Our mother’s father had come from Holland to Canada as a boy and went to Montana as a young man to fulfill his dream of having a homestead and family. Our mother Margaret May Bushman was born May 16, 1931 in Montana in the beautiful town of St. Ignatius to Edward and Margaret Bushman. Second born of six children in her family and living on a ranch with cattle and sheep, her life was filled with lots of activities. Her family loved music, people and a father who openly showed affection to all his children.
As a child she loved to read and won many awards for her reading skills and as an adult she continued that passion. She often told me that if you can read you can solve any problem that you encounter in life. She clipped articles and cartoons and things of interest her whole life to share with others. She grew up near the Flathead Indian Reservation and always told stories about the friends she had made and lived near their home. She was one of those girls that rode her horse to go places because that was the mode of transportation. She told a story when she first ate a cucumber and pickle and what a wonderful experience it was.
She was 12 when her father passed away and eventually went to live on Orcas Island in the San Juan Islands in the Puget Sound. There, our mother and her sister Edna (Pinneo), being only 13 and 14, stayed on Orcas when their mother, being unable to care for them, went back to Montana and the girls were taken in by families, making friends, being a high school cheerleader and graduating. Our mother met Bill Holestine on Orcas and they married and started a family, having four children and eventually buying a home and settling into Creswell to raise their family, Karen (Perkins) Bill, Karel (Wilkins) and Ed, until their divorce 18 years later.
Her sister Edna and Fred Pinneo also came to Creswell to raise their family and the sisters were inseparable for many years. Our families loved to play cards and just hang out together and she even used her card skills to help her to win poker tournaments. Her great-grandson CJ (8 years old) once told his teacher that she had real soft hands and she taught him how to play poker – I often wonder what that teacher thought of that but like I said, she was a good card player.
Our mother was a quiet and respectful woman and people were always attracted to her by her beautiful eyes, smile, kindness, empathy, and always offering to help others. She was highly intelligent, great problem solver, tenacious, adventurous, excellent hunter, great cook and could make the best cinnamon rolls on earth. She could fix ANYTHING, wonderful teacher and best friend ever. She never offered advice unless she was asked and one of her sayings was “You shouldn’t leave what you have until you have something better to go to.” Yep, she was smart!
She was a wonderful girl, sister, wife, mother, grandmother, GG (great-grandmother), GGG (great-great grandmother). Dear mother, you will be deeply missed… may you rest in the arms of Jesus till we see you again.
She is survived in death by daughters Karen Perkins, Karel Wilkins and son Ed Holestine, 10 grandchildren, 25 great-grandchildren and two great-great grandchildren.
Services will be held at Pioneer Cemetery in Creswell on Aug. 29 at 3 p.m. followed by a celebration-of-life event.
