Alice “Billie” Lorensen of Enumclaw died on April 23, 2014, at the age of 87

She was born Sept. 2, 1926, in Helena, Mont., to Walter and Verna Clark and grew up on a farm and ranches near Townsend, Mont. She rode her horse to Cottonwood Creek Grade School. During her teen years she worked beside her father on the ranch, cutting and raking hay with a pair of mules. She graduated from Broadwater County High School in 1944 and received a registered nurse diploma from Montana State College School of Nursing in May 1948. After her training she and her best friend Rosemary Lorensen hitched a ride to Seattle with Rosemary’s brother Leroy. On May 19, 1951, she and Leroy married. She put her career on hold following the birth of a daughter in 1952, returned to nursing in 1962 and worked at Riverton Hospital until her retirement in 1985. She loved returning to Montana each summer to share adventures and visits with relatives. Annual hiking or horse pack trips throughout the Big Sky Country created memories and strong bonds among her extended family. She especially loved sharing the trail with her sister Barbara McNally and cousin Martin Clark.

After retirement, she and her husband enjoyed taking their trailer to the warm states in the winter and the northerly states, especially Montana, in the summer. They enjoyed hiking and fishing throughout Washington state. They moved from Kent to Enumclaw in 1991. Billie loved tending her yard and three-mile walks with friends. She was noted for her cooking and gardening.

She is survived by husband Leroy; daughter Julia of Ballard, Wash.; son Ted and wife Nancy of Salem, Ore.; sister-in-law Betty Clark Mokul of Townsend, Mont.; brother-in-law Mack McNally of Gresham, Ore.; and one grandson. She was preceded by sister Barbara Clark McNally of Gresham, Ore., and brother Ken Clark of Helena.

Services are pending. Gifts in her memory are suggested to the American Cancer Society.