Cathy Jo Leinen

Cathy Jo Leinen, 57, an Air Force veteran and sales clerk from Sweet Grass, Montana, passed away Saturday, October 2, 2010, at the Marias Care Center due to natural causes.
Memorial services will be 2 p.m., Saturday, October 9 at the Whitted Funeral Chapel in Shelby.

She was born February 15, 1953, in Glendive to Harlow and Octavia (Wax) Kennedy. She grew up in Glendive and graduated from Dawson County High School. She also attended Cosmetology School in Miles City. In July 30, 1976, she joined the U.S. Air Force and served until her discharge in March 24, 1988.

While stationed in Alaska she met and married Dale Leinen and moved to Dale’s hometown of Manning, Iowa. After Dale’s death due to cancer, she remained in Iowa until her brother Larry encouraged her to move back to Montana. In the spring of 2007 she picked up and moved to Shelby. Cathy soon made many new friends and met her loving companion and fishing partner Marvin Cook. They shared the same passion for fishing. Soon family and friends didn’t ask what they were doing, but where were they fishing.

She was a member of the Lutheran Church, American Legion Post Border Post #73, VFW and American Legion Auxiliaries. Along with fishing, she enjoyed camping, hunting, photography, emailing family and friends and had a great love for her kitties.

Survivors include her loving companion, Marvin Cook of Sweet Grass; his sons Bill (Chantel) Cook and Bob (Carmen) Cook; daughter, Teresa Clark; Marvin’s mother, Ila Prellwitz; and nine grandchildren–she truly considered them all family; her brother, Lawrence (Wanda) Kennedy of Shelby; nieces, Jeanne Amante and Brittany Gardiner; great-nephews Alex and Bradley Amante.