Kathleen Anne Firman

Kathleen "Kathy" Firman Passed away August 19, 2023, after medical complications in Great Falls. Kathy was born in Iowa and moved to Montana to attend college. She met her husband Patrick while at school to be a special education teacher. They would have two children of their own, Abbra and Jacob, but all of her students were her kids. She always had an open heart for her students and hoped to support each student in their journey towards a successful and fulfilling adult life. She spent 31 years helping her students and cheering for their success and having students become her many many bonus kids. Her classroom always had 12 things going on. She always said, “Every student learns a little differently and it is my job to find the way that clicks for them." Her desk may have always been wild, but her heart was always there for her students and their success. She lived her life following that heart and would have likely taught for years more but her mother needed more hands-on care to remain at home.

In retirement she moved back to Iowa to care for her mother. She made sure that there were many adventures and memories made while back in Iowa. From carloads of aunties to Christmases in July, Kathy and her mom were always doing something. Her childhood home was open to endless hours of stories, laughter, food, and farkle. She had to return home when her health demanded she be back in Montana to have support as she began a new journey as a dialysis warrior.

She would joke that dialysis was her most important job, and she was proud that she didn't miss days. From her early morning crew and their 5 a.m. shenanigans and cozy blankets to her new later crew so she could sleep in, Kathy did what she always does, she made more family of the heart. She was working hard with some fellow warriors to create a support group that gathered outside of dialysis. She deeply felt that getting together for fun was essential to making it through renal failure treatment. She also took this time to extend that family of the heart. From her farkle crew to her favorite people at 4-Bs she took love and laughter everywhere she went, even if she was tired and struggling herself. A day without laughter was a day wasted in her opinion. She was always planning a party and working on the 25 days of Christmas with her Aunt Gladys (Happy Butt). She wanted to smile, share great music, and beat anyone who would challenge her to a farkle game.

Her generous heart is survived by her husband, Patrick Firman; children, Abbra Firman and Jacob Firman. To name all her bonus kids would be difficult, but you all know who you are. She 100% felt deeply that you were the children of her heart. In Iowa she is survived by her brother, Gene "Duffy" (Simone) Blair; sisters, Virginia Price, Carolyn (Sherman) Bryant; numerous nieces; nephews; cousins and second cousins.  She was preceded in death by her parents, Gerald Blair and Ruth Blair and her brother, Gary Blair.

Please join us in saying goodbye. Services are being held at 1:00 p.m. on September 9, 2023, at Hillcrest Lawn Memorial Chapel (1410 13thSt S in Great Falls, MT.) Please avoid the color black as our tears and hearts may mourn but she would have preferred a colorful goodbye filled with love, laughter, tears, and a pinch of shenanigans.

A celebration of life luncheon will be held after the service at Central Christian Church, (1025 Central Ave) at 3:30 p.m. In lieu of flowers the family would ask for houseplants as they were Kathy's favorite. She loved that a geranium inside would bloom in the winter with proper care.  If you want to do something to honor her, donate some children's books to a teacher's classroom. She firmly believed reading should be a lifelong passion and it began with great books being made available to students; her classroom always had a little library in it.