Angels came for my dear sweet mother, Marlys A. Bair. She knew it was her time and welcomed “going home” on April 22, 2022, at 9:15 a.m. She spent 95½ years exactly on her earthly home. Marlys was born at home in Ransom County, North Dakota on October 29, 1926, to Arthur and Anne (Langland) Sundstrom. At a local dance she met the only man she ever loved. He was a handsome army soldier, Harold Bair, from Wibaux, MT. They danced the night away and became a loving, loyal couple on December 31, 1945.
She followed everywhere they were assigned after changing to Air Force life. They welcomed three children together, Nadine, Roger, and baby Diana (whom they lost at 18 months due to pneumonia). The remaining four moved on together, and she made homes for the family in New Jersey, Alaska, and back to North Dakota. They went to the Azores for their final assignment before retirement.
Retirement was not to be a relaxing time. Marlys and Harold purchased a small hay farm/ranch. They worked civil service jobs during the day. Then they drove home to the farm on Fairfield Bench to start working again. They had chickens, cows, horses, and dogs all waiting to be fed and cared for. Then, of course, she had a huge garden to hoe and still somehow found time for canning, haying, and housework. Marlys was so elated when grandbabies started coming, four granddaughters and one special grandson, all the apple of her eye and the loves of her life.
Eventually, Marlys and Harold retired fully and spent winters in Arizona with life-long friends. Marlys was very saddened when relatives, in-laws, out-laws, and friends left for heaven without her. Life changed forever, of course, when Harold left this earth in June 2008. Bravely, Marlys faced life without him.
Marlys is survived by daughter, Nadine Bair Behm of Great Falls; son, Roger L. Bair of Kettle Falls, WA; 4 granddaughters, Becky (Jason) Betterley of OR, Wendy (John) Schaffer of Great Falls, Angela K. (Darryl) Wilson of Las Vegas, NV; and grandson, Shawn (Kelsey) Bair of Great Falls, Lindsay Oster of North Dakota (how she loved those grandbabies); and many other family and friends.
To read the complete obituary and share condolences, visit the Schnider Funeral Home website.
