Mary Lucille Ryffel Birgenheier

Mary Lucille Ryffel Birgenheier of Great Falls, formerly of Highwood, passed away at Peace Hospice on Monday, June 19, 2023, with her family at her side. Mary was born on April 15, 1926, in Great Falls to Erna (Sell) and Gottlieb Ryffel, the sixth of eight children.

The family lived in Highwood above her father’s general store until she was three. They moved to Belt, MT where the family again operated a general store, Ryffel’s Hardware. Growing up in Belt, Mary liked to be active and outdoors. She had fond memories of climbing the hills, swimming, ice skating, and fishing adventures with her brothers in the Little Belt Mountains.

Mary was a 1945 graduate of Belt Valley High School. She attended Montana State College (now Montana State University—GO Cats!) graduating in 1949 with a home economics major and physical education minor. She was proud to have two of her children be MSU alumni, and two grandchildren are current MSU students. She attended her 50th, 60th, and 70th graduation reunions at MSU. A highlight of her days at MSC was being named swimmer of the year for the college intramural swim team.

Mary taught in Shelby, Conrad, Columbus, and Forsyth.  When she wasn’t teaching, Mary was able to go on several adventurous trips. In the summer of 1950, she, her oldest brother, John, sister-in-law, Pearl, and youngest brother, Jim, drove the Alcan “Highway” (which was at that time totally unpaved) to Alaska to visit her brother, George, and his family on Kodiak Island. On the return trip, only Mary and Jim retraced the Alcan, with 15-year-old Jim as the sole driver. They spent over a week of mud, camping with hammocks, and vetting other travelers well before making camp. One year later, she visited the Marine Cold Weather Training Camp in the Sierra Mountains and spent was she recalled as “the coldest night ever in her life” there.

It was while teaching in Columbus that Mary met and fell in love with Adam Birgenheier. They were married in 1955. After their marriage, they purchased a small farm near Columbus. Their five children were born during this time. In 1972, Mary and Adam sold the farm and moved to Highwood, where the family ranched and farmed.

While in Highwood, Mary worked hard as a housewife and farmwife. She supported her kids’ many activities including 4-H, sports, drama, music, and tolerated their numerous shenanigans. In 1980 she started a job as the cook at the high school. Hundreds of children from the community remember Mary fondly and appreciated being the benefactors of her delicious homemade breads, rolls, sweets, and more. Adam passed away in 1983.  Mary moved into Highwood in the fall of 1985. During that time, and for many years after, Mary continued to be a strong supporter of the Highwood community and school. Go Mountaineers! Mary continued as the cook at the school until her retirement in 1994.

Mary had many hobbies, including her love of antiquing, especially collecting depression glass, cooking and baking, and volunteering. Her family will forever remember holidays using her green depression glass, enjoying her almond roca, rosettes, and other delicious treats and canned goods.

After retirement, with the “encouragement” of her brother, George, she began competing in the State and National Senior Games, the Huntsman World Games and the Masters Games. Mary began competing in swimming first, adding on both the shot put and discus, which she was taught by her older brother, George, and her grandson, Chase. Mary’s competitive nature from her youth was reignited and she thrived on competition, travel, and camaraderie. She won multiple awards in her nearly 30 years of competing, and was proud to be selected as the Montana Senior Athlete of the Year in 2013.  Mary’s last competition was in 2019 at the National Games in Albuquerque, NM, where she won the gold medal in the discus for the 90-95 age range.

Mary continued to enjoy traveling in her later years and trekked all over the state of Montana to follow her grandchildren’s sports and other endeavors. Mary was also able to travel to Europe with her sister, Alma.  In her later years and until her passing, she was always up for a drive, especially to the Belt or Highwood area.

Mary was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Adam; brothers, John, Henry, George, and Bob; and sisters, Erna Ryffel and Alma Ragar.
Mary is survived by her five children, Mary Kay (Curt) Rambo, Bob (Lind), Wally, Rudi, and Heidi (Todd) LePard; 10 grandchildren, Chase (Aaran), Mandy (Brad), Zackary, Adam (Janell), Gretchen, Logan (Nadia), Micah, Jessica (Will), Bryce, and Paige; 6 great-grandchildren, Nathaniel, Lily, Garret, Avery, Jenesis, Brayden and Joory; one great-grandchild on the way; her brother, Jim (Faith); sister-in-law, Bonnie Ryffel; and numerous nieces and nephew, all of whom she delighted in visiting with.

A memorial service will be at 3:00 p.m.  at the Highwood Methodist Church on Saturday, July 8, 2023, with a reception to follow in the Highwood Community Hall.  In Mary’s honor, the family requests that those attending the memorial come in their favorite shade of green, Mary’s favorite color.  In lieu of flowers and per Mary’s request, donations may be made in her memory to the Scottish Rite Language Clinic in Great Falls, Highwood Methodist Church, or the Montana State Senior Games.

The family will be forever grateful for the loving care from Dr. Katie Blair, as well as the staff at both the Lodge Senior Living and Peace Hospice.  Your kindness will not be forgotten. A special thank you to Aaron Fagenstrom for keeping watch over our mom.