respiratory therapists at Community Hospital of Anaconda for their extraordinary care over the last few years.

A memorial service will be held at The Revolver, 221 E. Park St., Anaconda, on Saturday, August 1st from 1:30-3:30 p.m. Food & refreshments provided. Please dress casually.

In lieu of flowers please consider a donation to one of Terry’s favorite causes, Pintler Pets or St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital.

We love you mom!

Longfellow Finnegan Riddle Funeral Home is privileged to care for Terry and her family.