Barbara Lee Moe

Early in the morning on July 11, 2021, with family by her side, Barbara L. Moe, loving wife, mother, sister, and grandmother, joined our heavenly father. Barb was born on August 31, 1934, in Great Falls, Montana to Gregory and Edna Murray.She was brought up in her early years, along with her brother, at the family homestead on the Fairfield Bench. Her father’s jobs then took her out west to Bremerton, Washington where her sister was born. Eventually the family moved back to Montana, settling in Hungry Horse, where she worked in the family cafe while attending high school at Columbia Falls. After a tragic accident on the Hungry Horse Dam took the life of her father during her senior year, she transferred to Belt High School where she graduated in 1952. After high school Barb worked several jobs in Great Falls and met her first husband while working for the local television station. They married in 1954 and traveled to California where they were stationed at Fort Ord, which is where she welcomed her first son, Greg. After separating ways from her first husband, she settled back in Great Falls and began her career as a bookkeeper with Greely Elevator. She then took a position with Anderson Grain, later known as Cargill Grain. During this time, she met and married Don Moe, and welcomed two additions to the family, Ron and Kristi. In 1971, her boss, Charlie Anderson, asked her to set up books for a travel agency he and Wayne Elerding had opened. That began the next 26 years of her career with Anderson-Elerding Travel.From bookkeeper to manager, manager to travel consultant, travel consultant to tour escort, she never lost her passion. In 1982, Barb and Sue Erwin purchased Anderson-Elerding Travel and began the expansion from four offices to what would eventually be eight across the state. Barb became the sole proprietor in 1985. In addition to raising three children, and owning and operating a successful business, Barb was always present for her friends (a.k.a. Breakfast Club) and enjoyed volunteering her time in the community. She was a member of the Great Falls & Montana Tourism Boards, Great Falls Chamber of Commerce, Great Falls Advertising Federation, Norwest Bank Board, CM Russell Museum, Rotary Club, Benefis Foundation Board, and only she knows what we have missed.Her awards were countless and include the Silver Medal Award, Athena Award, 1988 Entrepreneur of The Year Award, Ad Clubs Golden Girdle Award, and Josephine Trigg Award. She was also one of the first women members of Rotary and the 1992 recipient of the Woman of Achievement Award, a true reflection of being a pioneer for women in business. In 1997, she sold her company and began her final career of retirement. Here is where she found true love and a travel co-pilot, Howard Axtell. They wed on January 6, 2006, and spent the next 15 years enjoying each other, entertaining, and traveling with family and friends. She loved nothing more than sitting back and watching her grandkids and great-grandkids take in the world. You could find her cheering from the sidelines of the skate park, basketball court, soccer field, or whatever activity her grandchildren or great-grandchildren were in. Barb was preceded in death by her father, Gregory Murray; brother, Ronald Murray; mother, Edna Tweedie; stepfather, William Tweedie; and two sons, Greg Moe and Ron Moe. Barb is survived by her husband, Howard Axtell; sister, Judy (Rich) Souders; daughter, Kristi (Ted) Holmlund; granddaughter, Kassie (Doug) Longfellow; grandson, Jacob (Natalie) Moe-MacKenzie; step-grandsons, Travis (Wendie) Holmund, Ted J. (Amy) Holmlund; and five adorable great-grandchildren, Gavyn Holmlund, Grace and Davis Longfellow, and Michael and Sawyer MacKenzie. There will be a funeral liturgy on Tuesday, July 20, 2021, at 11:00 a.m. at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church. In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made in Barb’s name to the CM Russell Museum, Benefis Peace Hospice, or a charity of your choice.