Shirley Ann (Bressler) Isbell, 90, passed away due to natural causes at Northern Montana Care Center on Monday, September 16, 2024. Cremation has taken place, and a vigil service will be held at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday, September 24, 2024, at St. Jude Catholic Church. Funeral Mass will begin at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, September 25, 2024, also at St. Jude with Father Pete Guthneck officiating. Burial will follow in Highland Cemetery. Holland & Bonine Funeral Home has been entrusted with services and arrangements. Please visit Shirley's online memorial page to send a card or leave a message of condolence for her family at http://www.hollandbonine.com.
Shirley was born August 31, 1934, in Chinook, Montana to Harry and Lucille (Wiench) Bressler. She had two half siblings - Beryl, and Harry Jr, and three full siblings - Dorothy, Richard, and Kathleen.
She was baptized June 30, 1940, to a strong Catholic family. Like her grandmother and mother, her rosary was precious, and she prayed a lot – faith was very important to her.
Shirley attended Chinook area schools, graduating from CHS in 1952. She was a girl scout and played baritone and french horn in the band. She was a member of the Glee Club and Future Homemakers of America.
After graduation, she attended Northern Montana College and stayed in Donaldson Hall. She embraced college life, and was a member of the Tutor's Club, formerly Future Teachers of America. She was also on the Yearbook No Mo Co "Big Man" team and the Radio Club of the new college radio station KNES. She graduated June 3, 1955, with a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education.
Her first year of teaching was at Whittier Elementary in Great Falls in 1955, where she taught fourth grade and described her first class as "wall-to-wall students."
Shirley met her partner, soulmate, and love of her life, Charles "Bud" Isbell, in 1956 when he came to Chinook to visit his mom. Shirley was babysitting at his uncle's house, and Bud was smitten.
The couple had five children in six years (Kim, William, Richard, Pam and Linda). They settled in Big Sandy and later moved to Havre. She both taught and substitute taught for 17 years.
After moving to Havre, Shirley spearheaded the growth of the Head Start program. She clocked many training hours in management training, Headstart Social Services, and budgeting and accounting workshops. She worked tirelessly and studied the art of grant writing. Most of the programs that are funded in this area are supported by grants she wrote. The program is still benefiting from many of the policies she put into practice years ago. Her grants also obtained funds to preserve and protect historical documents pertaining to the development of the county's schools.
Shirley was the keynote speaker and facilitated the 1St Annual Conference of the Northwest Indian Headstart Directors Coalition with 5 regional states and Alaska. She served as the consultant for the Head Start Indian Program for the state of Montana.
Her daughter remembers many times that Shirley bought toothbrushes, toothpaste, combs, and brushes for her Headstart kids. She wanted "her kids" to start the day fresh, clean, and ready to learn. There were many times she came home and raided her kids closets to get clean clothes for her "other" kids.
Shirley was later named Executive Director of HRDC in the Tri County area of Blaine, Hill, and Liberty Counties from 1978-1984. She supervised family planning, migrant farm workers, Section 8 housing, community food and nutrition, and youth programs such as Big Brothers/Big Sisters. She was also responsible for energy programs and her beloved Headstart. She expanded the Headstart Program, increased enrollment, and reached out to minority households, especially Native American Families.
She organized services to low-income families with the primary focus on women/minorities; and developed/implemented domestic abuse, displaced homemaker, and job training programs for women. She lobbied for women's rights, childcare, supervised 40 staff members, and served under a 22-member board of directors.
She served a two-year term as President for the Montana HRDC Association, two years as Vice President of Region VII Assoc., and one year as Vice President of the National Association.
Shirley received the Presidential Award and was appointed by President Ronald Reagan to the Region VIII Volunteer Board. She was the only member from Montana on the 12-person Presidential Private Initiative Task Force for Region 8, comprised of Montana, Utah, Wyoming, Colorado and the Dakotas.
Shirley was a member of the City of Havre's Housing Advisory Committee to assist Bear Paw Development to rehabilitate existing housing and find ways to develop affordable housing for the community.
When Bud passed away in 1984, as a means of support, she got her insurance license and worked for a short time at Northern Montana Hospital in the personnel department - but she missed teaching.
