Joann Mary Kelleher

JoAnn Mary (Martinez) Kelleher of Great Falls, Montana, passed away on November 2, 2023, at the age of 90. The funeral will be held at St. Ann’s Cathedral (715 3rd Ave. North, Great Falls, MT), on Thursday, November 9, 2023, at noon. The burial will take place at Mount Olivet Cemetery.

JoAnn was born on October 17, 1933, in Lewistown, MT to Josephine (Dess) and Francisco Martinez.

JoAnn married Jeremiah Leo Kelleher of Great Falls on June 7, 1952, at St. Joseph’s Church. They moved into their first home in Great Falls by the Pay n Pakit. They moved a few times to accommodate their growing family until they bought their first home on 4th Ave S.W. They had six children, Patty, Kathy, Jacquie, Diana, Monica, and the late Jeri Kelleher.

JoAnn attended school in Square Butte where she cherished many fond memories. Then she attended St. Thomas in 1948 at the start of high school and stayed until she was a junior when the schools blended (Ursaline Academy and St. Mary’s) to become Central Catholic High School.

She wanted to be remembered for her hard work on the farm in Square Butte and how the Dostal-Taborek families had one of the greatest impacts on her life. She enjoyed taking the train from Lewistown to Square Butte for piano lessons and stopping at Woolworth’s Dime Store to pick up candy and gum to eat on the way home.

She prided herself with her Catholic faith and was a talented seamstress, pianist, cook, and confidant. She volunteered at the church and loved to cook for a crowd. Some of her fondest memories with her family growing up were attending Midnight Mass at St. Joseph’s, Easter egg hunts, and potlucks with friends and family. One of her greatest accomplishments was making the trip to Ireland with her husband, Jerry, and traveling the whole country from top to bottom.

Joann’s greatest lesson in life was “to always be kind to elders and respect them with Mr. & Mrs. and to remember when you think you know everything, your time in later life will find out your folks were really smart after all.”

She wanted her loved ones to know “I hope you carry on with a happy life; remember all our good times; and think of bad times as a thing of the past. As a parent I did not know all the answers, but I sure gave it a try. I loved cooking homemade biscuits and birthday cakes and big dinners of your favorite food. I should have gone to at least one kegger with you because I know I would have had a lot of fun. Always remember, life is not always hard – Enjoy! Be kind to each other and be close. Help each other. Life is too short.”

She is survived by her daughters, Patty (Larry) Davidson, Kathy Kelleher, Jacquie (Fred) Hixson, Diana (Tony) Piccono, and Monica Kelleher; brothers, Dean Martinez and Jim Martinez; eight grandchildren; ten great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren.

JoAnn was preceded in death by her parents, Josephine and Francisco Martinez; husband, Jeremiah Leo Kelleher; daughter, Jeri Colleen Kelleher; brothers, Frank, Bob, and John Martinez; and grandson, Jacob Patrick Gentri.