Lila M. Boos Raymond

MALTA- Lila M. Boos Raymond passed away October 20, 2017, at the Hi-Line Retirement Center in Malta of natural causes.

Rosary will be at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, October 25, at the Kirkwood Memorial Chapel with a wake service to follow. Funeral Mass will be 10 a.m., Thursday, October 26, at St. Mary's Catholic Church. Interment will be in the Malta Cemetery. Condolences for the family may be left at http://www.kirkwoodfuneralhome.com.

Lila was born June 25, 1926, on the Boos homestead north of Wagner, Mont., to August A. and Anna L. Boos. Lila grew up in a music, fun-filled home with four brothers and three sisters. Lila attended grade school in a one-room country school at Waleston and graduated from Dodson High School in 1944. Due to the teacher shortage, Lila obtained her Emergency Teacher Certificate and she attended Western College in Dillon and started teaching at the early age of 18. Lila's first job was at the Berg School where she taught grades first through eighth. This was the start of a 42-year teaching career. Her next teaching job took her to Dodson where she taught third and fourth grades for six years. In 1952 she moved to Malta where she taught for the next 34 years. Throughout her early teaching career, she continued her education and obtained a Bachelor's degree from Northern Montana College in 1961. Lila was a self-taught pianist and loved playing for her students. Anyone who had Mrs. Raymond as a teacher will certainly remember her lively rendition of Boogie-Woogie she played on the piano. Lila retired from teaching in 1986.

Lila married Dwayne Raymond on November 27, 1954. They made their home in Malta and also had a farm and ranch south of town. They had two sons, Charles "Chuckie" and Daniel August, they lost Chuckie at a young age due to a congenital heart defect. Lila was a big sports fan and could be found at many high school sporting events throughout the years. She was also an excellent bowler and had many trophies to prove it. In addition to playing the piano, Lila loved to sing with her sisters – Evelyn, Lewellyn and Mary Lou. The Boos Sisters were well known in and around Phillips County. She loved playing pinochle in the Women's Marathon League and gave many "lessons" to her son and nephews, around the card table – to this day the boys are still suspicious of her good luck and uncanny ability to know just which cards her partner was holding.

Lila was a member of St. Mary's Catholic Church, Adult Choir, VFW, and Red Hatters and also volunteered at the Malta Food Bank and Senior Meals programs. She enjoyed having coffee and rolls with her sisters and friends and loved visits from former students.

Lila is survived by her son Dan of Malta; sisters, Lewellyn of Malta, Mary Lou of Scobey and three sister-in-laws, Lillian Boos, Karen Boos of Malta and Joyce Boos of Scobey.

Lila was preceded in death by her husband Dwayne, infant son Chuckie, parents August and Anna, brothers Joseph, Vincent, Bernard, Leonard, Donald, Thomas and sister, Evelyn Starkey. Lila is survived by numerous nieces and nephews.