Mary Huntington Lehner

Mary Huntington Lehner, 68, of Great Falls, a licensed Addiction and Family Program Counselor at the Rocky Mountain Treatment Center, was in private counseling, and worked for Esprit Inc. died of natural causes resulting from kidney failure. A celebration of life will be held at Hillcrest Lawn Chapel on Sunday, December 11, 2011 at 2:00 p.m.Schnider Funeral Home is handling arrangements.Born July 28, 1943 in Fort Smith, Arkansas, Mary received her Masters Degree from University of Minnesota. She was introduced to the addictions treatment field in a personal fashion. The first agency to employ her was the Center on Problem Drinking in Duluth, Minnesota which offered a continuum of care including outreach, counseling, halfway houses and detoxification. Her job titles over the next eleven years spanned Counselor, Director of the Marty Mann Halfway House for Women, and Assistant Executive Director for the same umbrella agency, then named the Center on Alcohol and Drug Treatment.Divine appointments kept unfolding and she relocated to Great Falls in 1983 with the honor of helping to establish Rocky Mountain Treatment Center. She has enjoyed several job titles here, as well, spanning counseling, management and administration.She would like to be remembered for growing along spiritual lines in continuous sobriety in Alcoholics Anonymous since January 15, 1972. She was a member of the Rise and Shine and Woman's Mustard Seed Home Groups. She was involved in the Jubilee Book Club, the Spirit Song Circle, and Eagle Mount benefiting children with disabilities, among many other altruistic endeavors. Each person she knew through her career and personal friendships was loved and valued in a very special way. Survivors include her daughters Tomi Lehner and Nikki Lehner, both of Great Falls; a son, Michael Lehner of Great Falls; sisters Judy L. Huntington of Hayden, ID and Patricia H. Berry of Youngstown, OH; a brother, John T. Huntington of Glenview, IL and five grandchildren.Mary was preceded in death by her son, Joseph Lehner and her husband, George W. Lehner.