Anita Mae Livermore

On May 23rd, in the year of 1935, a beautiful baby girl came into this world; her name was Anita Mae Livermore.  Born in Gladwin, Michigan, she spent her youth growing up very simply. Attending a one room schoolhouse at the age of four and ice skating as a teenager, her love for life came early.  She then met the love of her life, Roger, as a young woman, and they started a little family in Munising. Four children in five years kept her very busy, and then in 1962, the young family decided to move to Livingston, Montana.  That is where she and her husband lived out all their days. The Sleeping Giant was her front view for almost exactly sixty years.

For 54 of those years, Anita spent her life with her best friend, her husband.  While the early years were not perfect, they raised four beautiful children together, who then all went on to have children of their own. She was a dutiful wife, a faithful mother, and an unconditional grandmother all the days of her life.  Many years were spent working at Dan Baily’s where she tied the meanest flies around; many years were spent writing the church bulletin and walking it down the North hill to get printed; many years were spent at places like Canyon Ferry, White Earth Campground, and Arizona in the winters.  All of those years, she remained a pillar of strength and beauty. Like one of the rare rocks that she and her husband would have found together, she was tumbled by life’s currents, grounded, strong, unique, and beautiful.

She was the kind of woman who got her first driver’s license at the age of 74, because while she never would have been, she didn’t want to be a burden to her family. Anita never had a clothes dryer or dishwasher, all the days of her life; she preferred to do things the old way, and she worked tirelessly to preserve that value.  Attending church camp as a senior and meeting weekly with her girls, Anita continued to live and love all the way to the end. She was a talented artist, a faithful servant of the Lord, and she was a very gifted writer.  I cannot begin to capture Anita Livermore’s life in the span of a few paragraphs; I can, however,  honor her in the best way I know how, with her own words about heaven. This is a poem she wrote that is almost as beautiful as her, and also a tribute to her most cherished role in life, that being a faithful follower of Jesus.

“Thoughts of Heaven”

It made me think of Heaven, that field of wildflowers, Rainbow hued, they glistened freshly, bathed by springtime showers,

I stooped to pick a blossom from the damp and fragrant sod, Exquisitely formed petals fashioned by the hand of God,

And I had to pause in wonder that a God of might and power, Would put such awesome beauty in a tiny wildflower.

It made me think of Heaven and of One who reigns above, Who spoke beauty into being, just because of His great love.

Anita was preceded in death by her husband, Roger Dee Livermore; parents, Sheldon and Hazel Smith Ormsbee; a sister, Bonnie Phillips; a daughter, Dianne Marie Bufton; and one great-grandson, Patrick Williams.

She is survived by her children: Roger and Teresa Livermore, Michael Livermore, Jim and Debbie Livermore, as well as many grandchildren: Shawn, Tara, Adam, Aimee, Sarah, Nita, Barbara, Kandi, Christopher, Jenna, Erin, Brock, Brady, and Stephanie. In total, she also has 33 great-grandkids at last count, and she was very proud of this fact.

A memorial service in Anita’s honor will be held Saturday, June 4, 2022, 1:00 p.m. at the Livingston Christian Center, 1400 Mount Baldy Drive. Franzen-Davis Funeral Home and Crematory has assisted the family.