Margaret Buck

Margaret Penny E. (Riggs) Buck, 76, of Great Falls, passed away Wednesday, March 1, 2017.A funeral liturgy will be Thursday, March 9, 2017 at 2:00 p.m. at Holy Spirit Catholic Church. Schnider Funeral Home is handling the arrangements.Penny was born on May 7, 1940 in Lewistown, Montana. She moved to Cascade where she attended and graduated high school. Shortly afterwards, she married her high school sweetheart, Vincent R. Buck. Penny studied respiratory therapy under the tutelage of the nuns at the Columbus Hospital in Great Falls. Later the family moved to Havre, where she received additional education in the field. The family then moved to Colorado, where she finished her college degree while her husband received training in millwright and gunsmithing.After their stay in Colorado, they moved to Missoula where Penny worked at the hospital as a Senior Respiratory Therapy Technician, while her husband worked as a millwright. Their final move was to Great Falls, where her husband took over the family ranch. Penny started working at the Columbus Hospital, and then transferred to the Deaconess Hospital to finish out her 33 years until Benefis took over.After retirement, she worked part-time at the Westside Flower Farm for a few years. Finally, she fully retired to take care of her husband, who passed away in 2011 of Alzheimers.She is preceded in death by her husband, Vincent R. Buck; father Harvey Riggs; and mother Betty Jane Riggs.Penny is survived by her three children, retired Master Sergeant Brian (Margie) Buck of Great Falls, Bob (Echo) Buck of NV, and Brenda Ochs of Great Falls (Mike Ochs of Great Falls); sister Betty Jane Courtright of KS; brother Harvey Skip Riggs of Great Falls; grandchildren Amanda Buck-Daniels of Great Falls, Sergeant in the Marine Corps Brian James Buck (RET) of Idaho, Staff Sergeant in the Air National Guard Christopher (Erica) Buck of Great Falls, Makayla Ochs and Lakaylee Ochs, both of Great Falls; great-grandchildren Christianna Daniels, Finn Buck and Avery Buck; and several cousins.