Vivian McMullen turns 100

Vivian Francis Hellie was born April 12, 1917 in Coal Harbor, North Dakota. At the age of 6 months she came to Phillip County, Montana with her mother,Nora Hellie and her siblings. They settled on a homestead on Whitewater Creek. She attended the Community School through the eighth grade. In 1934 she married Leonard McMullen. Seven children were born of this union. Ray (Arabelle), Wilma (Bud) Mavencamp, Barbara (Morris) Mavencamp, Patricia (Derold) Omdahl , Michael (Meriam), Robert (Bonnie) and Terry.

Vivian was a hard worker. She rose each morning to milk between 5 -7 cows. She raised chickens for eggs and meat. She also had geese, ducks and turkeys. Because Leonard worked off the farm a lot she learned to do most farm chores from birthing calves to shoveling grain. Each summer she planted three gardens and turned the produce into a winter's supply of food. Vivian loved nothing better than to play a joke on someone.

When her kids started school in Whitewater she got a license to drive the school bus. She got a first aid card and took a typing class in adult education. After they moved to Malta she did housekeeping, worked at the retirement home and the hospital.

After the death of her husband she moved to Washington state with her youngest son. She worked for Spokane Health Care for many years. Since 2013 she has resided at the Hi-Line Retirement Center in Malta, except for a brief stay at the Care Center in Havre.

Of the 10 kids in the Hellie family she is the sole survivor. Only one sister-in-law, Erma (Earl) Hellie survives with her.