Ethel Bustillos

Ethel (Marie) Shelley Bustillos, 81, died Feb. 7, 2005, at the Libby Care Center.

She was born on June 20, 1923, at Libby, to Ray and Ethel Williams Shelley.

Marie attended the Manicke School and Libby High School, graduating with the Class of 1941.

With her Aunt Rachel, Marie worked in Kalispell picking strawberries.

She picked her way across the state of Washington to Seattle, where she met her folks and together they went to California.

Marie worked at the Oakland Naval Yard as a true ³Rosie the Riveter,² and later worked for the Singer Company, first as a machinist and later in electronics.

After retiring in the 1900¹s, Marie moved back to God¹s Country, Libby, with her new fishing pole and hunting rifle.

She got a moose permit the first time she applied and shot a moose.

Marie¹s life was long and eventful. Her godchild was Dick Staddlar¹s daughter and Dick was George Foreman¹s trainer. Marie was with the entourage at all the big Foreman fights, including trips to Africa and South America.

A favorite pastime was tooling leather and she made items of professional quality ranging from key chains to purses and gun scabbards.

Survivors include sister Ada Graham, Libby, and brothers Richard Shelley, Libby, and Trevert Shelley, Spokane, along with numerous nieces and nephews

Visitation will be from 1-8 p.m. on Friday at the Nelson & Vial Funeral Home Chapel.

Services will be conducted at 10 a.m on Saturday at St. Joseph Catholic Church.

Local arrangements are by the Nelson and Vial Funeral Home.