Leah Marie Mee Folio passed way on July 11, 2019. Leah was born August 24, 1936 to Johnny Mee and Josephine Sullivan Mee. Raised a proud and true Butte Irish girl, she was able to see Butte in some of its glory days. She enjoyed spending her summers in Helena with her “Gram” and namesake, Aunt Leah. After high school graduation she attended Carroll College and graduated in nursing with the Class of 1957. Upon graduation she worked in several hospitals in Butte until she found her dream job with MHD which changed names several times before becoming MSE-TA. It was there she forged many lifelong friendships; she truly loved going to work every day. In 1988, she was voted Employee of the Year by her peers. A huge thanks and hats off to all the healthcare workers and nurses everywhere and to everyone who touched her life including Dr. Yates, Compassus Home Health, Compassus Hospice, Senior Solutions and, of course, the entire staff at The Springs of Butte. You were all a very important part of her life. Leah loved nothing more than to have a great cup of coffee (black of course) and crochet an afghan. Many of us were blessed when we received an afghan from her.
Leah is preceded in death by both parents, Gram, Aunt Leah, her daughter Tina, sister Patty, brothers Jack and Jim.
She is survived by sister Jody, daughters Karen (Bill), Kathy, son Marty (Mayme). Grandchildren TJ and Jamie, Leah and Mary, and Marty.
Please join us in a celebration of Leah’s life on July 20, 2019 at the East Side Athletic Club Hall starting at Noon.
Memorials may be made to the Sharon Chadwick Memorial Nursing Scholarship at Mt Tech or any animal or rescue shelter or to the donor’s choice.
Please visit buttefuneralhome.com to offer the family a condolence or to share a memory of Leah.
Mom, it’s been fun, rest in peace and I will meet you in the clearance aisle in 10.
Service Schedule
Celebration of Her Life
12:00 PM
Saturday July 20, 2019
East Side Athletic Club
3200 Dexter St,
Butte, Montana 59701
Service Schedule
Celebration of Her Life
12:00 PM
Saturday July 20, 2019
East Side Athletic Club
3200 Dexter St,
Butte, Montana 59701
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Ray Jay Johnson says
Aunt Leah you will be greatly missed and I LOVE you! To Kathy, Karen, Marty, Tina (RIP) my thoughts and prayers are with you and the entire family. Aunt Leah I will always remember running to your house for lunch on school days to eat the best bean with bacon soup, and PBJ sandwich. Heaven just got a new Charge Nurse!
Jim O'Brien says
I worked with Leah years ago and there was a good reason why she was named employee of the year. She was universally liked and respected. Leah understood that she wasn’t just treating a scrape or a headache. She was always treating the whole person, and she understood that quite often that meant taking the time to have a supportive conversation. My condolences to Kathy and the rest of the family.
Janice Muniz says
Our thoughts and prayers to Kathy and all the Folio Family. Leah was the sweetest lady. May her memories hold dear in your hearts ((((hugs))) Rest in peace Leah
Janice & Curly Muniz
Trevor Johnson says
Being my Mom’s favorite child, I was always driving around, seat-belt-less with my Mom, Patty (RIP), who is Leah’s sister and ps: (my Mom never, ever had a Drivers License) we would often stop by her home to visit… Aunt Leah and my Mom would solve all the worlds problems over 2 pots of black coffee while my cousin Tina (RIP) and I would play… I thought they were so wealthy because they had a million toys and games to play with… came to find out that it was just that my extremely frugal Dad, Ray (RIP) being the king of cheapness, but that’s a whole other story! More of a nightmare than a story. I may have to retract the RIP after my Dad’s name now that I am really starting to think about it!
I absolutely enjoyed my cousins sense of humor. We had many great laughs at their home! I’ll never forget the time that I was with my Mom, Aunt Leah and my cousin Tina, we went to our Grams house… Grandpa was on the couch watching the Cincinnati Reds in the World Series and Uncle Jim having a beer while watching the game… Everybody knows that my Gram was not supposed to be smoking… sitting around a tiny kitchen table, in a tiny kitchen, in their tiny house… my grandpa entered the kitchen where we were all laughing and having fun… He glanced down and saw two cigarettes burning in an ashtray, he looked at all of us and then looked back at Gram and said, “Patty has either lit two cigarettes, or Leah has began smoking! I know that Tina and Terry are not stupid enough to smoke!” We all had a good laugh that night and the Cincinnati Reds did win the World Series that year.
Aunt Leah also exposed me to the greatest soup in the world! Been with Bacon! We never had fancy soup like that at our house! I honestly still eat that soup many times a week and every time I do, I think of my Aunt Leah. She was always very cheerful with the most amazing laugh! I just always felt very secure, safe and genuinely loved whenever I was in her presence. She always made everyone feel so comfortable.
Having been somewhat traumatized as a young boy, when I left for college I never really ever went back to Montana. I actually have not been back to Montana in 30 years and relationships with my relatives there has been nonexistent.
I absolutely have no idea why I picked up my iPad and searched for the obituaries in the Montana Standard? I have never looked at the newspaper from my hometown in 30 years… Why today? Even as I was typing it in, I was thinking that I have never done this before… When I saw the most beautiful picture of my Aunt Leah, I almost passed out! And then after reading through the obituary I really almost passed out again when I saw that Tina had passed away. It really started to made me think what about how distancing yourself from family is really a big disadvantage to creating strong family ties… I do recall speaking to Aunt Leah over the phone during the holidays many years ago… When she answered the phone I said, “Hello, Merry Christmas, it’s your favorite nephew calling from Seattle!” Short pause on the line, and then I heard, “Terry, you ‘lil son of a bitch! It’s about time you’ve called your Aunt! How the hell are ya kid?” I instantly began laughing and we both had such a great conversation with each other for well over 2 hours. I remember saying, “Now I know where my Mom learned all of her foul language!” We both laughed. My Mom, her siblings, and her parents could never say hello to anyone without throwing in a ‘Jesus Christ’ or a ‘son of a bitch’ or some funny swear word all meant in humor and good fun. I really miss that! It was so endearing and always received with love.
I absolutely know that there will be no time spent in purgatory for my Aunt Leah! She is on a direct path to heaven! Express elevator! She honestly will always be remembered as my favorite Aunt!
All my condolences to my family. We have lost a real treasure! But now we have a real fighter on the other side who will pull us towards her as we age.
I love you Aunt Leah! We’ll catch up on all the missed years when I see you in heaven.
Terry “Trevor” Johnson
(Favorite Nephew) haha
Al and Andrea Hart says
What a great picture of a fabulous lady! Leah was a constant breath of fresh air and a delight to see during the work day. Considering her Mom and my Mother-in-law were great friends, and my husband grew up playing with her brother, she seemed just like family! We send condolences to Jody, Kathy and the rest of the family and know that Leah will be missed by all who knew her!
Al and Andrea Hart