Lorna Jean Shetler
Aug. 5, 1959 – Oct. 25, 2023

Lorna Jean Shetler, 64, of Belfry, Montana, went home to be with her Saviour Jesus Christ on Oct. 25, 2023, after a fatal car accident.

Lorna was born on Aug. 5, 1959, in Duncan, British Columbia, Canada, the daughter of Russell and Jean Parr. She grew up in a Christian home and was saved at 12 years old. From then on, following Jesus was everything. Her family moved to Leslieville, Alta., where she spent her teen years on her parents’ beef cattle farm. Lorna had an independent personality that wasn’t afraid to be who she was, and her intuitive kindness befriended many people.

After high school, Lorna got a BRE in religious education with a minor in child education from Prairie Bible Institute where she met and married an American named Earl Shetler on Aug. 6, 1983. They had four children, Caleb, Christa, Jessica and Judith. They lived in Birkenfeld and then Vernonia, Oregon, for nine years, then moved to Saugatuck, Michigan, where she and her husband owned and operated a tree service business for 20 years while living in Michigan and Rapid City, South Dakota. During that time, her husband became a pastor (and Lorna, a pastor’s wife) at the Reformed Baptist Church in Holland, Michigan, and later Providence Reformed Baptist Church in Rapid City, South Dakota.

Both Lorna and her husband fell in love with the western USA and moved to the Rocky Boy Indian Reservation in Havre, Montana, as missionaries for several years. Eventually they settled in Belfry, Montana, where Lorna continued her role as homemaker, church pianist, secretary and ground crew for her husband’s tree service. This became home base for many trips to see her beloved grandchildren, mission trips to Peru with her husband, outreach events in the community, and several anniversary bike trips up and down the West Coast. Their home was always open to friends travelling through, even after a fire and windstorm destroyed their home and possessions in 2022.

Lorna was guided in life by her faith in Jesus and love for the Bible. We are confident that she is safely with the Saviour she loved. Lorna enjoyed spending time in the Beartooth Mountains every day and gave regular updates to her family and friends of the latest flowers and animal tracks sighted. These morning walks were set aside to pray for those she loved, and she faithfully wrote to her children every week starting when her oldest left for college. She was always up for an adventure!

Lorna was preceded in death by her parents, Russ and Jean Parr of Tappen, British Columbia, and her sister, Carolyn Dame of Vancouver, British Columbia. Lorna is survived by her husband of 40 years, Earl Shetler of Belfry, Montana; and her children: Caleb Shetler of Worland, Wyoming; Christa Thomas and her husband Paul Thomas of Worland, Wyoming; Jessica Shetler-Russell and her husband Ryan Russell of Greer, South Carolina; and Judith McRae and her husband Stephen McRae of Greenville, South Carolina. She was a beloved grandma to 10 surviving grandchildren. She is also survived by her siblings: Wendy Finlay of Rocky Mountain House, Alberta; Doug Parr and his wife Cindy Parr of Leslieville, Alberta; Bruce Parr and his wife Terasa Parr of Leslieville, Alberta; and Robyn Lindenbach and her husband Graham Lindenbach of Vancouver, British Columbia; along with 11 nieces and nephews and their spouses.

Services were held on Saturday, Nov. 4, at 10 a.m. at the Belfry Middle School auditorium in Belfry, Montana, hosted by Mountain View Baptist Church and Smith Funeral Chapels with Pastor Sam Coulimore officiating. Graveside service followed.

Psalm 42:8, The Lord will command His loving kindness in the daytime; and His song will be with me in the night, a prayer to the God of my life.