Dolores Mae (Tate) Cardona

Dolores Mae (Tate) Cardona, 83, of Wilsall, Montana, passed away on Wednesday, October 14, 2020 at home surrounded by the love of family. Funeral Mass will be held on Saturday, October 17, at Franzen-Davis Funeral Home beginning at 11:00 A.M. burial will follow at the Wilsall Cemetery.Dolores was born on February 11, 1937 in Billings, Montana the first of seven children born to Raymond and Agnes (Knaller) Tate. She attended Billings schools and was a graduate of Billings Senior High the class of 1955.Following graduation, she worked at St. Vincents hospital on their lithograph machine and later at a local bank. Dolores met, who would be the love of her life, Robert "Bob" Cardona while out dancing. They would court for just over a year before they were united in marriage on March 17, 1958 at the Little Flower Church in Billings.As they began married life together, they resided in Billings where Bob worked for NP Transfer. Bob would take transfers eventually ending in Spokane where Dolores would later join him residing there from 64-70. It was in 1974 that Bob was again transferred and Dolores made the decision to live in the country. Their home on North Ordway in Wilsall would the place to raise the family and it has been their home ever since.She was beautiful. Inside and out. Dolores wrote poetry that was widely respected and published. One of her poems was read at the International Poetry Conference. Dolores was a woman full of love for family, and she was never shy about getting into hard work and she set such a lovely example of good living for her children. She was an original when it came to "being green," not much was thrown out. She reused everything she could, food that was getting old was given to the deer and squirrels. She gardened, a big garden, we learned to never say we were bored, there were always weeds to be picked. She was funny, always quick witted, yet thoughtful and kind to everyone. She made sure our hearts were full of love and our stomachs never wanting for more. Mom, you are already so missed, and dad said to tell you how beautiful you are, we are blessed to have you as our mother.Dolores is survived by her husband of 62 years, Bob; children, Mike Cardona, Kathy (Bill) Michaelis, Peggy (Gary) Bostrom, David (Tiffany) Cardona, Mary (Shawn) Fowler; granddaughters, Kristen (Cody) Walter, Amanda Otis, Ashley Gibbs, Samantha (Justin) Hostetler, Rose Fowler; and seven great-grandchildren; siblings, Rayona Wulff, Jim Tate, Carol Rogers, John Tate and Robert "Bobby" Tate.She was preceded in death by her parents and a brother, Glenn Tate.Also, a special thank you to Caslen and their nurses for the care mom received during her stay and to Livingston HelathCare Hospice for their support and attention shown to mom.Franzen-Davis Funeral Home and Crematory has been entrusted with arrangements.