Florence – Marlene Joyce Graham Kude, 80, of Florence, Montana passed away on May 6th, 2022.
Marlene was born in Colon, Panama on April 26,1942. The family moved back to Livingston where she attended school and graduated from Park County High School in 1960. She went on to become a teller at a local bank for nine years. After marrying Don Kude in 1968, she became a homemaker. She was especially proud of her gardens of fruit, vegetables and flowers. Iris became a special fascination for Marlene and at times she had more than 50 variations blooming.
Marlene cared deeply for her loved ones, sharing food and flowers each summer. She wrote letters to all of her friends on a weekly basis, and frequently traveled four hours to visit her niece and nephew on weekends during their youth.
She was a very outdoors person and enjoyed gardening, camping, snowmobiling and four-wheeling any time she could get out of the house. She also bowled in league for years. After retiring in 1998, she and Don traveled frequently with their 5th wheel trailer visiting about 40 states including Alaska and western Canada.
For the last eight years, Marlene fought off the crippling effects of Dementia, with her loving husband Don always by her side.
Marlene is preceded in death by her parents, John and Audra Graham; her brother, Roger; in-laws, Ben and Hattie Kude and Joan and George Shipley.
Marlene is survived by her husband, Don; her sisters, Bonnie Fastje (Robert), and Lavonne Metcalf (Bruce); brother-in-law, Bill Kude (Sina); and nieces, nephews and cousins.
Marlene has been cremated and her ashes will be scattered at a later date. Condolences may be left for the family at www.dalyleachchapel.com.