2025 Milestones

Marks Family 2025

Milestones 

September 13, 1975

On September 13, 1975 Ron and I got married in Bonners Ferry Idaho. During 2025, Ron and I found many opportunities to celebrate and appreciate the fifty years we have had together.

A huge milestone this year has been our health! After surgery in January, Ron did his usual stride to recuperate which allowed us to camp, boat and hike some beautiful places.

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In June we spent a week at Holden Village. Our first visit and such a amazing place. The boat ride and bus ride to get there was an adventure. The views and hikes were amazing. No technology was actually quite refreshing. People talking to people or reading a book! The workshops were inspiring. 

One of many waterfalls

Lots of walking. 100,000 steps in a week! Ron went backpacking with a friend for the first time in maybe 10 years. My biggest accomplishment was a record 9.7 mile hike with a 1200 elevation gain to Hart Lake.

Ron's camping spot

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CELEBRATING 50 YEARS!

In July we invited our siblings, their kids and grandkids to join us for a weekend retreat at Flathead Lutheran Bible camp to celebrate our 50 years of marriage. We enjoyed hiking, swimming visiting, and more visiting. We were blessed to have all my siblings and their spouses along with Ron’s sister Terri and her husband Jeff and nieces and nephews and their kids! 

Family hike to Sunset Point

A real highlight was our vow renewal service at the beautiful pavilion. Our grandkids & Liz read the scriptures, and we renewed our vows using the same vows we had written in 1975.

Daughter Liz, organized a shoe game- with trivia to find out how well we knew each other. The question that was the stumping question was’ Who makes the coffee? I said “I do”. Ron said “I do”. To be fair, I make the coffee the night before and turn on the timer. Ron comes out, pours it and brings me a cup of coffee every morning. So we both do make the coffee, right?

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ADVENTURES. In August, we enjoyed a camping trip with the grandkids to Mussigbrod Lake. Freddie and Bethany loved exploring with their kayaks. We enjoyed card games, chopping wood, smores, playing cars in the dirt and more.

Other adventures included many hikes, a visit back to Bonners Ferry to find the trees Ron planted the week before we got married, picking huckleberries and numerous floats on the river enjoying a "lunch with a view".

Lunch with a view! 

When we aren't out on adventures, we are busy with church and our community and caring for our grandkids.   Ron mows the lawn, makes the communion bread and is “Papa fixit” for Immanuel preschool.  I’ve been busy with Family Promise helping to implement a stabilization program called “Just Neighbors” to support families after they get out of shelter. 

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REMODEL Another milestone, we had our roof replaced- not an easy (nor cheap)  task with 3 skylights, a flat roof and several pitches to deal with.  We also transformed our laundry room into a “vestibule” (too expensive to be called a laundry or mud room) that includes new floor, walls, washer, dryer cupboards– a very functional space to assist us in transitioning to our yard, and adventures!   

Joe "I'm workin on the roof.. Noisy!"

The "Vestibule

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Erik will be finishing up his last class to earn a post-graduate certificate in Non-Profit Administration and is enjoying the learning. He and his niece and nephews enjoy each other’s company.

The boys enjoying a Griz Game!

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Liz and Chris are still in Haverhill, Massachusetts. Liz is teaching at Merrimack College and Chris is enjoying his role as Process Flow Manager for a manufacturing company. We had a great visit with them when they came home in July. I’d say their milestone was doing the Polar Plunge at sunrise into Flathead Lake --- BRRR!

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Ike and Kathie continue to work hard and enjoy raising three wonderful children.

Bethany, age 10, took a trip to Thailand in November with her mom. She got to ride on an elephant and pet a capybara. She’s playing soccer, piano and learning to play the flute.

Adventures in Thailand

Freddie, age 7, got his own kayak this year and enjoyed the fact he was “in control” and could go where he wanted.. He is making music on the piano and loves anything military.

Joe, age 3, started preschool in the fall and can keep up with his siblings doing most anything.

A favorite milestone for Ron was going hunting with Ike, Freddie and Joe!

Three generations hunting

One of my favorite moments was watching and listening to the three grandchildren play a “trio” of Jingle Bells at our Church “Sharing our Gifts” evening.  Bethany was on flute, Freddie on piano… and Joe, not to be left out, played the bells. Love seeing their musical talents and self confidence!

We hope your year has been a blessing to you as ours has been us. If you get to Missoula, be sure and stop and see us if we aren’t off on some adventure!

