Darby – Esther L. “Brownie” Foss passed away February 19, 2017. She was born on August 2, 1925 in Missoula, MT to Thyra and Charles Ott.
Always the free spirit, deeply tanned “Brownie” could be found as a teenager on the back of a horse riding the hills and swimming the river on a ranch on Miller Creek south of Missoula.
The lure of nature filled her life with adrenalin-producing whitewater float trips: the Grand Canyon; the Tatshenshini in Alaska; Australia’s Snowy River, and the world’s wildest commercially run whitewater, Chile’s Bio Bio. She said, “I believe you should scare yourself ‘witless’ at least once a year. It’ll build your self confidence.”
Brownie trekked five days in the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness equipped with only fishing line and hooks, a knife, a tin cooking can, matches and a space blanket.
She lived off the grid north of Darby in a log cabin she and her sons built. She was articulate, tough and genteel, a retired bank teller, a former veterinarian’s assistant, and a wonderful mother to three children.
She was an avid rock collector, always wondering, “How do all these rocks keep crowding my home when I give them away regularly?” She enjoyed music and dancing and dearly loved her friends with whom she hiked the Bitterroot trails. In fact, she hiked to the tops of all the valley’s mountains!
He spirit lives on in those mountains. Her enthusiasm for living fully is carried in the hearts of those left behind.
Brownie is survived by sons Steven Foss and Allan Foss; daughter Donna Banning; brother Tom Ott; grandsons Michael Russ and Nathan Foss; granddaughters Angie Musilla, Kim Kinzer, Pam Crittenden and Crystal Banning, and eight great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents Charles and Thyra Ott and lifelong friend Marilyn Miller.
Family and friends are planning a private gathering at a later date.
We are so grateful for the support from Hospice of Missoula and for the kindness of those at Brothers Mortuary.
June Siple says
Dear Steve Foss, this is June Siple from Bikecentennial days. I have been trying to locate you for the B76 staff list I’ve accumulated over the years. If you are the Steve Foss who worked at B76 please contact me at dodge1904@gmail.com. Sometimes the only way to find old staff members is via obituaries online in the list of survivors, which is how I located you. But I read the complete article about your mother, Esther L.”Brownie” Foss, and absolutely loved reading about her. She sounds like a woman I sure wish I had met–what an outdoor gal! –June