Ann Bird

Anna Marie Bird, age 95, passed away on Tuesday, September 6, 2022, at Cottonwood Care Home in Miles City.

Anna Marie Doran was born June 3, 1927 in Miles City, MT to John and Frances Mrogenski Doran. She was welcomed home by sister Evelyn. A few years later siblings Ruth, Jack and Dorothy completed the family. Ann attended grade school at Crow Rock and was a typical country kid at the time, helping care for sheep and cattle and exploring the sand rocks around their home. She moved to Miles City to attend Sacred Heart High School where she boarded with her grandparents John and Anna Mrogenski. She graduated as valedictorian of the Sacred Heart class of 1945. After high school she was employed at First National Bank of Miles City as a teller, where she met Harold Bird, a handsome young man from the southern end of Custer County.

Harold and Ann were married November 3, 1949 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church. Ann then moved to Volborg where she and Harold began their married life, raising eight children, growing small grains, alfalfa seed and Hereford cattle. They worked hard, Harold in the fields and Ann in the garden. She always had an amazing garden, sweet luscious strawberries, tomatoes by the bushel basket, string beans galore and come winter a pantry full of canned vegetables and fruit. She was the best cook; during grain harvest she would bring the noon meal to the field, typically consisting of fried chicken, mashed potatoes, gravy, string beans and ice cream topped with her own garden strawberries.

Ann enjoyed family trips to Miles City and holiday celebrations with her Mom, Jack and Clare, Ruth and Ray, their children and Dorothy. She also enjoyed the Bird families that visited at the ranch in the summer. She traveled to Hawaii and Ireland. Ann was a member, officer and hostess of the Coalwood Ladies Aid for 73 years. She participated in both the Powder River and Custer County fairs annually entering garden produce, beautiful flowers and handwork. She enjoyed bowling weekly in Broadus with her good friend, Camille McIntyre. She was also a member of the Powder River Posies garden club. In retirement she enjoyed volunteering at the museum in Broadus and working at the St. Vincent's thrift store. Ann faithfully supported St. David's Parish in Broadus and Sacred Heart Church in Miles City.

All of Harold and Ann's children graduated from college, Lynette from the U of M in Missoula and the boys from MSU in Bozeman. Then the family started to grow; from 1972 until 1993 she acquired one son-in-law and six daughters-in-law, along with fifteen grandchildren who loved to call her "Grandma". She continued to cook and care for a family that went from large to huge. She was quiet and kind, soft spoken and undemanding. In 2017 after hip replacement surgery she moved to Miles City.

She is survived by Lynette Kerbel of Billings, MT, Gary Bird of Bismarck, ND, Ken (Terri) Bird of Volborg, MT, Cliff (Kelly) Bird of Washburn, ND, Ed (Rae Ellen) Bird of Miles City, MT, Jim (Linda) Bird of Volborg, MT, Rob (Kathy) Bird of Bismarck, ND, Dorothy Doran of Miles City, MT, 15 grandchildren and 16 great grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by husband Harold Bird (1990), son Steve Bird (2003), son-in-law Keith Kerbel (2018), her parents and siblings Evelyn Rautio, Ruth Roos, Jack Doran as well as Harold’s brothers and sisters-in-law.

Family will receive friends on Monday, September 12, 2022 from 4:00-6:00 p.m. at Stevenson & Sons Funeral Home in Miles City. Funeral services will funeral services will be held Tuesday, September 13, 2022 at 10:00 a.m. at Stevenson & Sons Funeral Home in Miles City. Interment will follow in the Calvary Cemetery. Condolences may be sent to the family by visiting: http://www.stevensonandsons.com.

Memorials may be made to the Coalwood Ladies Aid, St David’s Parish, or charity of your choice.