Frances Vanderburg

"F-R-A-N-C-E-S, that's Frances with an "e-s," because that's the female spelling!*

Frances Elizabeth "Pleswe" Vanderburg graced us with 90 years of adventures, stories, and love. She went to be with Creator, her relatives, and friends, Saturday, November 22, 2025, at her home in Arlee.

Born July 30, 1935, to Adelaide Stevens and John Vanderburg, raised by her yaya, Adele at the Valley Creek homestead, she was proudly Bitterroot Salish. She liked to say she paid for three hospitals in her early years from the tuberculosis and other ailments that plagued her, but she was tough and lived the rest of her life with a single functioning lung. Pleswe was a lifelong learner, beginning her education at home in the traditional ways, then at the Ursuline boarding school, and from then on, she grabbed every opportunity to expand her knowledge.

Living 90 years gave her the chance to hold many roles, and she showed up for her community. For most of her life, she was an educator. Whether that was the 20-plus years as a Salish language and culture teacher in the Arlee school district or her guest lectures at Traveler's Rest State Park, she was a Salish historian who freely shared her lessons. She was a horse trainer, nanny, land steward, professional pincher, a eucharistic minister, and spent time at the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C., where her love of dragonflies began.

She loved watching sports, live and on-screen, especially Arlee school sports and Lady Griz basketball. She was an avid reader, her bed and couch stacked high with tomes ranging from faith to history to children's stories to Barack Obama's memoir. She was faithful to God, often ending phone calls with a "and we'll trade prayers in the air." Pleswe loved an adventure in the mountains, whether that was taking her family in her station wagon or teal truck or hopping in with others as a co-pilot, she was always ready to go on a drive.

She loved a dark meat special from Double Front, Bloody Mary's with a single ice cube, playing Chinese Checkers and solitaire, watching "her show" (Wheel of Fortune), closing down Arlee Pow Wow, collecting rocks and spotting faces or animals in nature. Pleswe had many stories, and after sharing, she’d more than likely say: "and I won't charge you for that," with a grin.

She is preceded in death by her parents, grandparents, sixteen of her seventeen siblings, her granddaughter Monica Ann, and her number one chauffeur, Mr. Morigeau (son-in-law Dane).

She is survived by her brother Gordon (Gale), her son, Wayne (Sandi), and her daughter, Malissa (Jason); her qene’s Martin (Chelsi), Jubilee, Rayvis (Jessica); her yaya’s Jacinda (Michael), Samantha (Isaiah), Nicholas (Turquoise), Elizabeth (Trevor); her great-grandchildren Alyssia, Amare, Tristan, Juaquin, Cache, Ethane, Keyshia, Eshan, Trevor, Alonny, Madison, Isaiah, Henry, Rowen, Olivia, Jalen, Madisyn, Markus, Wyatt, Cedric, and Dylan; and great great-grandchild Koda; plus her many nieces, nephews, god-children, extended relatives, and friends who were family.

Services to be held at the Arlee Community Center:

Wake began Sunday, November 23, 2025

Rosary at 7 PM on Monday, November 24, 2025

Closing will be at 9 AM on Tuesday, November 25, 2025

Funeral Mass will be at 10 AM on Tuesday, November 25, 2025

Cremation to follow services

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