Esta Marlene Harris

Esta Marlene (Briggs) Harris, a resident of Bozeman, Montana, formally of Livingston, passed away peacefully at home with her family by her side on April 29, 2021.



Esta was born in Livingston, Montana on September 25, 1938 to Herbert Anson Briggs and Thelma Louetta (Snavely) Briggs, she was the youngest of their four children.



She was a 1956 graduate of Park County High School. She met Erlynn while working for the telephone company. He worked for the railroad and they both worked night shifts. He would have a list of crews that needed to be contacted and the telephone operators were the ones who made the calls. He was attracted to the sound of her bubbly voice and they quickly became friends. One day, they went out for coffee and her outgoing personality swept him off his feet.



Erlynn and Esta were married in Livingston on June 15, 1957. During their 63 years of marriage, they worked together to build their family cabin at Smith Creek in the Crazy Mountains that they fondly named Satellite Base. They enjoyed raising their children and grandchildren on the mountain and spent the majority of their free time up there.



Mom loved trying everything at least once. She incubated various types of eggs, raised bum lambs, saved a baby pig and then kept it as a pet. She enjoyed bowling, gardening, canning, cooking and was especially fond of baking. She learned how to perfect making lefse and passed that tradition on to her daughter, Julie, who is now the family lefse master. She also loved decorating cakes with her good friend Crystal Gilkey. She didn’t ever pass up the opportunity to bake her famous sour cream and chocolate cake which is a staple in the Harris household.



She retired from Mountain Bell Telephone company in the late 1980’s. She then worked for Coast to Coast/True Value and Western Drug because she loved people and laughing.



Esta is survived by her husband Erlynn of Bozeman, MT; son Robert (Lisa) of Clyde Park, MT and their children. A grandson Sawyer (Kyra) of Livingston, MT and great granddaughter Kensi. Grandson Logan of Clyde Park, MT. Daughter Julianne of Bozeman, MT and her children. Granddaughter Erin Sigler (Cody) of Bozeman, MT, great granddaughters Jaiden, Olivia, and Morgan. Grandson Tyler Blakely of Livingston, MT and great granddaughter Madison. As well as many nieces and nephews, and her caregiver for many years and friend, Betty Watson.



She was preceded in death by her parents Herbert and Thelma Briggs, brothers, Herbert and Bernie Briggs of Washington, and sister, Sylvia Cassidy of Arizona.



A family celebration of her life will be held this summer to honor her request that no service be held.