Anita Kearns

Anita Kearns, age 82, passed away peacefully Jan. 15, 2021 at St. Peter’s Hospital, Helena, Mont. To all of us, she was the lady with the sparkle in her eye.

Anita was born in Bozeman, Mont., on Aug. 1, 1938, to John W. and Mary (Winistorfer) Haniuk. She and her six brothers and sisters were raised in Helena. She graduated from Cathedral High School in 1956 in Helena.

She worked for the Western Insurance Agency and the Montana Historical Society after high school graduation. She was a receptionist for Dr. William Wise until her marriage to James William Kearns (“Bill”) on Jan. 27, 1968.

Anita had a quiet presence but with her wry sense of humor and her creative talents, the sparkle in her eye came through.

She lived her life in Townsend, where she and Bill raised Mary Lynn and James Thomas (Jamie). She surrounded them with love and creativity. Her talents played out in Creative Homemakers Craft Club, at Hospital Auxiliary fundraisers, while quilting and as a member of Holy Cross Catholic Church. She shined in the Rotary Variety Show, which she and Bill enjoyed so much.

Anita’s creative talents reached their heights when she began decorating the State Bank of Townsend, a rather staid and austere institution, like most banks in Montana. When Anita finished the annual Christmas decorations at the bank, it became well known as the most beautiful, small-town bank in Montana. When the bank was remodeled, her exquisite taste and flair for decorating shined through.

Tickets to Europe and the states were her and Bill’s idea of a good time, but mostly they hid out from Montana’s long winters at Lake Havasu, Ariz., and the surrounding area. They spent their 50th anniversary staying at the Algonquin Hotel in New York City, in order to take in Broadway plays and eat at New York’s famous restaurants. They took cruises when they got bored.

But home was where Anita’s heart was. Beautiful pictures of her children and her grandchildren were hung with flair, along with a beautiful backyard and garden. Roses were her and Bill’s favorites, but the gardens included all kinds of flowers, trees and vegetables. They entertained many friends in a covered patio. In her spare time she headed up many family reunions.

The lady with the sparkle in her eye will be forever missed by her husband of 52 years, her daughter Mary (Lloyd W.) Hickey, Bozeman, and Jamie (Kaye) of Hayden, Idaho. Five grandchildren — Sarah Noel Hickey, Molly Ann Hickey (fiancé, Luke Woodring) and Sean Warren Hickey of Bozeman and James David and Lydia Ann Kearns of Hayden — were her greatest joy.

Three sisters and one brother survive: Donna (Dr. Bill) Wise, Clancy and Gail (Bruce) Kennedy of Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Caryn (Jim) Scow, Helena and Marc Haniuk, Ellensburg, Wash. Also surviving are sisters-in-law, Lynn Haniuk, Bozeman and Teresa Haniuk, Las Vegas, and brother-in-law, David Kearns, Townsend. Preceding her in death are brothers, Lynn J. and Dennis, as well as her mother and father.

A celebration of Anita’s life will be held the summer of 2021. Memorial donations may be sent to Holy Cross Church, P.O. Box 610, Townsend, MT 59644, or charities of the donor’s choice.

Please visit www.stevensonwilke.com to offer a condolence to the family or to share a memory of Anita.