Ron and Nancy (by Nancy)

2024 Cousins..Cousins..and More Cousins

2024 Cousins, Cousins and More Cousins

Growing up, meeting up with my cousins was always fun.  We would get together for holidays and when we all lived in Great Falls, we’d meet on Sundays!  Lots of fond memories. When we were raising our kids, we did the same.  We’d make trips to Great Falls or Bonners Ferry and meet up with our siblings and their kids.  Our kids made memories with their cousins!  Now we have moved onto the next generation.  This year our grandkids had opportunities to spend time with many of their second cousins!  

On Memorial Day, the Montana Marks clan gathers in Helena to honor the memory of Ron’s parents.  We usually meet at the cemetery, tell a few stories, share a prayer or two and shed a few tears.  As the family has grown, we’ve found a park with play equipment and bring a picnic lunch.  Even though we all live in Montana, it seems like it is the one time of the year we see each other!   It’s been fun as we bring our children and their children along too!   In December Ron’s brother Ken celebrated his 70th birthday and Ron and Kathie took the grandkids to meet a couple more second cousins! 

This summer Ike, Kathie and their kids and Ron and I took a trip to California.  We spent a couple of days in Pacific Grove with Ron’s sister Lorrie and husband John and enjoyed watching the relationship grow between their grandchildren and ours. We spent time at the ocean and the Monterey Aquarium with niece Whitney and her kids.    We then traveled north with a stop at niece Noelle’s house to spend a few hours with her family.

Then onward to Grass Valley to meet up with all four of my siblings, their spouses, their kids and 15 of their grandchildren.  We spent a very hot Fourth of July in and out of my brother Joe’s swimming pool, enjoying lots of popsicles and spending time visiting.   The cousins and second cousins had a great time together.   Check out the video of the week! 

OUR FAMILY UPDATE

Ron and I continue to enjoy our time together.  We try to walk every day. After Ron had surgery in May for a torn muscle in his hip, we couldn’t hike or camp much, but our garden flourished.  I made some very tasty marinara.   We continue to enjoy our role as grandparents. Ron does the lawn and makes communion bread at church. I enjoy my organizer role for the church and working with Family Promise of Missoula- supporting families experiencing homelessness. 

Ike is the Engineering Director with Diversified Plastics, and Kathie is a civil engineer for BLM.   Their three kids are a joy.  Bethany, age 9- an avid reader, plays the piano, plays soccer and softball and a great big sister! She blessed our Christmas Eve service by singing a solo with the church choir.    Freddie, age 6, fell in love with hunting with Papa this fall and started piano lessons-he can’t walk by a piano without playing something.   Joe, age 2 loves to be outdoors with Papa.  He’s got his own toolbox and is Papa’s helper when it comes to fixing things.  A new puppy, Holly has joined their family which should make 2025 an interesting year!  

Erik continues to make progress with life changes- he started a post graduate certificate program this fall and found success in higher education.  He enjoys his time with his niece and nephews and continues to work toward figuring out what that next chapter of his life will be. 

Liz and Chris are living in Haverhill, Massachusetts.  Liz teaches at Merrimack College and Chris is exploring a new career as a Process Flow Manager for a small precision manufacturing facility in Rowley, MA.  We enjoyed a great visit with them over Christmas.  

Blessings to all of you on this year new.  May 2025 be happy and healthy.   

Ron and Nancy

2023 Gratitude

 

2022 Joy Junk and Jesus

 2022- Joy, Junk, & Jesus

Another year has gone by.  This year's theme is Joy, Junk and Jesus! 

A year of much joy, a little junk and a lot of Jesus! 

Joy- the year was full of joy!

Gift from Liz for Christmas! 

• One of our biggest JOYS was that Liz graduated from LSU with her PhD in August.   

• The whole family flew to Baton Rouge to celebrate her accomplishment and we got to go to the Audabon Aquarium of the Americas in New Orleans.. and Freddie got to touch a stingray! 

• Liz and her husband Chris bought a house in Haverhill, MA. She is teaching at Merrimac College and Chris will start a new job as an attorney for the IRS in January. 

• Another great JOY was that grandson Joseph Kent Marks was born January 27, 2022 to Ike and Kathie.  Watching him grow and change has been a JOY to all around him - especially his big sister Bethany and big brother Freddie!  He even made his acting debut in the Christmas program at church as a wandering sheep! 

