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BILLINGS —Norman Lee Ashworth was born April 1, 1932, in Great Falls, to Iva and Norman Ashworth. He passed away peacefully May 14, 2013, in Billings.
After the death of his father, Lee's family moved to Sunburst, where he grew up and attended school from first to 12th grade.
Lee married Marlene Anderson in 1952. They had two daughters, Marla and Ronna. He worked as a carpenter and contractor and then went to work for the post office. He moved his family to Billings in 1967.
After retiring in 1985 because of failing vision, Lee continued to keep active. He loved doing things with family and friends: running, hunting, fishing, skiing, hiking, working on cars and just visiting.
Following the death of his wife, Marlene in 1998, he met and married Margaret "Peggy" Setters. They had almost 14 years together.
Lee was diagnosed with Alzheimer's in 2011 and this, added to his blindness, made his world a much smaller place.
Lee was preceded in death by his father; his mother; stepfather Robert Cook, Jr.; wife Marlene; brothers Edmund Ashworth and Austin Cook; and grandson Anthony Bell.
He is survived by his wife, Peggy; daughters Marla (Rick) Stanich and Ronna (Tom) Bell; grandchildren Josh (Sayoko) Huisenga and great-grandson Ken, Peter (Imee) Huisenga, Stacey (Josh) Smith and Shane Bell and great-granddaughter Khloe; sister Bernice Jones; brother Howard (Sandy) Cook; sister-in-law Jacqui Cook; stepchildren Jille Hall and her children Michael and Julianna, Larry (Lesa) Setters and their son Robert, and Teresa (Larry) Seder and their children Ellen and Austin; and his cousins, nieces and nephews. Family meant everything to Lee.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Montana Association for the Blind and their Summer Program, PO Box 465, Helena, MT 59624-0465; Talking Books, Montana Talking Book Library, 1515 E. Sixth Ave., PO Box 201800, Helena, MT 59620-1800; Alzheimer's Association , Montana Chapter, 3010 11th Ave. N., Billings, MT 59101; or the charity of your choice .
We would also like to thank all of those people who were so kind to Dad as Alzheimer's took hold of his life, especially those who would see him wandering and bringing him safely home, and all of the people at Highgate who cared for him. You were all his angels.
Memorial services are 2 p.m. Monday at Michelotti-Sawyers Mortuary, 1001 Alderson Ave.
Condolences may be left online at
Published in Great Falls Tribune on May 17, 2013
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Howard Cook (1965)
Lee was always my hunting partner while I was growing up and before our Dad was transferred by Texaco to Calfornia. On one of our hunting trips, he even taught me how drive his pickup. I think I was around 11 at the time.
Other memories I have of hunting with him is when we got chased out of Canada after we had inadvertently crossed the border when we were hunting on our Grandpa's old homestead. Another time Lee had broken his neck so had to sit in the pickup while his son-in-law and I hunted antelope but Lee was the only one who got his that trip. You see, when he saw the herd passing around 300 yards from the pickup he laid his 30-06 across the pickup hood and pulled the trigger.
After graduating from high school he lived with his wife in Shelby and Billings where he retired from the Post Office.
Miss you Bro . Wish we could be together at the all class reunion this summer. You will be missed.