Lois Azalea Snell

Lois Azalea (Pedee) Snell, 86, of Hays, Montana gained her angel wings on May 3, 2023 in Havre. She was born on April 27, 1937 at Fort Belknap Agency Hospital to James H. Snell, Jr. and Virginia Azalea (Hawley) Snell. She grew up in Hays and attended School at St. Paul's Mission where she graduated from high school in 1955.

Soon after she graduated high school, she married Winford Peak in Hays. The newlywed couple moved to Havre to begin their married life. From this union, four children were born. After living in Havre for several years, the family moved to Great Falls where Pedee attended the College of Great Falls for a time.

Pedee and Winford later divorced. She then met John H. (Jack) Young and remained with him for many happy years until his passing on April 8, 2014.

Pedee enjoyed playing the machines at the casino and playing bingo. In her younger years, she enjoyed crocheting, sewing clothes for her children, camping at powwows, hunting, and riding motorcycles with Winford, her sister Bunny, and brother-in-law Elias Peak. They were sisters married to brothers. They had all of the motorcycle accessories including leather clothes.

Pedee and Jack moved to Hays and lived in the house that had belonged to her parents. She attended Fort Belknap College as it was known then. She worked at Head Start as a foster grandma for many years at the Ramona King Center in Hays.

Pedee was preceded in death by her son, James Raymond Peak (nicknames Jr., Shooter, Jake), her parents Jim and Azalea, brothers Louis, Ronald, David Douglas Randall (Chucky), George (Bush), James (Swede), and Albert, sisters Chriscynthia, Barbara (Buffy) Gardipee, Daisy Linthicum, and Geraldine (Auntie Sister) Doney, her best friend from childhood, Leona Jones Fox, good friend Elizabeth Fox Doney, nieces and nephews, Anthony (Chucky) Doney, Lois Azalea (Dolly) Doney, Albert (Robin) Doney, Gerald (Jerry Joe) Doney, George (Dusty) Doney, Debbie Snell, George (Chub) Snell, David Douglas Randall (Doug) Snell, Wade Gardipee, Barbara Ann Gardipee, Raymond Snell, Judy Young, Kathy Young, Raymond Peak, Elias Leonard Peak, and Shirley Hobson.

Pedee is survived by her children William David (Linda) Peak, Rhonda Sue (Steve) Peak Preite, and Robert Winford (Jennie) Peak.

Pedee is also survived by her sister, Rosemary (Bunny) Peak and her good friend, Flossie Fox.

Surviving grandchildren are Steven (Amanda) Preite, Jr., Charles (Sherry) Preite, Stevannie (Cody) Euerle, Jacob (Alishia) Peak, and Tyler (Joanna) Peak Barnes, 18 great-grandchildren, and many nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.