Patricia Bear
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Pat Bear blessed Joe and Birdie Mae Shortman on September 17, 1941, the oldest of 14 children. She lived most of her life in Hays, but also lived in Havre, Glasgow, and California, to name a few. Pat was always a very independent lady all of her life and helped build her current home.
She worked most of her life in different places to help support her family and, later, a family of her own. She worked for many years at IHS and, later, at Hays Lodge Pole High School as a librarian. She enjoyed this job because of her love for all of the HLP students. Being the oldest taught her to be a good big sister and "momma" figure to many students and employees at Hays Lodge Pole. Her hobby was photography and many of her photos were of the girls and boys basketball players, past and present, to which she graciously gifted each student their photos. She was an avid Thunderbird fan and rarely missed a game.
Pat enjoyed powwows and loved to dance for the ones that could not. Pat was a cancer survivor and logged many miles in various cancer walks. She felt very blessed to have been a survivor and supported others that were experiencing cancer. Pat may have been 80 years old, but that did not slow her down. She still drove herself to town almost every day and loved to go "visiting". Pat Bear was a very loving, kind, and caring person to many people and always had a kind word for everyone.
Pat is survived by her only son, Chuck Bear who resides in Hays, Mt. She is survived by her siblings: Marcella and Winona Shortman of Havre, Mt.; Aloha Shortman of Hays, Mt; Jolene Shortman of Minnesota; Arleda Shortman of Polson, Mt.; Cheryl Von Gulner of North Dakota; and Leon Shortman of St. Ignatius, Mt. Pat had many, many nieces and nephews whom she loved very much. She is also survived by her elder cousins, Elaine Small and Valmarie Carrywater, plus many, many other cousins. Pat was preceded in death by her parents, Joe and Birdie Mae Shortman; infant daughter, Patty Valmarie; her brothers Donald, James, Daryl, and Gary Shortman; one infant sister; uncles Buster and Benny Lodge; aunts Lilly Lodge and Annabelle Thomas.
