Patricia Ann Wickberg graciously shared her life history with me recently and I will attempt to describe the picture her circle of life has painted. Although I covered some of her history in my books, Federal Census records were not available at that time and some news articles were not accurate. Born to Margaret Durfee and Ryan Roland Wickberg in 1929, her family tree was already well established in Granite County. Maternal grandparents were Marion C. and Myrtle Mae Archmire (Achamire) Durfee, pioneer residents.
Marion’s parents were: Francis and Eva Durfee. Francis located in Alder Gulch in 1864 and “shortly after moved to the Flint Creek Valley” according to his obituary. The Durfee ranch where Marion was born west of Philipsburg became the married couples home and there Myrtle died at the age of 27 in 1909. The 1910 Federal Census shows Marion with son Francis age 5 and Margaret age 4. Marion brought in a new wife, Nina Streeter to become the children’s step mother during 1910.amd the Federal Census in 1920 shows the four members of the Durfee family still living in Philipsburg.
Ryan Wickberg and Margaret were married on February 20, 1926. Pat was their third child, after Mildred Ruth, born in Philipsburg on December 7, 1926; and older brother, Marion Louis “Tony” “Buster” Wickberg born in Philipsburg on March 30, 1928. A younger brother, Ryan Roland born on February 21, 1931, came down with pneumonia a short while after birth and passed away on March 10, 1931. The depression hit a few weeks before Pat was born and Ryan moved the family to Phosphate, Montana, to work in the phosphate mine, when she was 3 or 4 years old. She started 1st Grade in Garrison then they moved back to Philipsburg to complete 1st through 8th Grade and Granite County High School with graduation in of May of 1947.
After graduation, Pat worked in the County Agent’s office for a little over a year, then attended Business School in Butte, Montana, for a year and a half then came back to Philipsburg in late 1949 and worked for Taylor-Knapp. While in Philipsburg she met Clarence “Cart” Hamilton,(June 27, 1923), the son of Andrew and Hilda Hamilton. They were married in Philipsburg on April 9, 1950. Born to this marriage was: daughter, Judy Lorraine Hamilton (August 20, 1951) and son, Daniel Magnus Hamilton, (October 12, 1955). Pat worked for Taylor-Knapp until Judy was born.
The family moved to Missoula in late 1962 where Pat worked for Western Montana Implement Company for about 10 years. Judy and Dan attended Prescott Grade School and both graduated from Hellgate High School.. Pat’s sister Margaret Saurer died in 1973 and Pat began working for Chuck’s Body Shop but fumes began to bother her, so in 1983 she quit and went to work for Garden City Nursery. She also volunteered at the Prescott School for about 20 years.
Judy and spouse Alan Bradley have three children: Alan W., Kelcy, and Haley; Dan had Ryan and Rae. Pat has now been blessed with ten great grandchildren.
Pat’s father Ryan retired as a school bus driver after 25 years of service and died on August 15, 1977 Mother, Margaret Wickberg joined him on September 3, 1986.
Cart worked for the Anaconda Company, which later became Champion International and retired in 1986 as a Lumber Mill Superintendent then volunteered for 18 years for the Radio Reading Service and for 6 years as a Missoula Police Fingerprint Technician. Cart and Pat celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on April 9, 2000. In 2006 Cart, had a stroke and later developed throat cancer. They sold their home up the Rattlesnake and bought on Village Square in late 2006. Cart died on August 22, 2007 and Son Dan died in May of 2014.
Pat moved into Village Senior Residence Facility in Missoula on February, 2015 after an ankle injury, with Haley and family renting her home. Brother Tony had died in January and Pat was the executor of his estate so spent a lot of time driving up to Philipsburg. Having enough of life at the Village she decided to move back into her home in March of 2018.
During 1946-1947, in High School, Pat dated a man named Dan Bradshaw. They kept in touch off and on through the years. Early in 2018 his wife passed away and through a series of circumstances the two became reacquainted and before long the relationship became serious. Dan proposed, Pat accepted, and they were married in his home in Seattle, Washington July 9, 2018. Pat did not care for Seattle, so they returned to her home in Missoula in late August, 2018 and are living there, happily ever after!
Pat and Dan's Wedding Picture
