Mildred M. Fleming

Mildred M. Fleming passed away quietly in her sleep on Jan. 1, 2012, in Kent, Wash., near the home of her son, Barry Fleming.

 Funeral services were held on Saturday, Jan. 14, 2012, at 9 a.m. in the Bonners Ferry Funeral Home in Bonners Ferry, Idaho.

Born January 19, 1914, in Coleman, S.D., Mildred spent her early years in rural areas around Coleman with her parents (Della and Paul Peterson), two older sisters, one older brother and one younger sister. For her last year of high school, she moved to Heron, Montana, to live with an aunt and uncle of whom she always spoke fondly.

There she met and married Ralph Fleming in 1934. Together, they worked for some years in the Fleming family huckleberry business that shipped to customers as far away as New Hampshire.

From Heron, they moved to Camp Roberts, Calif., and Mildred worked as a civilian in the base medical supply while Ralph served in the U.S. Army Air Corps. From Camp Roberts, they relocated to Sandpoint, and in 1943 moved to Bonners Ferry, where they lived, worked and raised their two children, Barry now of Seattle and Linda Fujimoto of Hawaii. She remained in Bonners Ferry until shortly before her death.

They started an auto dealership in Bonners Ferry and worked there together until the time of its closure. Following that and the couple’s separation, Mildred worked as medical office manager, first for Dr. Coram and subsequently for Dr. Crooks and Dr. Hill. She also held a position in the Boundary County Treasurer’s office for a short time during these years.

Mildred was very much an outdoor person who enjoyed cookouts, camping, archery, hiking, photography and gardening. These pleasures continued even after macular degeneration robbed her of most of her vision in later years.

She also shared these activities with Dale Sargent, the man she met and called “my best friend for life.” That relationship lasted for nearly 50 years, until he passed away in July of 2011.

Although her sight had been drastically reduced for more than a decade, the highlight of the winter season for Mildred was to decorate the tall blue spruce in her front yard with thousands of tiny colored lights, which the whole community of Bonners Ferry enjoyed.

She often referred to it as her Living Christmas Tree or Gum Drop Tree. Also, the row of burning bushes in front of her house was her pride and joy. She remained in her Bonners Ferry neighborhood until shortly before her death.

Mildred is survived by her two children, many grandchildren, great grandchildren, great-great grandchildren, and several nieces and nephews, including Rochelle Johnson, of South Dakota, with whom she had a very special relationship.