Shirley went back to school. She had multiple credit hours spent every year for the next 30 years improving her love for and knowledge of the classroom. She followed the motto "no child left behind" before it was a thing. Shirley wrote, "my Catholic faith has always been a big part of my life and so has working with children."
In 1985, she was appointed to the existing Superintendent of Schools term. She accepted the nomination to run with the Democratic party and stayed in office until 2010. She served as gender equalities section 504 specialist for all rural districts.
Shirley took the job of Superintendent very seriously and took the voters' confidence in her as her constant encouragement to improve Hill County schools and be mindful of her budget.
She studied Montana law with related Education Programs with the Montana Supreme Court, Administrative Law and Fair Hearings at the National Judicial College in Reno. This prepared her as an adjudicator including hearing officer, and administrative law judge. Shirley loved school law, and she represented agency on binding arbitration hearings, and conducted court hearings for school controversies.
In 1988, AHERA law was passed that requires schools to inspect and manage asbestos containing materials to protect students and faculty from exposure. This prompted Shirley to investigate the possibility of doing the testing herself. She saved the taxpayers over $200,000 for Hill, Blaine, Phillips, Toole, Teton, and Glacier Counties by doing the testing herself. She was a management planner, inspector, and would handle abatement for the Department of Environmental Quality from 1988-2011.
In 2011 & 2012, alone she clocked almost 200 hours of classroom time in Indian Ed for all, Best Practices, Effective Schools Conference, Technology Standards in Hutterite Schools, Power of Communication Arts, Foreign Language in Rural Schools, Keeping Schools and Kids Safe, School Budgeting and Accounting, Training Course for Handicapped Students, Head Start Social Services, and Working with Parents.
She is on file at the State Superintendent's office as a person authorized to administer, score, and interpret individual tests of learning aptitude for handicapped children.
Shirley worked countless hours every week for our community, our children and its education system from 1970 until retirement in December 2010.
While fulfilling her work duties as Superintendent of Schools, she earned a BS Elementary Education, MS Elementary Education area of specialization- Vocational Education w/Career Guidance, MS Elementary Education area of specialization-Composite Curriculum, Certified as Paralegal, Special Court Judge, Drug/Alcohol Counselor, and 800 hours in Administration/Management, Sexual Harassment/Gender Equity, Title IV /Title VII /Section 504.
It may have been clothes out of our closets to make sure every child had clean clothes, washed faces, were fed, and had fun learning at school. As teacher, counselor, superintendent, or judge the child always came first. We stopped at the light on First Street, and you spotted two of your kids on the step of Lee's Tavern. You left the car in the middle of the street, and marched in to get their parents to take them home. You gave them a trip around the block to get out the door. We did a drive by and a walk up to make sure they were home and in bed. You always stood for what was the right thing to do and taught us the same. Thank you for all you did for the thousands of children you cared for and for us. You made a difference."
Shirley was preceded in death by her, parents Harry and Lucille; husband, Charles; siblings, Bertha Blatter, Harry Bressler Jr, Dorothy McVeigh, Richard Bressler, and Kathleen Lenhardt; and granddaughter, Brogan Milbrandt.
She is survived by her children, Kim (Dave) Springer of Havre, William (Donna) Isbell of Great Falls, Richard Isbell of New Ulm, MN, Pam (Steve) Renaker of Havre, and Linda (Rob) Hergesheimer of Idaho Falls, ID; her grandchildren, Chad (Suener) Springer, Katie Springer (Jeff Zastrow), Cliff (Dana) Springer, Matt (Robin) Springer, Shad and Keaton Milbrandt, Kyle Renaker, Brett (Candice) Renaker, Jared Hergesheimer, ID, and Casey (Natalie) Hergesheimer; great-grandchildren, Sadie, Payton and Asher Springer, Atley Baldwin, Cooper Fisher, Beau and Harley Springer, Ruel and Charley Springer, and Michael and Sophie Renaker; and great-great-granddaughter, Cora Lenhardt.
Shirley's family has suggested memorial donations be made to St. Jude Catholic Church, PO Box 407, Havre, MT 59501, St. Margaret Mary's Catholic Church, PO Box 20, Big Sandy, MT 59520, or to the Knights of Columbus Mobile Ministry, Save the Storks, 57 Saddle Butte Dr., Havre, MT 59501.
