Margale Ree Westbrook Prestipino

Margale Ree Westbrook Prestipino, 60, of Helena, passed away peacefully on Aug. 1, 2014, with her loving husband, sisters and close friend by her side due to complications associated with her courageous 25-year battle with multiple sclerosis.

Margale was born to Max and Margaret (McCoy) Westbrook on May 11, 1954, in Livingston. Margale was the youngest of three children. She grew up and was raised at the Westbrook Ranch in Clyde Park. Margale loved living the life on the family ranch. Some of her fondest memories were of riding her horse, Patsy, driving the grain truck at the age of 14, driving the tractor, being able to lift 60-pound hay bales in each hand and feeding the cattle. Some of Margale’s favorite pastimes were knitting and embroidery, and helping her mom with canning sauerkraut and pickles. She also was a cheerleader at Clyde Park High School and a member of the drill team at Kinman Business College.

After graduating from Clyde Park High School in 1972, Margale went on to attend Kinman Business College in Spokane, Washington. After graduating, she moved back to Montana where she got a job with DPHHS (formerly SRS) of Montana for a few years. After that, she worked for the Vo-Tech Board. It is there that she met the love of her life, LTC Sam Prestipino, USA (Ret.). They were married on Sept. 29, 1979, in Clyde Park.

Soon after they married, Sam was reassigned to Heidelberg, Germany, where they celebrated a four-year honeymoon traveling across Europe. After returning to Helena following Sam’s retirement in 1984, Margale then worked for the Montana Association of Counties. She retired from there in 1999.

Even after retirement, Margale still kept herself busy by volunteering as the secretary/treasurer of the Flesher Acres Home Owners Association and the secretary/treasurer of the Montana Independent Living Program. Margale also took great pride in being a wheelchair advocate for the U.S. and Montana departments of transportation. She would travel to certain locations and cities and be a demonstrator to see where certain wheelchair obstacles occurred. She was also a member of the Parish Council of Saint Mary Catholic Community. Margale also had a love for music and was an organist at St. Jude’s Catholic Church in Lincoln.

She and Sam spent most of their retired years traveling to the East Coast to visit family and were at Sam’s cedar chalet cabin in Flesher Acres almost every weekend. Margale loved spending time in the mountains and outdoors, soaking in its beauty throughout every season. She cherished every moment spent with family and friends. You can still hear her laughter and see the sparkle in her eyes and smile on her face from listening to and telling stories. Margale was a remarkable and inspirational woman and her love touched everyone she ever met.

Margale was preceded in death by her parents, Max and Margaret Westbrook and her nephew, Kendall Jones.

She is survived by her husband of almost 35 years, LTC. Sam Prestipino, USA (Ret.); her stepsons, Sam (Kimberly) Prestipino III, of Raleigh, North Carolina, and David (Lori) Prestipino of East Northport, New York; stepdaughter Cris (Marc) Bisson of Helena; and very close friends Dena and Kira Brown of Helena.

She is also survived by her sister, Carol (Dennis) Jones of Polson; nephew Kevin (Cassie) Jones of Missoula; niece Kimberly (Chris) Rate of Valrico, Florida; her sister, Barbara (Tom) Croston of Red Lodge; nephew Brian Croston of Yurington, Nevada; niece Tracy (Tom) Schwab of Laurel; and her aunt, Doris Habel of Dutton.

She is also survived by nine grandchildren: Sam Prestipino IV, Annie Wells, Gabriella Prestipino, Angelo Prestipino, Giovanni Prestipino, Ryan Raybuck, Stephanie Raybuck, Sarah Laughard and Anthony Laughard; 10 great-grandchildren: Sam Prestipino V, Lucas Prestipino, Katelyn Prestipino, Roger Wells, Ashley Clement, Dylan Clement, Miley Lenhart, Isiah Laughard, Caleb Laughard and Roman Laughard; and numerous great-nieces and nephews and cousins and countless friends.

A viewing of Margale will take place at Anderson Stevenson Wilke today, Aug. 6, from

9 a.m.-3 p.m. An additional viewing will take place from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Saint Mary Catholic Community.

A vigil celebrating Margale’s life will be held today, Aug 6, at 6 p.m. and the funeral will be held Thursday, Aug. 7, at 12:10 p.m. at Saint Mary Catholic Community with a reception to follow at the social center at Saint Mary Catholic Community. Interment at Resurrection Cemetery will follow after the reception. Donations can be made in the name of Margale Prestipino to the Saint Mary Catholic Community, 1700 Missoula Ave., Helena, MT 59601.