Betty Huff

Betty Mae Potter Huff, 87, passed away on June 29th at Peace Hospice of a broken heart after the loss of her beloved husband, Howard, just a short two and half months ago.A celebration of her life will be held at Schnider Funeral Home, 1510 13th St S., on Monday, July 3, 2017 at 10:30 a.m.Betty was born on November 21, 1929 at the family home in Cushing, Oklahoma to Arthur and Lula Potter. She lived through the difficult times of the Dust Bowl Years of the Great Depression. She and her family were part of the Grapes of Wrath families from Oklahoma that traveled to California for a better life. The family missed their home state and returned to Ponca City, Oklahoma where Betty attended school and graduated from Ponca City High School (Po High). Her first job was at a drugstore in Ponca City. She prided herself on being one of the original soda jerks of that era.She loved to play games with her family, especially bingo. Playing jacks with her children in the dining room during the long cold Montana winters is one of many special memories.Betty was a creative woman. She wrote poetry and had some published. She dabbled in painting and drawing. She loved to sew, especially for her children and grandchildren.Betty and Howards home was always a gathering place for their First Southern Baptist Church friends and family. The door was always open for Sunday dinners and holiday meals for all their extended Malmstrom Air Force Base friends separated from their families. Betty loved to share her down home cooking of fried chicken, biscuits, gravy and traditional Oklahoma dishes. You could say one of her many legacies were the cooking skills she taught her children.Betty married Howard W. Huff on November 26, 1947. They farmed in Oklahoma and Kansas for a time before Howard went to work for Conoco Oil Company. After many moves throughout the northwest they made their home in Great Falls, Montana where she and Howard raised their family.After retirement, Betty and Howard enjoyed numerous road trips in their motorhome. They especially enjoyed their trip along the Alaska-Canadian Highway and the many trips back home to Oklahoma to visit their relatives.Betty is survived by her sister, Joyce Boyer; daughters Pamela (Michael) Carroll of Great Falls, Cindy Horne of Tucson, AZ and Barbara (Paul) Bentley of Nampa, ID; son Bruce Huff of Great Falls; 7 grandchildren; and 14 great grandchildren.She was preceded in death by her parents; husband Howard of 69 years; sisters Opal Cusick, Geraldine Lane; brother Johnny Potter; and son-in-law James Buddy Horne.