Nancy Hjortness

Nancy Louise Lowery Hjortness, 72, of Great Falls, an angel here on earth, was called by her Father, to accept her wings in heaven on December 22, 2016.A celebration of Nancys life will be Saturday, January 21, 2017 at 2:00 p.m. at Westside Baptist Church, 1300 6th Street NW. A dessert social will follow at the church. Schnider Funeral Home is handling the arrangements.Nancy Louise Lowery Hjortness was born July 19, 1944 in Racine, Wisconsin to Ruth and Harry Suurendonk. She lived in Racine until 1974, and then they moved to Great Falls, Montana for her son Thomass asthma issues, Montana being one of the few places that he could thrive.Nancy never had an enemy, treating all with kindness and understanding, even those who were not kind to her. She was a gentle spirit and avoided conflict at all costs; she was the family peacemaker. However she was also the family prankster, planning and pulling off tricks from a very young age through the last days of her life.Nancy was a foster parent who also served on the Foster Review Committee for the State of Montana. Her two youngest daughters, Leslie and Clare were her foster children whom she adopted. During her adult life, Nancy worked as a bus helper for the Great Falls School system, a kitchen worker for the Benefis Hospital kitchen (west campus) in Great Falls, and with the AWARE program, working with developmentally delayed adults.She spent her time scrapbooking, card making, reading her Kindle, and watching her reality TV shows. Nancy also collected recipes and enjoyed inventing her own. Family was always central to Nancys life. She attended her grandchildrens sporting events whenever possible; she was their biggest cheerleader, and she often enjoyed month long visits to Spokane where she was spoiled by family; these times were also known as Fantasy Land because her loving family showered her with special activities and love. Nancy was truly a people person, and loved to attend social events. She never missed a girls night or weekend, a game night, or a potluck. Even in the last year of her life when she couldnt get out much anymore, she kept up her social life on Facebook. She attended the Westside Baptist Church of Great Falls, was active in the Little Falls Saddle Club, and was a 4H leader for the kids of Bootlegger Trail, becoming a surrogate Mom for many of the children. She was a lifelong TOPS (Take Off Pounds Sensibly) member who became a KOPS (Keep Off Pounds Sensibly) in 1996 and represented the state of Montana for the biggest weight loss.Nancy was preceded in death by her former husband of 37 years, David Lowery and her parents, Ruth and Harry Suurendonk.She is survived by her husband, Chuck Hjortness (married 15 years). They were childhood friends and reconnected 16 years ago on classmates.com. She is also survived by her brother, Tom Suurendonk (Elaine) of Wolf Creek; daughter Cathy Lowery Scally (Mike) and their children, Dakota and Austin Scally; son Thomas Lowery (Diane) and their children, Jake and Josh Lowery; daughter Clara Lowery (Bryan) and their children, Colin Lowery and Stephen Garfield; and daughter Lesley Lowery Pettis (Matt) and their children, Abi, Sammy, Juliet, and Joshua Pettis.