On December 14, 2017 we had to surrender our beloved LaRena Adsit to the arms of our lord. LaRena was born on January 30, 1922 in Chadron, Nebraska to James and Margaret Young. LaRena gave us the gifts of unconditional love, endurance, and generosity. From her earliest days she showed us these gifts as she and her family made it up from Chadron after the death of her mother to her Uncle      Charlie’s ranch in Kirby, Montana where she learned to make a living, thrived through the depression years, and became a beloved member of the community.

LaRena’s earliest education was at Big Bend, a one room country school in Kirby, MT.  She then attended    St. Labre Catholic Boarding School in Ashland, MT where she worked for her board and room. She then boarded out and worked for one year in Hardin, MT. where she graduated in 1936. She continued her education by attending college in Chadron, NE where she received her teaching certificate in 1939. On completion she returned to Montana to marry the love of her life, Thomas Adsit of Decker, MT, on October 19, 1940. She moved to the Adsit ranch into a small cabin which she and Tom built into the house she enjoyed for 77 years.

Together LaRena and Tom built a ranch and welcomed six children to loving arms.  They were married for 55 years before the Lord called him home but she welcomed 14 grandchildren and 24 great grandchildren and one great-great grandson which were her little angels. She loved her family.

LaRena had a number of hobbies that she loved. She was very talented in knitting, crocheting, sewing, gardening, and canning. She loved babies (anyone’s baby), she enjoyed traveling to see family or friends or just something new, she loved fishing, and being in the outdoors. She was an avid bingo player and reader. She loved having coffee with family and friends with the door always open.

LaRena was self-taught. If she wanted to do something she did it, from learning how to build a house to doing electrical work, to learning the grass seed business. She did it and much more. She taught  others by the way she lived her life with unconditional love, endurance, and generosity. Whether it was her time or her money she was always willing to help out. By being an election judge, teaching, being a 4-H leader, delivering mail, babysitting, or helping out with bible camp she was always willing to help out. She had a very generous heart and soul. She taught us what true endurance looks like for 95 years. Whether it was overcoming the death of family and friends, bad years on the ranch, or the depression years of the country she loved. Even through the hardship of the illness of her body and eye she always had a smile and kind word.

You can’t put into words her life of 95 years, it is just too vast. Nor how very deeply she will be missed. She lived her life with grace, faith, love, and endurance to teach us all that it could be done. She was the last of nine children. She was preceded in death by her husband Thomas Adsit, her son John Adsit,  great grandson Matthew Christensen, sisters Mary Young, Sarah Wyrick (Harold),  Adeline Rice (Jules), brothers Jesse, LaRue, John, Charley (Isabell), and Joseph ( Milley) Young.

She is survived by daughters Betty Smith (Smitty), Shirley Durkee (Jim) Dorothy Adsit, Jean Adsit, son William Adsit (Roberta), sister-in-law Florence Young (John), 14 grandchildren, 24 great grandchildren and one great-great grandson. .  A Visitation will begin at 12:00 noon followed by a Funeral Service at 1:30 p.m., Tuesday, December 19, 2017 at Champion Funeral Home.  Private interment to follow at the Sheridan Municipal Cemetery.  Online condolences may be written at www.championfh.com.

Sheridan & Johnson County Obituaries