Pearl Kauk

Pearl V. (Garner) Deardorff - Kauk, longtime resident of Brady and more recently of Conrad passed way at the Pondera Medical Center Extended Care Unit of natural causes on Tuesday, April 24, 2012. She recently celebrated her 103rd birthday. Memorial services will be held on May 7th at the United Methodist Church in Brady, MT at 2:00PM. Private burial will follow at the Conrad Cemetery. Arrangements are under the direction of Gorder Jensen Funeral Home of Choteau.



Pearl Garner was born March 9, 1909 in Browns, IL, to Charles and Gertrude (Lankford) Garner. She came to Montana with her parents and older brother Floyd to homestead 2 1/2 miles west of Brady, MT in March of 1910.



She attended school through her sophomore year in Brady and graduated from Conrad High School in 1928 because Brady did not offer four years of high school. She celebrated her 80th class reunion in 2008 with a fellow classmate.



Pearl Garner married Harry (Jack) Deardorff May 31, 1930 and lived in Brady. Pearl and Harry Deardorff had three children. Loyal A., Charles Allen, and John Joseph. The latter two died in infancy. Harry Deardorff died July 9, 1951.



Pearl married Edmond Kauk on June 30, 1956. They lived in Brady but farmed east of Brady. Edmond died July 6, 1997 in Conrad.



Pearl taught at the Semmingson School east of Conrad 1928-1930, Strauss School 1952-1954. She earned her BS Degree in Education from the College of Great Falls in 1964. She taught first grade in Brady for six years, retiring in 1972.



Pearl Kauk was a livelong member of the Brady United Methodist Church, as her mother was a charter member in 1910. Pearl was a charter member of the Brady American Legion Auxiliary #98 and a member of the Montana Teacher's Retirement Association.



Her interests included bowling and golf in her younger years. She also loved playing bridge and other card games. She was an avid reader and professional basketball and baseball enthusiast.



Pearl was an amazing independent woman who lived on her own until 2005. She then moved into the Horizon Lodge in Conrad and in 2008 entered the nursing home at the age of 99.



Pearl Kauk is survived by her son Loyal and daughter-in-law Lucille (Yeager) Deardorff of Weiser, ID., three grandchildren, Kim (Mimi) Deardorff of NC, Alan (Andrea) Deardorff and Gayle (Ron) Nay of ID., ten great grandchildren and five great, great grandchildren. She is survived by several nieces and nephews including Shirley (Norman) Stordahl, Everett (Georgia) Snortland, and Marilyn (Jack) Moritz all of Conrad and sisters-in-law Violet Garner, Bernita Lackman, and Elsie Garner and brother-in-law Calvin (Zettie) Kauk.



Pearl Kauk was preceded in death by her parents, husbands Harry Deardorff and Edmond Kauk, two infant sons, six brothers Floyd, Leland, Clayton, Eldon, Roy, and Walter, two sisters Fannie Snortland and Joyce Lipp, four infant siblings, and grandson Dewey Deardorff.



Memorials in Pearl's name are suggested to the Brady Methodist Church, Brady Community Hall, Conrad Public Library or a charity of your choice.



The family would like to thank all of the staff at the PMC Extended Care Unit for their wonderful care they gave Pearl over the past few years.



Online condolences may be left at the funeral home website: www.gorderjensenfuneralhome.com