• Erik moved back to Missoula in March and has become the "favorite uncle"  We are enJOYing having him closer to us.  

• Ike and Kathie continue their busy lives as engineers and keeping up with 3 children. Kathie is becoming quite an accomplished quilter!  

• Bethany, age 7,  is a JOY as a big sister, an avid reader and enjoys sports and playing the piano. 

• Freddie, age 4, loves preschool and is learning his letters and numbers.  He's a builder and has a love of any kind of emergency vehicle and gadgets! 

Junk- a little junk (with Jesus mixed in)

• Not much junk this year-- except Ron had a knee surgery in March and has continued to struggle with his knee and hip.  Fortunately, we have still enjoyed some hiking, floating, camping and even cross-country skiing. 

• Our apple harvest was pretty minimal this year, but (here's the Jesus)  thanks to donations of apples from friends we were still able to make a sizable donation to our church preschool. 

Jesus- a lot of Jesus!

• Ron and I have seen Jesus often on our hikes and floats.  (The photo above is a statue we see when we float the river- always reminds us that Jesus is with us! )

• We see Jesus daily in our interactions with our family.  We were blessed to be all together at Christmas this year.  
  

• We continue to see Jesus through our church family. I keep busy volunteering at church and with Family Promise, a ministry supporting families experiencing homelessness. Ron takes care of the church lawn (with help this year) and continues to make communion bread and help out where needed.  He even preaches periodically and sees Jesus up close and personal. 

Finally- if you would like to see a few more photos of 2022, Check out our 2022 Family video! 

God has been good to us this year.  We are blessed to be surrounded by family and friends.  Blessings on your new year.    Do stay in touch and stop and see us if you are in Missoula! 

Blessings,

Nancy and Ron 

You can find us at

mslamarks@gmail.com  3524 South 3rd St West, Missoula, MT

Nancy’s blog: http://missoulamusings.blogspot.com

Nancy’s Youtube channel: http://youtube.com/mslamarks  

Baptism of our Lord- Grandma Myrtle's Painting

January 9, 2022

Grandma Myrtles Painting


Today’s gospel talked about Jesus being baptized in Bethany by John the Baptist.  In the 1920’s my Grandma Myrtle painted this 4 foot x 8 foot painting of where Jesus was baptized.  Grandma was one of the most faithful people I know.  She had a strong belief and shared that with others.  I always consider her one of my most faithful mentors.  

The painting hung in a baptistery of the Evangelical United Brethren Church on 16th and Central in Great Falls for over 50 years. My grandmother told me that she painted it on a piece of masonite because she couldn’t afford a canvas that big. She told me it was so big that Grandpa Joe had to tie it to the side of his vehicle (probably on the sideboards) to get it to the church. I can just picture someone holding onto it so it wouldn’t fall out in the ground as it traveled. 

1923 Grandma Myrtle with Dick (my dad) 

Ron’s sister Lorrie told me that the baptistery was behind a set of doors that was behind the altar.   The photo below is of John and Lorrie Bridges’ (Ron’s sister) wedding in the church in 1980.  The baptistery was behind the doors under the picture of Jesus.  When the doors were opened, Grandma’s picture would show through.  How cool is that!

When the church did a remodel in 1979, they were going to send the painting to the dump but a member rescued it. It happened to be the church Ron's mom and sisters attended and when the woman saw Ron and my wedding announcement in the church bulletin, she recognized my maiden name Fagenstrom as the same name as on the painting and asked if I wanted it. It hung in Ron’s parents basement until we bought our first house.


We first hung it on the dining room wall in our house on Sherwood in 1979. I remember Grandma Myrtle coming to visit (a stop over on her way to Bonners Ferry) and Ron had to quickly add a frame to the painting before she got there. Unfortunately the frame covered up her signature in the bottom right corner, but it’s still under the frame. 

Uncle Pete and Aunt Doris were looking at the painting and Grandma Myrtle said it was where Jesus was baptized.  Uncle Pete quipped, "That rock sure looks like a good place to fish!"  Aunt Doris said, "Pete that was where Jesus was baptized". He retorted, "It still looks like a good place to fish!" 

The painting has hung in every house we have lived in since then. We always had to have a house with a wall big enough to hang it on. It’s definitely the biggest painting Grandma ever painted!

As I read the gospel from John 1:28, I see that Jesus was baptized at Bethany on the other side of the Jordan.. Today I realized the painting will have to go to my granddaughter Bethany!