Inez Mary Slonaker

Inez Mary Gregori Slonaker, 94, a lifelong Montanan and longtime resident of Black Eagle and Great Falls, died on Saturday, August 20, 2016 after a brief illness, with her family at her side. Inez was the daughter of Italian immigrants Settimo (Sam) and Fanny (Vangelisti) Gregori, who came to the U.S. from Lucca, Italy in the early 1920s. She was born in Stockett, where Sam worked in the coal mines. When Inez was a young girl, Sam got a job at the Anaconda Company smelter and the family moved to Black Eagle, where Inez and her siblings attended Hawthorne (later Collins) School. In an oral interview in 2014, at age 92, Inez could still recall the names of the principal (“Miss Collins”) and four of her teachers at Hawthorne. She later attended Great Falls and St. Mary’s High Schools, graduating from St. Mary’s in 1939. She then went to work, with her first full-time job at Columbus Hospital, taking two buses to get there in the morning, and often walking home after work across the 15th Street Bridge. During World War II she got a job in civil service, working first at Gore Hill, where she supported the 7th Ferrying Group in its mission to ferry U.S. aircraft to Alaska; and later at the Great Falls Army Air Base (“East Base”), where she worked in the blueprint department. At that time she struck up a pen-pal correspondence with a GI, Les Slonaker, who in his first letter wrote, “Hope you’ll write to me, as a letter sure looks good to a soldier.” Four years later, when Les returned from combat duty in the Pacific, he and Inez were married at Blessed Sacrament Church in Black Eagle. Over the next several years Les and Inez had four children. Even while busy raising their children; Inez continued to work, including several years back at Columbus Hospital in the admissions department. By that time, though, she could drive there instead of walking. Inez was a dedicated mother, devout Catholic and proud Italian-American. She was a Brownie leader, a member of the Great Falls Central High School Mothers’ Club, and longtime treasurer for the Daughters of Isabella. She liked to sing, made great fried chicken, and enjoyed watching musical variety shows on TV—especially those featuring Italian crooners like Dean Martin (but not Frank Sinatra!). She was very proud of her kids and grandkids. She is survived by her sister, Clara York; her children, Deloris (Jim) Pribyl, Dennis Slonaker, Dorothy Conlan, and Larry (Sandi) Slonaker; grandchildren Ron Pribyl, Debra Klemann, Lesa Pribyl, and Anne Conlan; and great-grandchildren, Kyle, Kameron and Kody Pribyl and Elizabeth and Courtney Klemann. She also is survived by many beloved nieces and nephews, descended from Sam and Fanny Gregori and George and Bessie Slonaker. Inez was preceded in death by her husband of 67 years, Les; her parents; and her brothers, Lando Gregori and the Rev. Anthony Gregori. A viewing will be held at O’Connor Funeral Home in Great Falls on Thursday from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. The funeral service will take place on Friday at noon at Corpus Christi Church, 410 22nd Ave NE, Great Falls, with burial to follow at Mount Olivet Cemetery. Memorials may be made to the charity of the donor’s choice.