Margaret L. Arms

Margaret Lou (Mears) Arms passed away March 23, 2016 at Peace Hospice after a long illness. A vigil service will be held Monday on April 4, 2016 at 7:30 p.m. at Corpus Christi Catholic Church. Funeral liturgy will take place on Tuesday, April 5, 2016 at 10:00 a.m. at Corpus Christi Catholic Church with burial to follow at Mount Olivet Cemetery. O’Connor Funeral Home is handling arrangements. Margaret was born April 11, 1942, in Billings, MT. She was the tenth child of Samuel Charles and Nancy Ethel (Raney) Mears, beating her twin to the world by four minutes. When she was three months old, an abscess damaged her right hip and led to a permanent disability. The family moved from a ranch outside Broadview to a farm on the west side of Great Falls when she was a year old. Margaret worked as a nurses aide at the Cascade County Convalescent Hospital. Due to a back injury, she went to business school to learn to do office jobs. While she was in business school, she started dating Robert Leo Arms. After a whirlwind courtship, they were married on January 17, 1970 at St. Josephs Catholic Church in Great Falls. After a short stint as a secretary, she ended up being a nurses aide again, this time at Deaconess Hospital. After another back injury, Margaret stopped working and became a full-time housewife. Margaret always loved children. She greatly desired children of her own. In March 1973, her prayers were answered when she gave birth to her only child, Rachel. In spite of her physical problems, Margaret led a social life. She participated in the choir at St. Joseph’s before moving to Blessed Sacrament in Black Eagle. While at Blessed Sacrament, she was a member of the Altar Society, even serving one term as president. She was in the choir and taught CCD. During the early to mid 80s, she was also greatly involved in the PTA at Valley View Elementary School eventually serving two years as the Second Vice President. She was also room mother for her daughters class for six years and was a Girl Scout co-leader for a couple of troops. Unfortunately in the late 80s and early 90s the pain of arthritis in her already disabled hip and back started to sap her energy, and she dropped most organized activities. Margaret was passionate about her Catholic faith and for over a decade watched Daily Mass on TV since she wasnt physically able to go that frequently. She enjoyed playing cards and the social interactions of the games. She also enjoyed doing circle word puzzles, watching old westerns on TV, and having her daughter read to her. She is survived by her daughter, Rachel; twin-sister Martha Griessmer; Martha’s sons Wilfried and Steven; additional care-giver, Veronica Van Treeck; brother John Mears; sister Theresa Mears; and numerous other nieces and nephews. Margaret was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Robert; brothers, Rev. Charles Mears, Samuel Mears, Joseph Mears, and Robert Mears; and sisters, Mary Marcoff, Dolly Ann Kelch, and Virginia Threet. Memorials are requested to be in the form of Masses said for the deceased.